[Harp-L] Performance setup - hearing and feedback

[captron100@xxxxxxx]

Sean wrote: 
I'd love to hear suggestions, observations,etc. on how to set up right, mic'ing an amp, etc. - any random thoughts or pointers are appreciated!


  Here's info from the harp-L archives and a harp specific folder stored in my computer.  Some info & websites are old but hopefully 
still extant.  There is a lifetime's worth of info to digest, so I suggest u save this mail.  
  This is a source that makes an interesting and informative read, which Greg kindly posted again just the other day: 
http://blowsmeaway.com/all%20about%20harmonica%20microphones.pdf - "All About Harp Microphones and More" by Greg Heuman
  Another source of good info: http://emusician.com/tutorials/emusic_taming_shrill/
  Re searching the archives, here's a recent post from our listowner:  If you do go search the archives remember to not use the search engine on
the archive page, it's broken.  To search the harp-l archives use the google custom search near the top of the page at www.harp-l.org   It works
really well and it searches the same archive.
 From a post by Richard Hunter:  
Re EQ pedals, u want  Frequency bands that match up to the important frequencies for harp--roughly 
around 250 hZ, 500-600 hZ, 1 kHZ, 3 kHZ, 8 kHz and above.  Feedback is usually concentrated in a specific frequency range. The first thing 
I'd do is set your amp and mic up so that they produce feedback.  Then, go through the frequency bands on the KFK-1, ONE BAND AT A TIME, 
and pull the level for that band all the way down to nothing.  If the feedback stops, great.  Pull the level back up until the feedback start up again, 
then pull it down just enough to stop the feedback.  Otherwise, pull the level for that band back up to normal (no boost or cut), and go on to the next band.
 Other advice: harmonicas don't put out anything but breathing noise below 100 hZ, so if you've got a band on the EQ for 80 hZ, I'd pull it all the way down. 
It's usually a good idea to cut the frequencies above 8 kHz by a few decibels, too.  You can put more fat in the sound by boosting around 250 hZ, but be 
careful, since there's usually a lot of stuff going on in that range with the rest of the band.

David Barrett (Position Playing - Part 1) http://youtube.com/watch?v=wLro9LsvPnc   Here is a short demo of the three most common positions used for blues harmonica
David Barrett (Position Playing - Part 2) http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Y6xuZRHJ64 
David Barrett (Position Playing - Part 3) http://youtube.com/watch?v=EGtP0OOm0iM 
Perhaps the most comprehensive and academic harp site of all time - http://www.patmissin.com/index1.html
Very interesting  - http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/index.html
 

http://harmonicalessons.com/sitemap.html / http://harmonicalessons.com/beginner_tips.html  /  http://harmonicasessions.com/feb04/index.html 


 
Fav. harp sites:

http://www.angelfire.com/tx/myquill/
http://www.tenhole.com/
http://www.planetharmonica.com/contentsPH.htm
http://bluesharp.org/
http://www.overblow.com/

 
ron