Re: [Harp-L] Harp and Sax




Amped harp puts out a lot of energy in the 500 Hz-3 kHz range, and organ can really saturate that space (or just about any other).

I'd just make sure the mix engineer understands that the harp is supposed to be heard.

What Richard says is right on, especially so in this organ and harp situation.


Mudharp, you probably know this, but the Hammond organ has these black keys over on the left hand side and sliders up across the keyboards. The sliders allow the organist to attribute widely different EQ colors to the keyboards. These EQ's can then be assigned to the black keys over on the left hand side.

This allows the organist to use several very bright, out-front EQ's when he is soloing, and some more subdued colors when he's accompanying, and to not have to do much more than hit a black key to make the change. Any good Hammond player will either know what colors to set when accompanying each player in the band, or will work with the players to achieve optimal color.

The reason it is worth taking some time establishing the backup colors is that the EQ's of the various instruments play off each other and can make each other sound great, lousy or neutral. I'd go for great, and you'll only get that through some experimentation. The organ player will have likely not played with many harp players, especially many who have your specific sound.

If you really want to go for it, make sure the organ guy has A FEW backup colors for you, so that he can build as you do. (Lots of time a skilled organ player can do that part on the fly by moving the sliders during the performance. It's very common to see Hammond players grab a fistful of the high sliders from the EQ he's using and pull them way up for climactic moments and then ease them back.)

Preparing your sounds before you get into the studio like this (which you may not have time for) will take some of the burden off the engineer.

Why would you want to do that? Because engineers are not harp players. If you're not involved in the mix it is a near certainty that the harp will not sound just as you wish, and -- sad to say -- sometimes absolutely no care whatsoever will be placed on making the harmonica sound any good at all. It happens all too often. So prepare by getting your colors straight with the Organist early on.

K





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