RE: [Harp-L] 'A' harp cutting through, telling guitarists to turn down

["R. S. Walters" <rwalters@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry, but  I don't buy the caught up in the moment excuse.  There is no
moment when your setting up in an empty club and guitar players practice
riffs have the barmaids ducking under the bar.  They simply start loud and
get louder.  My way of telling that they are "caught up in the moment" is
when I feel that sharp pain in the side of my head, my eye twitches, and a
tear runs down my cheek for that screaming twang being emitted from the lead
guitar.

Now waving the band down does work for a moment or two. But the sound
usually creeps right back up.  One night in desparation, in between songs, I
simply took the mic and asked the crowd...Are we too loud?  Guess what the
answer was.  HELL YES!   Pissed off a couple of band members but at least I
proved my point.

Bobby

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Chris Michalek
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 8:20 PM
To: Roscoharp@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] 'A' harp cutting through, telling guitarists to turn
down


Leave it to Rosco to play devil's advocate.  What he says is true but in the
REAL world it's not that realistic to go out and plunk down $1500+ for a
louder rig.  

The best way I've found to get guitarists to turn down is to point directly
at them and then motion for the them to get soft.  This almost always work
during a solo - especially yours.  I think most players get loud because the
are simply caught up in the moment. 
Most player will comply and it will add a nice sense of dynamics to the
shows.  Or ya could just use the friggin D harp in 3rd postion. 
The higher frequencies will cut better than the notes on the A harp.


>
>
>
>---- Original Message ----
>From: Roscoharp@xxxxxxx
>To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: [Harp-L] 'A' harp cutting through, telling guitarists to 
>turn down
>Date: Sun, 3 Oct 2004 18:53:25 EDT
>
>>Chris Michalek writes:
>>"D harp 3rd position cuts through adequately. Or tell the guitarists 
>>to turn down"
>>
>>Hey list,
>>I see this advice all the time on this list, & in real life this is
>just not
>>practical.  In the best of all possible worlds, you could get
>guitarists,
>>bassists, drummers, et al. to turn down at will. Not in this life. 
>I play in a
>>rock band. The music is loud. Too loud. The guys in my band are
>generally easy
>>to get along with, but do not want me telling them how to shape
>their sound. 
>>Even if they turn down temporarily, the sound will creep back up. 
>>  I don't like it at all, but that's the way it is. It was even
>worse when I
>>was playing with horns. A trumpet next to your head is louder than
>most guitar
>>amps.  I have learned that the best defense is a good offense. My
>rig is
>>LOUD. I am not completely happy with the way it sounds, but at least
>I can be
>>heard. 
>>The idea that you are going to get a guy with a huge investment in
>amps &
>>guitars to turn down so you can hear your harp is usually not
>realistic. If you
>>play in a band that plays loud, you have to learn to deal with it. 
>>Otherwise, find a different band. 
>>
>>
>>later, Rosco
>>maybe august
>>_______________________________________________
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>>

Chris Michalek
Get ready for the Global Harmonica Summit 2005


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