[Harp-L] Re:Question re small amp.

[Ray Beltran <raybeltran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 12, 2009, at 9:02 AM, Richard Hunter wrote:

> Cassette recording technology is good enough for this purpose, and  
> it's a lot cheaper.  Radio Shack sells a recorder with a built-in  
> mic that uses standard audio cassettes for a price of less than $40,  
> as I recall. Cassettes are cheap and still readily available, too.

Thanks for bringing this up, Richard. Excellent point. BY WHATEVER  
MEANS NECESSARY, record yourself.

Back in the 90's, when the Harmonica Masterclasses had all the greats  
showing up for seminars, Rod Piazza said that someone (George Smith?  
can't recall - I'll have to go back and listen), gave him a cheap  
recorder just for the purpose of recording his practice sessions. He  
said it was the best gift he'd ever gotten, and he encouraged us to do  
the same.

I recorded him saying this, as I already had one of those old-school  
tape recorders that lay flat underneath my chair and have the built-in  
condenser mics, big black flat keys that go "ker-PLUNK" to let you  
know to turn the tape over (and annoy the heck out of everyone), all  
chrome and shiny speaker grille... you 'member.

All the music on my website at www.resgraphics.com/music is recorded  
using a Sony MZ-RH1 Hi-MD minidisc recorder and some Sound  
Professionals Audio Technica mics with a power pack for the mics. This  
whole setup is still smaller than the H4, but what's nice about the H4  
is it's an all-in-one unit. I do some post-processing using Bias Peak,  
and it takes a bit of time, but it's sort of a hobby of mine.

You don't need this sort of setup. You don't need to go crazy like  
this. Keep it simple if you don't want the hassle, as long as you  
record yourself. Even a simple recording is better than none.

I record every performance to check myself, the band, my amp, my tone,  
what I was saying musically, what I could have been doing, the times I  
should have shut up... I go over and over the music listening for all  
sorts of stuff. What you'll hear is amazing, and you'll learn so much.

I am also looking to capture that magic moment. You know, that moment  
when everyone is in the pocket, the music is moving up and out with a  
life of it's own, and it's just a coming together of all the right  
time and things and notes and crowd... Rather than tell the grandkids  
about that special moment when it all just came together, wouldn't you  
rather them hear it? That stuff's PRICELESS!

Then, of course, those warts. Ah, yes... the warts. Those times when  
you just fall flat on your face, and you don't quite know what you  
were trying to do or why. When you hear it, you'll winch... "What the  
HECK wuz I THINKIN'?" And you'll never want to hear it again. It's all  
good, though! I guarantee you, when you hear it, you WON'T do that  
thing again. EVAH! You will have a better performance the VERY NEXT  
TIME.

Okay, I think you all get the picture; I'll shut up now. Forty bucks  
or four hundred bucks. Just do it. You'll be happy you did.

Ray.
--
My Music - www.resgraphics.com/music