Re: [Harp-L] harp experience

[Mike <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

Way to go, Steve!!!

On Sunday, April 7, 2013 12:19:35 AM UTC-5, st...@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> Had an interesting experience last night. Two friends of mine were 
> playing in a little place close to home, so my wife and I went out to 
> eat and listen to them. 
> A guitar player, certainly one of the top guys in town (he teaches 
> guitar at a music store and had his own rock band on the road for years) 
> and  his girlfriend, a really good singer. I have played with them 
> before a little bit, but my harp playing has been mostly non-existent 
> for the past year for various reasons. (I have had a couple of major 
> surgeries and some other family stuff to deal with.) 
> I brought along some harps, because they always have me play a couple 
> songs. 
> When I do this, I use a Harmonica Honker. It's easy to carry, I bring a 
> mic cord and it sets up in less than a minute. 
> Anyway, I played and it went rather well. Good musicians, I have found, 
> are much easier to play with. 
> Afterward, on their next break, the guitar player gave me a nice, 
> sincere compliment on my playing on a song called Dream a Little Dream 
> (Mommas and Poppas song, maybe?) All improvised and first time I have 
> played it. 
> Later, after I got home, he sent a note on Facebook, again with some 
> praise and also telling me that some people were there for whom they are 
> going to play a private party in July. "They said to invite the 
> harmonica player." 
> That pretty much made my year. 
> I have been reading with interest, the threads lately about pedals and 
> various ways to play without an amp. 
> I am not claiming the Honker is the solution to everything, but it sure 
> is easy to deal with and if you get the eq set right on the PA system, 
> it does a pretty good job. I have recorded with it and I liked the 
> result just fine. I have bullet mics and a Blues Jr. I have a Harp 
> Commander. I have downsized considerably, but still have too much stuff. 
> I think we get a little obsessed with all this gear stuff. I doubt the 
> average person can tell any real difference, as long as you have some 
> kind of natural tone and you don't play off-key. 
> just my ramblings for the night. I haven't posted in a long time. 
> Steve in Minn. (where it snowed about an inch at my house yesterday). 
>