[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 33, Issue 55

["richard smith" <richar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Amps & PA playing.
Hi guys here`s my sixpenneth on the subject..........

If I`m gigging with my regular band I have a wonderful Peavey Delta Blues 
with the 15" speaker. It is a stock unit no valve changes etc. I am using 
Harmonix gear through it, some times cable connected, sometimes wireless, 
depending on the size of the venue. The reason I particularly like this amp, 
apart from the tone I get, is that there are two channels, one clean and the 
other overdriven and you can set the amount of drive on it. Playing in a 
band I have two jobs to do. The first is part of the back line and we all 
know how important it is that we hear ourselves. So, I use the clean channel 
for this which is that little bit brighter and I can hear myself in the mix 
without being obtrusive (spoiling vocals etc.). When it is my turn to step 
up then I switch to the other channel which is voiced to what I want and of 
course the volume is set higher and enables me to do my second job of 
soloist. On completion I then switch just as quickly to backline. This is 
particulary important to me playing alongside a Sax as between us we create 
a brass section on a lot of songs we do with nice riffs running through 
them.

If I`m sitting in then I use a Sansamp Accoustic DI. It is quick and easy to 
set up so the flow of the band is not lost. It also lets me go into the PA 
desk with a balanced input and is a great help overcoming feedback. In 
addition and this is crucial to me...... Good sound engineers on the desk 
cannot be guaranteed and of course their idea of what is a good harp sound 
may not be the same as yours..!! Using the sansamp lets me be in control and 
I just tell the guy on the desk to set his end flat with a touch of reverb 
and I set my own eq on the DI. Perfect solution..!!

Sorry about the length of my input, I don`t often post so I guess I have a 
lot of words in credit..!!

Richard Smith (the English one)
www.harmonix-harmonica.co.uk