Re: [Harp-L] Playing through vocal mics- a case for using your own rig

["ChipComcast" <jandkday@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sam-

A similar experiance befell me and I should have known better.
At a recent Delaware Blues Society gig they had an 'all-star' jam at the end
and I was asked up with Lonnie Sheilds & a local guitar whiz.
Earlier the president asked the last band to leave their harp man's rig.
He SAID he was leaving.  I found myself with a vocal mike that was hot,
trying to compete with a loud funky guitar jam...yikes!
All I could do was staccato type hand wahs . When my 24 came up,
I motioned the band to drop WAY down.. but alas! Maybe they thought
I was braceing myself from falling over.

 Just smile & get off fast, the blues is a rough & tumble world and in the
future
I will access the situation better.

Jday

PS. The harp man had lied to me and brought his rig back up
for the big finish! haha talk about "the brotherhood of the iron!"

live & learn...

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "samblancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:26 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Playing through vocal mics- a case for using your own rig


> Hey Folks,
>
>
>
> Thought I'd share this bad experience with you as an object lesson in when
> step down from playing even when you really want to.  The other night I
went
> to sit in with a local blues band that I often sit in with - Willy Tri And
> The Bluescasters.  Willy plays through a Super Reverb and switches to
guitar
> through that same amp in his second set.  So if I come late and I want to
> sit in, it has to be through a vocal mic through the board.  This mic goes
> through speakers that are set way forward so that I can't really hear
> myself.  There's only one monitor but since I'm standing directly over it
> and all the sound blows past my feet.  The end result is I'm playing my
> lungs out but can only hear three fourths of what I play and faintly at
> that.  How did I sound?  I'm not sure but I'm betting I sounded like crap.
> I couldn't hear the ends of my notes or the beginnings of any transitions
> from draw to blow.  The lesson here is that when an opportunity presents
> itself for playing it pays to carefully consider weather that situation
will
> allow you to be your best and if it doesn't, you should skip it.  I hat
> sounding like crap, especially with a band with a first rate harp player.
> Having your own rig is ALWAYS better; even if it's not the greatest rig in
> the world.  At least you can control it and hear what you're playing.
>
>
>
> Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh
>
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.11/264 - Release Date: 2/17/2006
>
>