[Harp-L] re: was little walter's amp now little walter's sound



 The mysterious trivia questions are always interesting to me from LW's amps to Robert Johnson and where he disappeared to for a year or so.  Back in those days there were lots of good push/pull and single ended amps that sounded great for harp and thousands of full power crystal mics and CR's etc. to choose from.  He just happened to be the one who went in that direction of nasty sounding amps for harp, but what he used and did internally to the amp, if anything,  is the interesting part. It's like the tootsie roll pop commercial, "How many licks to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop...The world may never know.  a Bob Margolin piece he said that LW tried to implement the sound of the horns and I think that's  what RainbowJimmy is eluding to.  His amp and mic tone have been accomplished by many, but his personal tone,  exceptional chops and the way he grooved are the difference.  Everyone  sounds a little different due to their mouth cavity size, their tongue, teeth, 
tonsils.  The main thing is to keep your own good tone and however it sounds is your personal sound and that's what's great about the harp an extension of the human voice and everyone's voice sounds different. I like what Snooky said in a Living Blues article, "Some young white guy from California asked me how I make the harp squeel like I do and I asked him if he knows how to make kidney stew?  Ya gotta boil the piss out of it and that's what I'm gonna tell you about the harp, ya gotta blow the piss out of it!"  I about fell out of my chair laughing, but it's the truth.  Guess I better get to boilin'.  steve --- On Sun 11/13, < rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:From: [mailto: rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 09:37:26 -0600Subject: [Harp-L] re: was little walter's amp now little walter's soundYes Little Walter was one of the first to really play amplified harp but hisreal accomplishment was bringing the big band R and B sound 
and sensibility toa small blues band. I would suggest if you want a Little Walter sound, youshould listen to Count Basie, listen to Ray Charles' early Atlantic recordings,listen to what the big bands were doing at the ballrooms and try to figure itout on the harp. A lot of folks can play the notes, they have the chops, theyhave the equipment, but they don't swing and they don't understand their rolein the band.Hence they don't sound like Little Walter.Rainbow Jimmyhttp://www.spaceanimals.comhttp://www.soundclick.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals.htm_______________________________________________Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.orgHarp-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

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