Re: [Harp-L] best advice for a new comer?

["Splash!" <celtiac@xxxxxxxxx>]

All good advice...  but know this.  Alot of bands play in the guitar 
position of E but tuned down a half-step to Eb.  Second pos. Ab harp.

And regarding the 600 being low power... keep an SM-57 or SM-58 in your gig 
bag.  Can't go wrong with either.  When needed, I stick one in front of the 
side of the speaker cone in my Kalamazoo II (or another of my small 5-watt 
Class A amplifiers).   Prop the amp up in front at your feet like a monitor 
and and run mic to PA.  It actually helps with feedback issues because the 
mic is facing away from the speaker, unlike having the amp behind you.

And another thing.  The Astatic JT-30 mics came with a short wooden "stick" 
and a round metal base.  Alot of them get tossed aside,  They're exactly the 
right size for putting a stick mic on and setting in front of a small amp. 
Plus, when taken apart it will fit inside the back of the amp along with 
cable and mic.  Perfect!


When life asks you to jump in...
Splash!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Hunter" <
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] best advice for a new comer?


> joe hagins wrote:
> <I have been playing harp for only 2 months (I use a custom wood comb with 
> LO plate and Hohner MS Blues covers) <I plan on getting a full setup of 
> these and used a Fender Champ 600 and an old EV mic.
> <What I would like to know is what keys do I need to buy to start playing 
> with a band (blues/folk/rock)?
>
> Depends a lot on a) the style the band plays and b) the keys the singer 
> prefers, with the second factor usually the most important.  I've been 
> listening to a Creedence Clearwater boxed set lately, and about two thirds 
> of the songs are in the key of D, with the remainder split between E and G 
> (and occasionally something different, like A or F).  You could cover the 
> entire repertoire with six harmonicas.
>
> Bands that play stringed instruments like guitar, mandolin, etc. tend to 
> favor the keys of E, A, G, D, C--keys on the sharp side of the circle of 
> fifths.  Bands that play horns tend to favor C, F, Bb, Eb--keys on the 
> flat side of the circle of fifths.
>
> So you might want to wait until you're part of the band and can find out 
> what keys they prefer before you stock up.
>
> One more thing: A Fender Champ 600 makes a good sound, but it's not a very 
> high-powered amp.  Can you take a line out from that amp to the PA?  If 
> not, you may find that it's not loud enough to make you heard with a full 
> band.
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter