[Harp-L] Re: Overblows in the blues-check this out

[Michael Easton <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 14, 2010, at 12:01 PM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Message: 7
> Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:38:47 -0500 (EST)
> From: Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Overblows in the blues - check this out
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
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> Bill Newton wrote:
> <Jason's pedals include a thing that doubles notes that are maybe 3  
> octaves
> <below the harp notes.
Richard replied:
> I very much doubt Jason's going that low.  As I understand it, Jason  
> uses a Micro POG, and a quick check on this device's specs shows  
> that it will double the original pitch one octave down and/or one  
> octave up, so three octaves down isn't possible.  Even a full-blown  
> POG wouldn't do it--that device does mixes of one octave down, one  
> octave up, and two octaves up.

I own the newer POG 2. It has 2 octaves down and 2 octaves up plus  
several other options to color your tone.   You can preset it to 8  
settings.  I've loaded 5 "organ" tones that vary from Catherdal to  
Jazz B3 setting  to a lighter upper mid register organ sound. The  
others have a mix of harp with organ like undertones. I left 2 setting  
blank for future ideas.  Since I grew up with Hammond organs in the  
house I wanted very exacting organ sounds in the effect.  The POG 2  
runs into a Rotosim Leslie simulator then to Hard Wire brand reverb  
pedal.

> As a practical matter, whatever the device allows you to do, 2  
> octaves down is about as far as you want to go (and as far down as  
> any pedal I've ever used will take you).  In fact, it's too far in  
> many situations. If we figure that an amped harp is putting out a  
> lot of energy around 500hZ-1 kHz (also known as the low midrange),  
> dropping that an octave would be 250-500 hz, and two octaves would  
> be 125-250 hZ.  In that range, the harmonica is already playing  
> tones that potentially conflict with the bass, meaning that the band  
> as a whole will lack clarity and punch in the bass register. Drop it  
> another octave and the harp is right on top of the kick drum's  
> frequency range (62-125 hZ), meaning that the harp will conflict  
> with the kick drum, the beat itself is going to get messy, and the  
> harp's actual pitch will be hard to hear.  Most harp players would  
> be surprised to hear how much power they can put into the sound just  
> by doubling the pitch one octave down.

If we are talking about the Micro-POG then it does have it's limits  
with tweaking to get an organ tone or even a sub octave tone.  The POG  
2 gives you more freedom to tweak for a professional sounding effect.   
I generally hate pedals but if I'm going to use them then they better  
enhance rather then conflict with my tone or sound. I own 4 pedals and  
a processor. I probably gave away or sold 15 others and fried a  
Digitech by accident.

 I don't know if I can fully agree with your last paragraph above. It  
would give reason not to have organ trios. An organ with 2 keyboards  
and a bass pedal would pretty much cover most frequencies of the other  
instruments.  I think the volume level at those frequencies would  
cancel out the other instruments but not the mere fact that they  
reside in or near those frequencies.  I can understand what you are  
saying though.  I had a heck of a time trying to tell the difference  
between my harp and the pedal steel player in a country band I was  
in.  Our fill notes clashed so bad I didn't know who was playing what.
I gave in and let him play all the fills.

Michael Easton
www.harmonicarepair.com