Re: [Harp-L] Re: Pucker tone

[Jerry Deall <jdeall@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Great idea for a bad band name 
"The Pucker Tones" 

Thanks Jerry, 
http://www.thebluesambassadors.com/ 
http://www.myspace.com/bluesambasador 
http://www.myspace.com/harpmic_man 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ev630" <eviltweed@xxxxxxxxx> 
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 2:25:30 PM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain 
Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Pucker tone 

> 
> I would argue it's a difference in playing technique (fast and high 
> verses slow and low) and not a difference in embouchure. 
> 


Actually, you're right. It's more that fast whistling OB stuff that uses an 
embouchure where the tone is coming from the front of your mouth - more 
nasally - that I'm commenting on. 

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Rice Miller used changes in 
embouchure to create killer dynamics and expressiveness in his harp playing 
- from bassy and mournful to thin and plangent. 

I use combo TB, Pucker and tongue curl, but what I'm thinking of is how the 
tone tightens up when guys use OBs as they move up the harp. Most of those 
guys use the same embouchure through-out and it's why most (but not all - 
i.e., Gruenling, Collard) of them don't seem to be able to drive a tube amp 
without pedals. 

Regarding the James Cotton discussion: 


What I LOVE about Cotton is that he is a TBer that doesn't use a Bullet Mic. 
> To my ears it gets too dark and UNdynamic and after 2 or 3 songs all the 
> color of our instrument is gone. If you really spent time to listen to the 
> old masters....you hear the true sound of the harp not a total 'masked' 
> tone. 
> 


Bear in mind that he used a JT30 for a long period - you can hear it when 
the Muddy Waters band backed Big Mama Thornton on an LP - and you still hear 
the same fantastic James Cotton tone that we all know and love from the 
Verve era. On the other hand, I don't think you hear his tone at it's best 
on recordings over the last twenty years odd (with people like Pinetop 
Perkins and Ronnie Earl). To me, that tone is too muddy and dark. Check out 
that Thornton stuff - it's awesome and shows Cotton's unique signature 
phrasing at its best. Personally I "think" he moved to the stick mics to get 
over as amps and PAs got louder in the rock era, not necessarily for the 
tone. Having said that, my all-time favourite Cotton album is "Best of the 
Verve Years" and he was using a stick mic for the three albums that make up 
that killer compilation. 

Drew