Re: [Harp-L] Which harp mic is most feedback resistant?

[Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Vern

yeah, I tried to keep quiet but GEEZ! I have the luxury of getting to  
play with many, many mics and elements in the course of my work, so I  
think I've learned a little something. I'll try to answer your  
questions:

> Why have electrets not found favor among harmonica players?


Nothing wrong with them for chrom/acoustic - however they can easily  
sound harsh if overdriven, and even when not they are certainly not as  
"warm" as some other mics. But they work!

> Does a mic with lots of overhead preclude the distortion that many  
> players seek?

I think you mean headroom? Yes - the Fireball is a perfect example. I  
hate it. Why? It takes away one of the great expressive variables I  
have under my control, which is tonal change based on cupping  
technique. That mic has very high headroom (140dB) so even when cupped  
tightly it doesn't distort. People who play through digital effects  
boxes to manufacture their tone for them like this mic, because it is  
predictable. It is very good at what it does - I just don't like it  
personally for that reason - some times I WANT to induce a distorted  
sound.

Cheers!

/Greg

http://www.blowsmeaway.com
http://www.bluestateband.net

On Oct 11, 2009, at 1:21 PM, Vern Smith wrote:

> I play a chromatic through a little Roland AC60 which has a tunable  
> notch filter.  I'm not your typical diatonic blaster with a monster  
> amp. However, I have been following the feedback thread and have  
> been confused by it.
>
> I found your post to be the best of many on the subject. Your points  
> are well supported by explanations that make sense to me.  It seemed  
> to me to be a gem of enlightenment in a mass of BS.
>
> I use a peanut-sized electret (Sennheiser Me4) completely enclosed  
> in a hand cup, assuming that my hands would minimize pickup from the  
> speakers.
>
> Questions:
> Why have electrets not found favor among harmonica players?
> Does a mic with lots of overhead preclude the distortion that many  
> players seek?
>
> Its OK to quote this if you wish to answer the questions on harp-l.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Vern