[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 91, Issue 27 - performing with multi-effect processor plus Hohner strikes back

Multi-effects for harmonica
An alternative to the RP355 is the Line 6 Pod. I bought one after seeing Fraser Speirs live, liking his sound and looking up what he uses at fraserspeirs.co.uk. I have an original Pod, but there are now many other versions. I previously had a Zoom multi-effects pedal, which was not as good for harmonica (or guitar). Apart from liking the sounds, I like the Pod interface because it is NOT a foot pedal but a box with knobs you can twiddle. This makes it very easy to adjust one's sound on the fly. I find this easier than scrolling through menus on little screens - particularly as nowadays I need reading glasses and honestly can't see the red digits properly down by my feet. Of course the downside is an endless hunt for the "perfect" sound. If Richard Hunter did patches for the Pod I'd be very interested.

I also think that the amp sounds on the Pod are virtually indistinguishable from the real amps, in most situations, so I just plug it into whatever amp or PA is available, with the amp controls set at neutral. For example, Small Tweed Amp, twiddle the tone controls, bit of reverb, tiny bit of delay = nice fat traditional blues harp sound. I have also been experimenting with the Peavy AmpKit App for the ipad. If you have an ipad or iphone this app is great , but not as good as the Pod in terms of sound quality; the AmpKit effects are very good value for money though, if you have the hardware already. The Pod is superior to the other computer amp and effects simulators I have tried too, so it isn't about deficiencies of that particular App. I guess one would hope that a dedicated box would sound better than an inexpensive piece of software. To slide off topic for a moment, if you like music Apps on ipad/ iphone then the best one I have found as yet is Thumbjam, which is a sort of looper/ multitrack recorder but with great other features. On the other hand the harmonica apps are dreadful - compared to the concertina app, which is great.

Hohner strikes back
I happened to find a music shop that stocks Special 20s which I have never tried before because they are not so common in the UK, so I bought one and I was surprised at how well it played. A few weeks on I opened it up to adjust it and I could see that there had been a fair bit of handcrafting on the reeds, which I do not remember seeing on Hohner harmonicas in the past. 5 minutes light embossing and I can play overblows (well in so far as I can play overblows) as well as on the Suzuki Manji I bought last year.

Richard


Message: 3
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:02:49 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
From: Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Jaming/Gigging on harmonica with a Multi-Effect
processor
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<4011138.1299790969656.JavaMail.root@wamui- hunyo.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
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"Degregorio, Jeffery" wrote:
<I went to a music store because I heard about using Delay/reverb on this
<device and thought I could possibly use something like the (DigiTech
<RP55 Guitar Multi-Effects Processor) with playing the harmonica in jams,
<gigs, etc. I understand that it's just for guitars but microphones as
<well. While at the music store, I played my harmonica through a mic and
<it sounded like a tube amp blues performance (Lots of settings and sound
<configurations). <
<
<Does anyone believe this is a good route to take for performing
<harmonica on stage - especially blues hot microphone performance? Has
<anyone used a multi-effects processor such as this while performing or
<even the RP55 for gigs and such?

Jeffery,

I guess you're new to the list... Anyway, I post here frequently about the RP355. I make sets of pre-configured sounds, called "patches," for the Digitech RP series of devices. You can find out more about my patch sets, and hear samples recorded with those patches, at:
http://hunterharp.com/store/

I've been performing with the RP355 for over two years, most recently with The Committee, a San Diego based blues band, on Tuesday night, and it's a great tool for harp players.

Regards, Richard Hunter




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