[Harp-L] Re: Iron Man - Black Sabbath - Rock Harmonica

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

elizabeth wrote:
<I'm not sure if this is to anyone's taste...but do remember 'someone'  
<asking about rock music (even heavy metal) being played on harmonica?  If  so, 
<here's something to consider from a Swedish player:
< 
<If you're not familiar with YouTube..click on 'more info' to read what he  
<used for the effects:...
< 
<Iron Man - Black Sabbath - Rock Harmonica
< 
<_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2pczYsbhHM_ 
<(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2pczYsbhHM) 

This is some cool stuff.  The pitch shifter set to two octaves down is what's key to this sound.  BIG bottom on the harp.  Doesn't quite sound like two instruments, as the guy who posted the video says; sounds more like one really big, fat instrument.  Either way, nice.  I'm telling you man, pitch shifters and harp go together like milk and Kahlua.

If you were performing this with a band, you'd have to worry about the effected harp getting in the way of the bass player, because the pitch shifter puts the harp right into that range.  But the harp/drums combination here works great!

The guy's got decent technique underlying it all, of course.  The basic harp sound is very good.  Put some interesting effects on top of (or under) a good harp sound and the results are well worth hearing.

Regards, Richard Hunter

author, "Jazz Harp"
latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter
Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick