[Harp-L] re: Products - You're not alone

[Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, John

Saw your post in HARP-L re: " For example what on earth is a RP70?  
what are "patches"? why hi-z inputs or low-z inputs."

Every trade and hobby has its vernacular and those of us who have been  
doing it very long tend to forget that it can be complete greek to a  
new player. You were wise to ask. The RP270 is a DigiTech pedal that  
some people use in place of an amplifier - it does amp simulation and  
connects to a "clean" amp like the PA systems. The pedal is  
programable - you can adjust how much reverb, level, volume, EQ, etc.  
A "Patch" in this context refers to a program that delivers someone's  
idea of a cool setup. The pedals often allow you to download one or  
more of these "patches" to the pedal from your computer. You might  
have an "acoustic patch", a "tube amplifier 1" patch, a "tube  
amplifier 2" patch,  and a "heavy metal" patch - and can choose any of  
these easily during performance.

As for Hi-Z and Low-Z - "Z" is shorthand for "impedance". Mics come in  
both flavors. There is no particular advantage of one over the other  
tone wise - but it is important to know the impedance of what you  
have, what you're connecting to, and to have the right cable (and  
potentially something called an "IMT" or "Impedance matching  
transformer". Much more on this subject, along with much more, can be  
found in a document I wrote called "All about harmonica mics, and then  
some" which you can download in PDF format from my website, http://www.blowsmeaway.com/

Cheers


/Greg

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