[Harp-L] Re: How much do you need to hear yourself while gigging?

["Barry F. Cohen" <kates-cohen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

From:  Barry Cohen
To:  Harp-l
To:  Cljdm@xxxxxxx
Subject:  Re: How much do you need to hear yourself while gigging?

Chris,

You're complaint about the inability to hear yourself play, and the effect it has on your quality of play and enjoyment, is near and dear to the hearts of anyone who gigs out with a loud band!  I've battled the same issue, made even worse because I have significant hearing-loss anyways from too many loud concerts when I was a kid (I think I once actually sat inside an amplifier at a Zepplin concert!)!  The nature of the harp being what it is - with all the delicate subtleties and variations of 
notes - demands being able to hear yourself clearly - or it's like a blind man pissing in the dark with the wind swirling - chances are a mess is going to be made!

Anyhow, here's my own solution that works very well for me; first, I use two amplifiers (Kalamazoo II) that are very resistant to feedback (with au7's almost zero feedback at any volume-level, even with my hot, hot 1952 black-label green bullet), I loop them together and mic one of them to the PA - I keep both amps right behind me, one up on a chair facing directly at myself, and the other the facing the audience.   The one facing me I set loud and use as my stage monitor, the other is miked to the PA at an 'appropriate'  level.  Now I get the best of both worlds, I can easily hear myself play (even standing smack next to my guitarist) - and since I've got two amps cooking - I'm playing in stereo, which sounds pretty cool!  

If this doesn't work - I pack up my gear and hit the bar!!

PS - I've tried earphones - even expensive custom made ones - but it's still like swimming underwater with them, and trading one problem for another, for me anyways!

Good luck with it!

Barry Cohen
http://www.myspace.com/barrycohenakamash