[Harp-L] Re: What's so bad about micing to a PA?

[Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Sam

Here's my take. There is nothing "so wrong" about mic'ing an amp.  
However there is a lower limit to the size amp you can use before  
hearing it on stage becomes a real problem. If its your band - you  
should be able to make it work. I've tried this with the Kalamazoo, so  
I have firsthand experience. The quieter the amp is relative to the  
stage level, the harder it is for YOU to hear. Adding it into the  
monitors seems tends to become a feedback problem fairly early in the  
game, and since THAT feedback has to be caught and managed by the  
sound guy, it can be a real problem. You'll need to get the Kalamazoo  
close to your ear and pointed at it - it is much more feedback  
resistant than the monitor solution. But recognize (again, unless this  
is your band with well managed volume) the house won't hear it much.  
And you really can't tell how it sounds out front. You will need a  
trusted friend or sound guy in the audience who cares and will make  
adjustments during the show. This is quite different than a bigger amp  
that's almost loud enough by itself, but snuck into the house system  
to reach further back in the room.

Finally, mic'ing an amp uses a mic.It needs to be positioned carefully  
for best tone, but in my experience unless you're playing on HUGE  
stages, it's going to get bumped and dislocated sooner or later. It  
can be in the way, it tends to pick up floor noise, perhaps the sound  
of the next closest amp, etc. These aren't show-stoppers but a line- 
out from the amp solves these particular problems. I have line outs on  
my Kalamazoo's AND on my bigger amps - the sound guys really like the  
and the sound quality in the room is excellent. Again, it works better  
with the bigger amp which helps fill the room with its own sound, so  
less supplemental volume is needed.


/Greg

http://www.blowsmeaway.com
http://www.bluestateband.net
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/duracool/id343874731


From: "sam Blancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: March 1, 2010 6:33:59 AM PST
To: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] What's so bad about micing to a PA?


Hi Folks,

When playing out on a gig I've gathered over years of reading this  
list that
while some players may mic their rig through their PA, it's somehow
preferable to have a nice loud, and usually big, honking rig to play
through, skipping the PA reinforcement altogether for your harp.

So my Holland West Side Andy, coupled with my Kinder AFB+ is  
definitely loud
enough to hold its own I have a hankering for something else.  My little
practice amp is a Kalamazoo and I've grown to really love the sound of  
this
little guy.  How is micing this amp (maybe setting it back out of the  
way so
as not to have its original sound production mingle with the cacophony  
on
the floor) not as good as a big loud amp.  I'm not an expert on live  
stage
sound but it seems to me if you have something small that gives you a  
sound
you really like and you can bring it up to size (and get it through you
monitor to boot) with your PA what's not to like?  And I have to add  
that
the Kalamazoo is as light, or lighter, than my little bedroom space  
heater.

We have a Mackie board with Powered mains and monitors.  It's a nice  
system.
Am I going to loose something that playing my big amp gives me?  This  
isn't
a jam, I front  the band and can always tell the other guys to turn it  
down,
which they are more than willing to do as we don't like to play super  
loud
(we want patrons to be able to talk and hear themselves think).  So  
what do
I stand to loose in micing a small amp that I like and leaving the big  
heavy
guy at home? And is a 57 or 58 the best choice for this job?  I have a  
Sure
48 that's supposedly less pressure sensitive (supposed to be for  
drums) -
would this work better?  Calling all experienced live performers with  
live
sound set-up experience - what's you take on this?