[Harp-L] Re: Lone Wolf and effects



I won't comment on every reply
just parts to clarify or add to.

On Oct 14, 2007, at 4:05 PM, J Ross replies:

"Most effects I've tried are more overkill then useful for the harp,
IMHO. I've heard players that use way too much reverb, octave or
delay on stage or self produced cd's and it's hard to get past the
effect to enjoy their playing. Overuse of effects can also date the
music."


I reject that notion entirely. First, anything can date the music-- the rhythms used, the way it's recorded, etc... Music sounds of it's time period, and when I hear people talk about something sounding "dated" that usually means that it sounds like when they were a certain age--rarely do people talk about Little Walter sounding dated, but his recordings are very much stamped by the time in which they were made.


I sense you use effects heavily so you are taking offense to the overkill statement.
Heavy use of effects can date the music to a time period. Often musicians go through
experimental phases which as you say, stamps the time in which their recordings are made.
The more noticeable the change in a players sound the easier you can id the period of the recordings.
Follow Toots sound for the past 60 years and you can pretty much date the pre and post Quincy Jones years by the
lack of or use of heavy reverb in his recordings.


As for getting past the effect, I again disagree, though it depends
on how the artist uses effects.  Indeed, I think the use of the term
"effects" hurts here.  Delay, octaves, chorus can all become
essential parts of what you are playing.

True, and that is the main discussion. I'm referring to the overuse of tone modifiers or enhancers in situations
that don't work within a particular band setting.


Madcat, for example, often
uses a ton of different units to radically alter his basic tone and
playing, but they aren't really effects so much as an integral part
of what he is trying to say musically.  Take them away and the
musical statement is entirely different.  You may prefer the later,
but it is no better than the former--and the player is neither better
nor worse talent-wise for the use of effects in such a way (you
didn't imply such, but it often is put that way on this and other
lists).

I've used all the pedals you mentioned above but only if they work with the material and overall band sound.
My point is when a pedal or processor is used in a way that it distracts from the rest of the overall band sound then
the user isn't using it correctly. The opposite can be true as well. Case in point. I liked using the dry channel on my Deluxe Reverb with no effects. The guitarists and keyboard player used some reverb and compression. I was asked to switch to the reverb channel after a few months so my sound would mesh with the band.


It all comes down to making your sound and the effects you use work with the band rather then be a distraction.
That was the main point of my discussion. It's about being in control of your effects. I want to be in control of using them minimally to
add a touch to my sound. I would be happy just to use hand effects to color my tone and nothing else. I love the harmonica on its own. Players like Madcat and Jason Ricci use them to a greater degree but it works within the music. I listen to Jason constantly and never tire of his sound.



mike






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