[Harp-L] Re: Using an RP in a live situation

[martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you for this detailed answer, Richard. 
  I may have to consult my chief technician in order to understand some of it, since I´m sort of a tech retard -- but fortunate to have knowledge in the neighborhood.

I was quite taken aback recently when I, for the first time in years, brought out my Green Bullet and discovered that it, contrary to my expectations, actually increased volume on some of your dirtier patches. A pleasant surprise. (I shelved that GB after too many feedback sessions.) That was welcome.

The Direct amp model was something I´d missed entirely. On the patches I´ve got there´s chorus on it (maybe a difference between the various models, I´ve got the 150?) but now that I know some of my way around I can reduce that for more cleanliness. (Problem is that I also like warm sound with chorus, a bit in the Mickey Raphael vein ... but I´ll find a way.)

Will save this reply for future consultations. Many thanks.

Cheers,
Martin





On Monday, December 9, 2013 10:09 PM, Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 
martin oldsberg wrote:
<Suppose you´re in a situation like I am every now and then where you want a mainly clean, warm sound -- the band plays some sort <of country stuff -- have you found
< any use for the RP pedal in that context?
<I´m trying to tweak mine right now, sacrificing a couple of Richard´s reverb/delay patches but I ain´t there, not by a long <shot."Go straight to the PA then."No, too harsh (a fabulously crappy PA) -- and also I want to use the reverb from the pedal, that <is a quality effect.


There are a few amp models that I rely on for a warm, clean sound:
1) The Twin Reverb model--clean and full.  roll off the high end EQ to avoid too much energy in the high treble frequencies.
2) The Tweed deluxe--warm, more obviously "amped," but not noticeably distorted; very nice for all sorts of material where heavy distortion is not required.  (A nice platform too for modulation FX like chorus, flange, and detune where you want a warm amp underneath the effect.)
3) The Direct model: as clean as the RP gets, but may require an overall volume adjustment if you've been using heavier amp models.  I use the Direct model for lots of my recording sessions where they want a "natural" harmonica sound.

With all of these amp models, EQ adds a lot to the tone, as does the cabinet model.  I generally avoid 1x12 and 1x8 cab models when I'm going for a natural sound, because those cabs add raunch to the sound.  I avoid Bassman cab models for the same reason (though I love the Bassman cab model for amped-up tones).  I generally make a point of using a cabinet model of some sort, because most amps (real as well as modeled) sound a lot harder-edged when they go direct to output without a cab (or cab model) in the signal path.  Where EQ is concerned, I generally start rolling off the treble at around 8 kHz, and I often roll off the bass from 100 hZ down too in order to prevent conflict with guitars, bass, and drums in the low end.  I might pump up the mids around 800 hZ if the mic I'm planning to use isn't already loaded with low-mid frequencies.  (Bullet mics are chock-full of those frequencies, in case you were wondering.)

If you find that your Direct amp model patches are too quiet compared to your heavier tones, you can always use the rightmost knob on the RP to bring the master volume level up or down as needed in performance (yes, you have real-time control over volume); if you don't want to bother with that in performance, use Xedit to set the relative volume levels for your patches so that their volume levels are all consistent.  (Or wildly not; it's up to you.  Sometimes it's nice to kick the pedal and hear the volume go from 4 to 11.)

Hope this is useful, thanks, Richard Hunter  


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