Re: [Harp-L] How does Toots record his harmonica? -- Was---- mic for acoustic playing

["Alexander Savelyev" <Alexander.Savelyev@xxxxxxxx>]

Apart from signature tone and sound of Toots himself, I've heard that the producer of Toots knows what freqs to tweak using EQ to come up with the Toots EQ curve, etc.

I can share some thoughts on post-production after the tracking session was completed. 

The best way to record harmonica is to use either (1) one handheld mic like Audix V or other dynamic/riboon mic or (2) a combination of condenser and dynamic/ribbon. In the latter set-up, one could hold the mic in hand and have the condenser mic at the level of your chest facing up - with the mic diaphragm pointing to your chin or so (this helps avoid the noise from nose, etc., in comparison with the situation when it is put in front of your face). 

I recently was experimenting with the parallel compression technique and you know what, it gave me the results similar to Toots sound!  The trick is to combine two audio tracks where one is compressed and EQ'ed to taste and the other one - a clone track (or the one recorder with a condenser mic) - remains as it was. Then you have to play with the level of each other - ride the faders until satisfied in order for them to blend well - the goal is to come up with the meaty sound and preserved transients at the same time. 

There are a bunch of other things to pay attention to - like increased level of clicks produced by the slide on a compressed track - as compression makes noisy parts even louder, so you have to hide those clicks using track volume automation, etc. 

- After you have your tracks cleaned and polished, use the best reverb you can get and apply where necessary to the extent needed depending on your arrangement. 

- In fine, there are so many aspects of the harmonica recording/production process that it's worth writing a designated article describing each aspect. 

- Though I don't have the recipe requested, I think you can experiment with the parallel compression to achieve excellent results. 







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>>> Randy Singer <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 03/22/10 9:01 am >>>
i agree with richard.

also, in the old days, when I did a session it would sometimes take too long for the engineer to get a good sound on the harmonica.

now, I always bring my fireball and the engineer is amazing how perfect it sounds.

I have made many new engineer friends with the audix fireball!

I have three of them as well.

thanks audix

ps

some correct if i am wrong but I believe that is the secret toots uses in the studio to get his great harmonica sound.

he just cups a 58 and gets that close mike sound. I wish I could hear him with an audix.

can anyone collaborate this info?

Begin forwarded message:

> Re: [Harp-L] mic for acoustic playing
> Posted by: "Richard Hunter" turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:00 am (PDT)
> 
> 
> 
> "John F. Potts" wrote:
> <...although a Fireball stays clean, does not overdrive and has no 
> <proximity effect, I think it sounds pretty cool in the way it does 
> <respond to cupping variations. So, with all due respect to Greg, I 
> <do not consider it to be a mic that only sounds good in free air.
> 
> I agree that the Fireball sounds different when it's cupped--darker and deeper--though it doesn't respond to hand articulations the way a good Bullet does. 
> 
> One of the great things about a Fireball V is that it has a very smooth, beautiful tone even when it's cupped. This makes it an ideal mic for recording acoustic-sounding tracks in rooms with less than ideal acoustics--instead of exposing the mic to the room (and whatever horrible sounds live in the room), you cup it and get a great acoustic tone without room sound. I have recorded a number of tracks for clients on the road in hotel rooms using the Fireball, and I have never had any complaints about the sound of the harp. 
> 
> No mic does everything. That's why I own more than one mic. And my tests show that an amp that sounds awful with one mic might sound brilliant with another. But the Fireball does a lot of things very well. For players whose work is mostly acoustic, or (as per John's comments) those who use lots of effects, especially those who don't need the mic for vocals too, the Fireball V is a great workhorse mic at a very reasonable price. 
> 
> Regards, Richard Hunter
> 
> author, "Jazz Harp"
> latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp 
> more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter 
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick 
> 
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Randy Singer      
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