Re: Dialing in that " Tone " Thang

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mojo Red" <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 5:37 PM
Subject: Re: Dialing in that " Tone " Thang


>
> Hi,
>
> All this talk about James Cotton using a vocal mic
> direct to the PA reminded me of when I saw J.C.
> perform last year when he came through Colorado
> Springs.
>
> James spent a lot of time dialing in his sound.
> Even after his set began he kept shaking his head
> at the poor Schmoe running the sound board, 'cause
> the sound guy just didn't quite 'get it.'
>
> After about the 4th song James's harp was all
> dialed in and his sound was front and center where
> it belongs. Such a great show!
>
> The part that relates to this thread, however, was
> late in the last set when James called up a sit-in
> player, a local harp slinger who, I guess, often
> played in that club. (I don't know the guy. It was
> NOT Magic Dave Therault, however. Dave's band
> opened for James.)
>
> Anyway, James gives this wonderful introduction for
> this sit-in player, and starts up a song. James
> played the first solo, then hands his harp mic to
> the sit-in guy, but when he started playing, the
> sound just dropped out.
>
> The sit-in player simply didn't have the tone-power
> to deliver the levels that James was giving. The
> poor Schmoe sound guy ~tried~ to boost the signal
> on the fly, but only pulled in feedback...
>
> I felt for the sit-in guy because he had some fair
> chops, but no one could tell because he was buried.
> At stage sound levels, he could hardly be heard.
>
> James laughed the whole thing off and grabbed the
> mic back to finish the number... his big, powerful
> tone just oozing out all over the place.
>
> Shows ta go ya. It ain't the mic, it's the man.
>
> Which brings me back to the old, old, old thing
> that gets repeated ENDLESSLY around here... (here
> it comes...)
>
> Accoustic tone is what you really need to develop.
> Amped tone is great, but it ain't nuthin' without
> good acoustic tone. Good accoustic tone will make a
> fair amp sound GREAT. Great accoustic tone will
> make ANYTHING sound great.
>
> Harpin' in Colorado,
> --Ken M.

Hi,
Amen to that!!! I've been telling harp players that for years, but
unfortunately, too many times it goes in one ear and out the other!

Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
MP3's: http://music.mp3lizard.com/barbequebob/