[Harp-L] Sitting (Standing) in

[B Boggs <ceudoazul@xxxxxxxxx>]

From: "Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx> 

> Something to remember: When you are "sitting in", you already 
relegate 
> yourself to their will and set up. If they wish to take a few moments 
to 
> set you up with your own mic, great; but don't expect that everyone 
will or 
> will be able to. After all, it is their show, not yours. 


This is a true and reasonable comment. I am grateful for a band that invites me to play.


On 2/19/06, ChipComcast <jandkday@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> 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...


The "gunslinger mentality" is one style. Insecurity is often part of the human condition. It is always a pleasure to have a skilled harp player offer to let you use their rig and even help tweak the sound when you stand-in. 

>Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh said:

 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.

Very thoughtful. A very good lap-guitar player (Dave Miner) once said to me that I should not play under bad conditions or with trainwrecks because it hinders developing. It is a personal decision I can respect having played when I could not hear myself.
Besides amps to play through I have a kit with Boss Blues Driver pedal and DI (Direct Injection) box. I can bring a small case with harps, mic, Blues Driver pedal and DI box. It is quick to sound check and sounds better for an tube amp crunch then going straight into PA board.
(Thanks to Peter "Madcat" Ruth for such a great tip!)
 

		
---------------------------------
 Yahoo! Mail
 Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.