[Harp-L] Re: Gritty Harp Sound

[BluzeHarp@xxxxxxx]

It's a complex topic, are you referring to acoustic or amplified  tone?  
I'm assuming you're referring to playing a standard 10 hole diatonic  harp 
like a Special 20 or Marine Band with a mic & amp, is this  correct?
 
First and foremost you have to produce a good acoustic tone.  To do  this 
you need to learn a few basic techniques.  Begin  by pushing the harmonica 
deeper into your mouth rather than just  touching it with the tips of your 
lips.  Breathe naturally as you  play, from all the way down in your diaphragm 
or stomach, rather than  from up in your chest or mouth.  
 
Work on your tone with long single notes, this isn't about  playing any 
particular song, or about playing fast, or about techniques like  bending.  
Keep it simple and really listen to the sound you  make.  Record it and play it 
back to yourself if you are able, keep an  early recording as an aid to 
evaluate your progress.
 
Next, learn to cup the harmonica.  Hold it with the number 1 hole  (the 
lowest pitched note) on the left, hold with both hands  surrounding it so that 
you get a tight seal with little or no air  escaping as you play.  To do 
this hold your harp between thumb  and index finger of your left hand and then 
curl the other  fingers around the top and back.  Then use your right hand 
to  surround it.  Initially you'll probably squeeze hard to accomplish a 
tight  seal, as time goes by you'll learn to do it without such a tight  grip.  
Once you get a good seal, or even a partial one, you will hear  a difference 
in your tone.  At this point you can start  to experiment with 'wah' 
effects by opening and closing your hands around  your instrument.  There are 
different cupping techniques than the one I  described, you may prefer one over 
another.  
 
Sniff around on YouTube for examples of cupping  techniques by established 
teachers such as Ronnie Shellist, Jason  Ricci, Michael Rubin, Michael 
Peloquin, David Barrett, Winslow Yerxa and  others.  Find a playing and teaching 
style that appeals to you and  then maybe take a few lessons from that 
person.  And then a few more if you  click with the teaching methods.  Many of 
those guys offer DVD  instructional materials that are very good.
 
Once you get a passable acoustic tone you can pick up a microphone, plug  
into an amp, and start working on that 'Chicago' style amplified  sound.  
Good gear can make an enormous difference, but it won't do a lot if  you don't 
produce good tone to begin with.  So again, first you need  to work on the 
above mentioned fundamentals. 
 
Ok, now you've improved your acoustic tone.  So let's talk  amplified tone, 
which relies upon good acoustic tone but has a  different feel and sound.  
This might be the 'gritty' sound you said  you are seeking.
 
Remember the part about cupping and sealing the harmonica?  With that  in 
mind pick up both your harp and mic in your left hand.  Now  use your right 
hand to channel the air from the back of the harp  directly into the front of 
the mic, with little or no air escaping in  between.  With some practice 
you should begin to hear a BIG difference  between a cupped and sealed mic, 
and the tone you get when you remove  your right hand and hold it well away.  
If there's not much difference  then you're letting too much air escape.  
 
Now it's time go out and find some decent gear.  Remember  that a great mic 
and amp will make a player with good tone sound even  better, and it can 
inspire even a beginner to play more... but it  won't make much difference in 
your sound if you haven't learned the basics  for getting good acoustic tone 
from your instrument.
 
There's a ton of other stuff to learn that would take too  much space here.
 
 
The 2015 SPAH convention will be at the Denver Airport Crowne  Plaza Hotel 
Aug 11-15.  Come to that and learn from many of the top  players on the 
planet, likely all the above mentioned instructors will be  present and 
available... plus a bunch of other world  class greats.  There's a ton of teaching 
going on, plus shows,  seminars, presentations, the infamous late night jam 
sessions, vendors,  product demos and great comradery... It's all included 
with your  registration.

 
 
Christopher Richards   
www harmonicaplanet.com
 
Twin Tone Harp Mic's - Tone Defender Cables
 
Staging & Production - SPAH   www spah.org
SPAH is the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the  Harmonica

 
 
 
In a message dated 2/7/2015 7:22:15 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
How do you guys go about getting that gritty harp sound?