Re: [Harp-L] Harp amps and mics for a beginner

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Sridhar,

I highly recommend that beginners focus on developing their acoustic tone/chops/skills before messing around with amps/mics/effects etc. 
Once you have decent acoustic tone and a set of chops, transitioning to amplified playing is fairly straight forward, but trying to learn to play while at the same time trying to figure out the ins and outs of working with an amps, mics and etc. is very difficult, and distracting. Having so many new skills to learn/juggle at the same time will, I believe, impede overall progress. Great acoustic tone will always translate into a great amped tone, but great equipment with poor acoustic tone rarely sounds good.

Don't get lost down the rabbit hole of equipment before you allow yourself to get a good handle on your instrument. I know too many guys who have gone that route and subsequently have a lot of stunning equipment, but they never fully developed as players. 

Just my thoughts. 
Harpin' in Colorado, 
--Ken M.







________________________________
 From: Sridhar Rajagopalan <sridhara1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 1:51 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Harp amps and mics for a beginner
 
How important is it for a beginner to play with an amp? Is it all
right to just play acoustic to start out with? But if you were to
recommend an amp for a beginner what would it be? The other thing is
when we submit lessons for critique do we need to be amped?

Any pointers would be highly appreciated.