Re: [Harp-L] Open mic

["John Kerkhoven" <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Randy Power wrote:

I just went to an open mic night, hoping to sit in on a couple songs. I
asked the first harp player if I needed an amp and mike to sit in. He said
that he and the other 2 harp players always bring their own equipment. Is
that common practice? Could he have let me sit in using his mike and amp? Or
should I just bring a mic and amp next time?

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That doesn't sound too friendly....

I would say that at a minimum you should have harps and a mic and cable.
Most places should have a house PA you can plug into with either an XLR or
1/4" jack. And if you've got mic and cable, someone might well let you plug
into their amp, but be wary of guitarist amps which may feed back on you.
(Note I say guitarist amps, and not guitar amps. In my case, I have a guitar
amp, but I've swapped a tube to control feedback.)

If you have only an XLR cable and you want to plug into an amp, you can buy
an XLR to 1/4" converter, which may also be a low to high impredence
converter.

You don't need the impedence converter plugging into the PA, but I can't
tell you why. I don't really understand about impedence. I just know that a
converter set to high boosts my sound with my amp. I'm sure there are others
who can explain this.

(A note for shaker madcat users: the shaker madcat I have is designed for
1/4" jacks. I discovered that I get a nice boost in sound with my amp with a
1/4" to XLR converter on the end and then attached to that a low to high
impedence converter plugged into the amp. So 1/4" to XLR back to 1/4".)

But the long and the short is bring at least a mic and cable along with your
harps. Be ready to plug in.

John