[Harp-L] Re: An Amazing Performance

Ray Beltran <raybeltran@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 4 Sep 2009 07:42:55 -0700

Um... well...
I think you may be correct. That perhaps it is a bit of naivete on  
your part, Elizabeth.
Quite frankly, there are a LOT of us who do care about our  
amplification.
Here's what you're missing: You see, the AMPLIFIED harmonica player  
considers his equipment to be a vital link in the chain that is his/ 
her sound. I consider it to be quite literally another instrument  
altogether, and attempt to understand it, play it and take care of it  
in this manner.
Understanding HOW to "move" the equipment in order to achieve a  
desired sound by utilizing different attacks and pressures and  
techniques is something I regard in my teaching as a separate subject.  
And it seems to be something that you do not yet understand, or  
perhaps have no desire to understand.
Just as electric guitars introduced a variety of sounds through  
amplification that resulted in an entirely new approach to guitar  
playing, so too in a similar manner has amplifying the harmonica. Our  
intent is to color the sound to where at times one may sound like an  
organ, a guitar, a horn, and yes, even a harmonica as PART OF the  
music and what it calls for in any given moment.
When I first began playing amplified, I thought it was simply a matter  
of picking up a mic and blowing. Nothing could be further from the  
truth. It took me years to understand and execute, and is a continued  
work in progress. I've seen a lot of good acoustic harmonica players  
with excellent acoustic tone having never studied or learned amplified  
playing sound thin and lifeless when attempting to play amplified.  
It's just not that easy. Again, the amplified player is introducing a  
coloration to his/her sound that is much more than just playing  
loudly. Playing amplified CORRECTLY is "delivering the goods" in my  
book. Nothing like a thin, lifeless, weak amplified sound to spoil the  
performance.
Our appreciation of this is FAR from "focusing our lives on what  
someone plays through." You just don't seem to understand how  
amplifiers are an important part in achieving a quality of sound  
(among other things) that does, in fact, move audiences as part of the  
musical presentation IF EXECUTED CORRECTLY.
Clay Kirkland has, in the instance described by Rick, demonstrated a  
level of ability in amplification that is difficult to achieve  
considering the suspect quality of his equipment. Those of us who  
understand what he's achieved applaud him, even if some of us don't  
agree on his choice of equipment. His amplified technique and it's  
impact in his message is incredible. And it's the sound, the texture,  
the dynamics of amplified playing that is a part of his music and was  
no doubt a very major part of Clays performance, otherwise he would  
not have considered playing amplified AT ALL.
I think if you've spent any amount of time attempting to seriously  
study amplified playing, you would appreciate what Rick is trying to  
say about Clay's performance.
Consider Rick's blog:

http://bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/

It's primary focus is understanding and discussing amplified harmonica  
playing. I know what he's trying to say.
I tire of the attitudes that don't understand the role of  
amplification as an instrument in the musical message yet are quick to  
level a judgement against those of us who do. The attitude that  
implies that we're just a bunch of gear heads who simply plug in and  
blow.
Where's the tolerance? Where's the love?
Just because one does not understand is no reason to lambast.
Ray.
--
My Music – www.resgraphics.com/music
My YouTube – www.youtube.com/raybee127

On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:31 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 23:56:33 EDT
From: EGS1217@xxxxxxx
Subject: Subject: [Harp-L] An Amazing Performance
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <c32.5d1f34d2.37d09871@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Rick Davis writes:
"but here is the really amazing part. His harp

amp was a Fender Frontman  15R. That's right... He won the day with  
a cheap

little solid state amp that  is bundled with a Squire Strat in a $200

"Guitar

Starter Kit" at Wal-Mart. It  isn't even the new model of the  
Frontman 15

that sells for $79.99. It's a  late-90s version that sold for even  
less."
It is? THAT is what you think is the 'really amazing part'?   ???!!!
What am I missing?
I must be terribly naive. See...here I'm thinking that

'The really amazing part' is that he achieved something  
extraordinary...

played well enough to garner major applause and kudos from an  
audience of his

peers.
Yet you single out the cheapness of his gear as 'The' most important

factor, mention his playing as 'pretty' amazing before you launch  
into this

discussion of his Amps.
Who cares?  There's something surely wrong then about how I think of

playing harmonica if the Amp is THE most important feature rather  
than the

player and his instrument, and if your ideas of harmonica playing  
(major rants

about what Charlie Musselwhite should or should not carry on board a  
plane

come  to mind) are what people care about most today.
If I'd been there I wouldn't have spared a thought towards what he  
played

through... wouldn't have noticed at all, in fact. All I'D have heard  
was his

actual playing, and the effect it had on me and the audience, and  
whether

or not  I liked/enjoyed what I heard.
Frankly I could give a hoot if someone plays through the PA  system  
or sans

any amplification of any kind.  Can he/she deliver 'the  goods'? -  
is far

more important.....  IS he/she a player?.... Does  he/she move  
me?...are far

more important factors in what I think of as a  great  
performance...JUST as

I would that of any other instrumentalist.
I've never once looked at or cared what Amps Peter White plays  
through when

I go to his many concerts/shows. ALL I care about is listening to his

wonderful  guitar playing (and I honestly don't care what guitar he  
uses).
Perhaps you who focus your entire lives on what someone  plays  
'through'

are forgetting the simple reality and  needs of the audience. The  
rest of us

really don't care what gear  is onstage. We're there to hear the   
performer

not the gear, so adding  that paragraph at the end of the 'review' -  
which

certainly seems  to have been your entire raison d'etre for writing  
the

review in  the first place, was superfluous and did nothing but take  
away from

his  achievement, no matter how you slice and dice it.
Umm...what was the name of the player again?  Oh right. Clay   
Kirkland.
Elizabeth