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

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Martin wrote:
<For a few days IÂve been trying to find a good, warm sound to use for a backing harmonica track for a friend whoÂs doing a version <of "Rainy night in Georgia". My RP pedal contains about a 100 different sounds, none would do; I went through four or five <amplifiers and various other gear in his studio. Nope.

When I use my RP to record, I'm generally doing one of two things:
- If there's a sound I know I want to use on the track, I record with it.  This could be anything, depending on what role the harp is playing on the track--amped up, effected, you name it.
- If I don't know exactly what sound I want, I'll record something as neutral as possible, and add FX later in the recording process.  In this case, I generally set the RP to use a Direct amp model with Direct Box speaker cabinet (which is as close to a straight-through signal as you can get with an RP), and take off all the other FX.  I might use a little EQ depending on the mic; often I'll reduce the high frequency content and take out the some of the low-frequency stuff as well.  That's the way I recorded my parts for the BBC series "Copper."

If you're recording to a device like a Zoom multitrack recorder, the only time to use the RP is in situation #1.  Otherwise, if all you want is a clean harp sound, and given that no computer is involved, you might as well just use the input channels on the Zoom.

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