Harp Voices [was Re: Electric Harp and extreme bender]

[wmharps@xxxxxxxxx]

ShMclendon@xxxx wrote:
>Just a thought. IM not sold on an electric harp or an extreme bender. we
>talk a lot about tone on here what is or is not good tone what makes it and 
>why .. if we can all agree that what makes good tone is the link between your 
>mouth the harp combined with your cup around the microphone and that part of 
>what gives the harp a voice like no other is that we can play a note laggto or 
>staccato or slide and slur the notes would we not loose part of the voice we 
>get from the harp?????

I don't think I read anywhere that we agreed on what makes "good tone".  Maybe 
those in the discussion did, but if so I missed that too.  

Right now I am listening to one of the MP3 samples that Jason Ricci has up on 
his site, "Playboy" (http://www.jasonricci.com/audio/bonus/Playboy.mp3).  Very 
tasty, distorted tone, very tasty playing.  Then, at about 5:20 into the tune, 
he drops all the effects and amplification and plays "acoustically" for a 
stretch, during which his playing changes stylistically as well.  This tone 
might be considered "thin", especially compared to what he'd been playing for 
the previous five minutes, but the effect in the tune is *perfect*.  It drops 
the mood of the tune into a much more intimate feel.  I've seen Guy Forsythe do 
similar things.  In fact, the last time I saw him he switched from playing harp 
through a bullet and singing through the PA to singing through the bullet and 
playing harp through the PA, then back again.  Very effective, in the context 
of that tune.

My point is that harps, mics, amps are all instruments, tools for an effect.  
When a player uses the same setup, the same tone all night, it makes their 
playing very monolithic, and I get bored.  I personally try to use a variety of 
harps, mics, amps and effects to achieve a variety of tones for a variety 
music.  The Turbo ELX and XB-40 are just more tools in this arsenal.  Plus, 
these new tools represent quantum changes in the range of what's available, not 
simply variations on the same theme.  I can't wait to get my hands on these new 
toys, and start letting their potential unlock my potential.

But I'm not planning on selling off the rest of my harps!  ;-)

- -tim
www.workingmansharps.com