Re: [Harp-L] Harp-L] Toots

[fmajor7 <fmajor7@xxxxxxxxx>]

It is true that Toots used to use an SM58 in the past, but for several
years now he had been using Audix Fireball-V. This microphone is specially
built for harmonica.  The manufacturers built a special Toots model with a
volume knob on the mic and I believe this can also be ordered by anybody. I
have attended several Toots concerts over the last ten years and I noticed
that he has been using the Audix Fireball. In his live concerts his
Engineer knows exactly what EQ setup is required. I have also seen one of
the very talented jazz harmonica players Wim Dijkgraaf using Audix. With
his own EQ setup and of course with his brilliant playing technique he
sounds terrific.
A few years back a similar discuassion took place in Harp-L. The subject
was "How does Toots record his harmonica". If you do a Google search you
will find the thread. It also discusses his recording technique.

Gautam

On Thursday, December 5, 2013, Richard Hunter wrote:

> Martin Oldsberg wrote:
> <  Toot´s sound on that record is just as great as the record itself and
> one that I´d seriously want for my diatonic, but can´t <seem to find. Alas.
> <
> <  Any insights on this would be warmy appreciated.
>
> Toots has said in interviews that he prefers to use a Shure SM58 in the
> studio (because every engineer has one and knows how to use it), but the
> record he did with Bill Evans (Affinity) doesn't sound to me like it was
> recorded with an SM58.  (Maybe that's just because I don't much like the
> sound of an SM58 with harmonica, and I do like Toot's sound on that
> record.)  I would place a small bet that the engineer set up a large
> diaphragm condenser mic in the studio for him.  The warmth in the sound
> suggests either a tube mic or a tube preamp (or maybe just the kind of
> analog mixing board that was the state of the art in the 1970s).
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
>
> author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
> Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
> Twitter: lightninrick
>
>