Re: [Harp-L] To mic or not to mic/creating variety

["Abner Galdos" <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael, let me try to understand this...
a Shaker mic is smaller then a bullet mic and this is why by holding a Shaker  I can still be free with the hand motion.
I don't know anything about the Shaker or what kind of difference the sound would be.... 
at this point I don't want to change mic's.. I love my custom mic...
But this does not mean latter on I could get a smaller mic.... I think that's what I'm reading from your statement.
The smaller the diameter of the mic the easer it is to hold and be free.....

Or could it be that maybe I'm just a Klutz and need to practice.
That's the main reason for my question.
and Michael you did hit the nail on the head with your statement "Abner was expressing dissatisfaction that his mic limited his hand
motions "

Thank for the response.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: michael rubin 
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 10:09 AM
  Subject: [Harp-L] To mic or not to mic/creating variety


  Abner was expressing dissatisfaction that his mic limited his hand
  motions and unless you use shaker mics, which produce a different tone
  from bullets, they definitely limit your hands.

  Most players will create a compromise where they will play with a
  bullet for the darker sound and stand a few inches in front of a vocal
  mic on a stand to allow for their hand effects and a more acoustic
  sound.

  The trouble comes with getting heard over loud bands while using a
  vocal mic.  Most bands I work with are schooled so when I go to the
  vocal mic, they bring the volume down.  Some sound guys are smart
  enough to actually watch the show and turn the vocal mic volume up if
  it needs it.

  To me, using both mics creates variety, which I think is really what
  keeps the audience interested in your harp playing.

  I do not play blues gigs much, but when I do I try and follow this path:

  2 songs cross harp amplified

  1 song variety

  2 songs cross harp amplified

  1 song variety

  etc.

  The variety could be chromatic amped or not in combination with a
  loose influence of the Little Walter style or Stevie Wonder style,
  diatonic cross harp played acoustically,  First position in either the
  first or 3rd octave, 3rd position, use of pedal effects, playing
  another instrument for a song, etc.

  Of course, I may break pattern if the band calls a song that screams
  for a variety technique when I expected to do cross harp.  For
  example, if the band calls out Honest I Do, I will do first position
  in the 3rd octave no matter what I played on the last song.  If I had
  just played a song in the 1st position, 3rd octave Jimmy Reed style
  and the band leader chooses Honest I Do to follow up that song, I
  wonder if he is listening or has a different sense of how important
  variety is.

  Michael Rubin
  Michaelrubinharmonica.com
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