Re: [Harp-L] RP355 SC/HB

[Harp Explorer <harpexplorer1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Just a thought on the "single coil" versus "humbucker" settings on guitar
effect units:

Single coil pickups are considered to have more bite and sparkle.

Humbuckers are more warm and heavy.

Those modeling options change the equalization of the different frequencies
already present in the guitar sound.

I suspect the reason there isn't much of an audible difference is that
there is no high end on the signal passing through which can become more
apparent. it could be that the harmonica doesn't have the upper
harmonics/partials of a guitar, so there's nothing in that frequency range
which is targeted by the SC/HB modeling.. If that's the case, there's
nothing to be done about the instrument's characteristics.

It's also possible that the microphone being used, as part of making things
warmer, might filter out that component, so there's nothing further down
signal to work with.

Lastly, it could be that the amp being used filters out that upper
frequency area, so no matter what gets passed through the signal chain,
it's all stripped out at the last step.

If it's the last case, it's possible that a more transparent amp in
combination with the guitar effect would allow one to hear that difference,
and to get more variation in tone than what the amp is imposing on
everything.

If it's about the microphone doing the frequency filtering, then trying a
mic which doesn't impose a particular character on the sound might give
more flexibility when using unit like the RP.

It could even be a matter of only the last two things stacking up.

If I were going to check it out, I'd be running some recordings of
non-electric harp through the RP, something like Phil Wiggins, and then see
if the SC/HB switch makes any difference. If not, that's that. If it does
make a difference, then I'd consider getting a more transparent tone from
the mic and amp, and then use the effect to do all my tone shaping.

I don't have an RP, but it would be interesting to know whether that
high-frequency component exists in the harmonica's sound. A lot of gigging
guitar players have been going straight to the board, and there's no reason
a harmonica player couldn't do the same with the RP as a versatile fly rig.


On Mon, Sep 1, 2014 at 12:06 PM, Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> Robert Hale wrote:
> <Richard Hunter,
> <
> <what is the effect of using SC single coil, or HB humbucker selection on
> <harmonica?
>
> Some of the Digitech RPs offer certain types of guitar modeling in
> addition to their other FX. The intent of the single coil, humbucker,
> acoustic guitar, etc. models is to offer guitarists the sound of certain
> well-known configurations for guitar, in order to transform one guitar into
> another (or to get some of the mojo anyway).  (You may have noticed that
> variations on the word "guitar" occur five times in that sentence.)
>
> I haven't tried that stuff on my RPs, at least not that I remember.  I
> suppose I may have tried it and not heard much difference and forgotten all
> about it, but I dunno.  However...
>
> Before Robert's post--the one I'm replying to above--appeared in the
> Harp-L Digest, I sent him a message offline advising that I hadn't tried
> any of those models, and suggesting that he try them and see what they
> did.  He replied back, again before the post above appeared in the Digest,
> to advise that he did so and didn't hear much difference.
>
> So the prevailing opinion at the moment is that those models don't do much
> for harmonica, which is fine with me given that I don't use them in my
> patch sets.  If any of the RP users out there would like to give it a try
> and describe the experience, that's great.
>
> In general, I try to use the various FX models in the RPs as I would if
> they were stompboxes in a chain at my feet.  I can't really see a guitar
> pickup model in a box at my feet.  I agree that anything in the RP box is
> fair game for exploitation, for harp players and everyone else; there are
> just some things that interest me less.  That of course opens the door to
> others with different interests.  I have no doubt that we've just started
> working out what the amazing range of FX out there can do to transform the
> sound and role of the harmonica in the band. The fact that it works so well
> already is encouraging.
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
>
>
>