Re: [Harp-L] Open mic

[Garry Hodgson <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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? 

in my experience, some bring their own, some don't.  it often
depends on what the house has available.  there's usually a
PA that you can plug into.  not ideal, but ok.  bring your  mic,
cables, whatever converters you might need (lo-z xlr to hi-z 1/4").

if the house band has a harp player, they'll usually let you play
through their rig.  this can be a mixed blessing.  a lot of players
live on the hairy edge of feedback.  they can manage it because
they know their rig and it's set up for them.  but you don't, so
you might have problems being heard, or with feedback.

this may be why these harp players always brin their own, so
they have control over their sound.

> Could he have let me sit in using his mike and amp?

sure he could have.  but he didn't.  which was perhaps unkind,
but not uncommon. 

> Or should I just bring a mic and amp next time?

you should bring whatever you need to be able to play without
relying on anyone else.  as someone else suggested, do some
reconaissance.  check out the PA.  write down the make and
model, look it up online, and figure out what you need to attach
to it.  bring mic/cable/converters/etc.

and most of all bring an attitude.  not a bad one, but one that you
are a musician, you know what you're doing, and you are prepared
to handle whatever comes your way.  even if that's not so, start
working on it now.  work on it until you believe it, believe it until
you make it so.

> Unhappy I didn't get to play tonight....

keep at it.  you will.  and it'll be worth it.  playing at jams can be
very rewarding, and immensely frustrating.  but part of what you
need to learn as a musician involves how to be self sufficient, how
to deal with others who may not be as helpful as you'd like, and
how to persevere through setbacks to make your music happen
despite all the roadblocks.

as far as the friendliness (or otherwise) of the jam, this may improve
as you become a regular, or it may not.  you might check out other
jams in your area to find one that suits you.  they each have a different
flavor.  a lot of that has to do with who is running it, how well they do
that, and what their personal biases and priorities are.  some of them
are remarkably harp-unfriendly, or just get their friends up, or whatever.
others really go out of their way to encourage new people.  cherish those.