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

[Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Ryan - well as far as one can tell from the video you certainly  
have nice tone. But I think you might be doing this more than you  
think, and if not, you owe it to yourself to try. TRY IT and you'll  
see what I mean. Get your best cup possible on the mic, and just  
pucker blow the 4 hole, for example, leaving as much of the front of  
the harp open as possible. Try a hand wah. NOW, put the whole left  
side of the harp in your mouth and TB to blow the same 4 hole. Cover  
up the 9 and 10 with your right thumb and then angle the harp back to  
the right so that you're pushing your thumb into your cheek -  
obviously trying to seal all those holes. Try a WAH again - it will be  
MUCH stronger. Your tone should be much deeper. And you can even feel  
as you reverse between blow and draw the pressure on your hands if you  
really get it right. I find this easy down for 1-5 or so but fail to  
do it well on the upper part of the harp.

I disagree with you about the mics - I mean, yes, you CAN learn with  
them, but neither are nearly as good as what can be had (although not  
for $100), not even close. I agree with those who say owning gear  
capable of producing GREAT tone is very helpful when learning. The  
element in the new BluesBlasters is simply junk, and the dynamic  
element in the 520DX has both more headroom and broader frequency  
response than the older ones, making it less responsive to hand  
techniques and good cupping techniques. It is also heavy enough to be  
a weapon, and very large in circumference which makes it very hard to  
cup properly, especially for people with smaller hands. For those  
reasons and some others it is not a good candidate for modification -  
so it ends up being a complete waste of money. I speak from personal  
experience - I bought a 520DX as one of my first mics, AND I bought a  
BluesBlaster expecting it to have an Astatic crystal. I was a newbie  
and like SOME of them, I was just clueless. I had no reason to believe  
these weren't going to be good mics. It took me more years to develop  
better mic technique and be able to hear the difference. But now if I  
want to teach a student, I want THEM to be able to hear the biggest  
difference possible between right and wrong, with the best quality  
from "right" because it really helps them focus and hone in on good  
technique.

So those are my reasons - but I think respectful disagreement is a  
good thing and I certainly acknowledge your expertise and opinion.


Cheers!


/Greg

http://www.blowsmeaway.com
http://www.bluestateband.net



On Apr 5, 2009, at 7:46 AM, Ryan Hartt wrote:

> Greg, If do what you say I do below I am certainly not conscious of  
> it. I could be wrong but I would think the amount of compression  
> gained by sealing the other holes would be pretty small. And I think  
> it would be nearly impossible to cover every unplayed hole. My thumb  
> just goes on the top holes because that it where it is most  
> comfortable and I don't think I put that much of the harp against my  
> cheek.
>
> Also regarding $100 mics. Yes the Blues Blasters and Shure 520DX,  
> there are definitely better mics available, but for Abner's purpose  
> of learning to play amplified harp they would do fine.
> Ryan
>
> > From: greg@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: RE: [Harp-L] proper mic technique Newbie needs help
> > Date: 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
> >
> >
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