[Harp-L] Crystal or dynamic

["samblancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul writes: "{The point is that these players used what was available to
them at the
time and used a variety of equipment. They never used the same rig all
the time. They too just like us today were constantly searching for
that elusive sound ( the one that resides inside your mind )."

I thought about what Paul is saying here and I guess I count my self as
extremely lucky because that elusive sound that we're all searching for - I
found it.  

 

An old buddy of mine from my teen years, the guy who taught me how to play
the harp (at least the basics of it) stopped in town this past Thursday.  He
lives in Colorado now and so we see very little of each other.  Any way, we
went out to a jam and both played and had a real great time. I had invited
him over to my place earlier that day so he could take a couple of honks on
my rig so as to see what it sounds like and be able to dial it in that way
he liked and not have to fool with it at the jam.  He commented that it
sounded better than any thing he has including his Sony Jr. (this guy has
several amps, and tons of gear in general).  It made me stop and think about
it and I have to say that I no longer want any more gear. I'm there.  I
actually like my own sound better than anybody else's.  I prefer my rig to
anybody else's.  And I get tons of compliments on my sound.  I'm not
electronics wiz but I did tweak my rig a good deal to get it this way.  My
point is that if I can do it then anybody can.  

 

The other point I have to add is that I play a lot for as busy a person as I
am.  I tend to play, on average, about an hour a day.  Some days I may play
for 2 or three hours.  My acoustic tone has really transformed in the last 6
months.  Tone wise, I sound better (to me) than anybody else I hear.
Yesterday I stood on my porch and played for about an hour acoustically and
just marveled at how good I sounded and I realized that what I like about
it, the constituent elements, were the same as those that I hear when I'm
amplified.  That is to say, everything I enjoy when playing amplified is
present in my acoustic playing. 

 

This is a change for me.  I've had moments - as I know we all have - where I
was so dissatisfied with my own sound, chops, timing, tone, etc., that I
just quit playing for days in disgust. 

 

In the end I have to say that no mater what rig you have it really is you
that creates the tone and sound.  But a lot of what I have learned to put
into my sound acoustically came from my amplified practicing.  If you play a
lot, both acoustic and amplified, you will build a good sound eventually.  

 

Two weeks from now I may very well be dissatisfied with my progress.  But
it's nice to know that every once an a while, you get to a place where
you're really happy with your sound and it looks like you've got that holey
grail in you grip.

 

Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh