Re: [Harp-L] Best PA setting to play with band

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Aug 21, 2013, at 1:35 PM, gnarlyheman@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> My two cents, roll off the highs. 
> I was at the jazz jam that Smokey refers to, and tried to help run sound.

And I owe you Gary.....BIG TIME

> We had chromatic and diatonic players.
> They all shared the same mikes, so when a diatonic player got up, I simply shelved the highs.
> That situation was doomed from the beginning, since the backup band refused to play quietly enough to allow the harmonica soloists to be clearly heard.

Right you are. Down at the restaurant, we use (maybe) half that volume. Probably more like 44%. And since I play both harps on the same tune, I back off when using diatonic.
Otherwise, our drummer, who runs the sound WHILE drumming, would go insane. When I go to clarinet, we put some highs back in. lolol

> I wound up turning the PA up as loud as I could and riding the levels.

And that worked. The previous evening the also handsome Randy (Singer) helped me set up. 

Thanks a million to both you guys. 
smokey-joe

> Others may have more specific advice with regard to which frequencies should be boosted. I do not.
> Gary
> 
> On Aug 21, 2013, at 10:11 AM, Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> Dennis, I think it's a matter of what a person reasonably considers tonal quality. I would guess it depends on the venue. Some like a little bit of hash in their tone, while others hear a dissonance IF the sound isn't set up to account for the myriad of ramifications. Especially inherrant in the fact that no two players are going to have matching timbres. I guess what's happening is that the sound man (while excellent) is not in a studio and is having trouble with the levels. 
>> 
>> I had to adjust for every player at the recent spah jazz jams and still couldn't get it right. It was a very live room and some players 'pull' on the notes more than others, while some play strong, and others silky. With a strictly stock set up, like the one we have here in Fla., there are less overlapping tones to contend with...OH, and the dining room is a muted room..acoustical ceiling and all. 
>> 
>> I have heard you and you're a great player. Guys like you can play anything and make it sound good. I kinda wish I was up near you.  
>> 
>> smokey-joe  
>> 
>> On Aug 21, 2013, at 12:41 PM, Dennis Moriarty wrote:
>> 
>>> After years of the sound man's grimacing in a club I am going to try and defer to his wish to "just play through the PA mike" rather than setting up my miked amp. This is a paying gig in a major NYC joint that I do weekly so the opportunity is worth the degradation in tonal quality if it's the price I have to pay. I must go through one of the house wireless mikes into the PA without the addition of any added effects so what would give me the most resonantly smooth sound regarding PA settings please? Thanks. d
>>> facebook.com/yodennis     
>>> http://www.myspace.com/blowintheblues
>> 
>>