RE: [Harp-L] proper mic technique Newbie needs help

Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 3 Apr 2009 20:18:45 -0700

Ryan's video is great, but he fails to mention a very important point.  
In fact, I have found MOST people fail to mention it. I had to  
discover it on my own. SO - not to take anything away from Ryan - who  
clearly DOES what I'm about to tell you - he just doesn't talk about  
it, probably because he learned so long ago he doesn't even think  
about it....I'm going to give you the "rest of the secret" to great  
cupped tone. Sealing the FRONT of the harp is equally as important as  
sealing the back. What I mean is, the back can have an airtight  
chamber between the harp and the mic, but if you pucker a 5 blow and  
the other holes are open to the atmosphere, almost all the air will  
escape out the front of the harp and you won't "force-couple" the  
sound waves to the mic's element in the way that produces that really  
fat sound. Your goal is not only to have an airtight seal between the  
back of the harp and the mic, but to see that every hole on the front  
of the harp is either in your mouth, or sealed off. You can see Ryan  
using a combination of his right thumb sealing off the top couple of  
holes, and his cheek (by angling the harp back on the right side so  
that it rests against his cheek.) The bottom 4 or 5 holes are in his  
mouth, some undoubtedly sealed by his tongue or lips. THIS TECHNIQUE  
IS ESSENTIAL to getting fat tone. When you master it (and believe me,  
it takes practice) you will hear a HUGE difference in your tone, and  
your wahs will plunge the depths of the ocean.
On the other statement - I consider "good" green bullets as anything  
earlier than (but not including) a 520DX, or Blues Blasters with  
Astatic elements, not the later junk Hohner put in when they ran out  
of Astatics.) If you know where I can get THOSE for $100 I'll buy  
every one of them. Honestly, I think the prices have gone higher than  
that. You CAN get lucky, particularly OFF of eBay, such as Craigslist  
and garage sales and flea markets - but I'm afraid those mics are  
fetching higher prices on eBay these days.
/Greg
http://www.blowsmeaway.com
http://www.bluestateband.net

rom: Ryan Hartt <rhartt1234@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: April 3, 2009 9:41:16 AM PDT
To: <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] proper mic technique Newbie needs help

Abner,

If I may humbly offer the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2grIYzis_c

Maybe a wand/stick mic isn't for you. They aren't for me and my  
short, fat, often sweaty fingers.

I'm a JT-30 man through and through.

You can't get a Blue Blaster or a Shure Green Bullet for about a  
$100 that will suit your purpose.

Ryan