[Harp-L] an idea for spah

[Garry <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

i hesitate to send this, because i recall some furor the last time an amp
comparison was suggested.  but what the heck.

there are a number of videos on youtube demonstrating this amp or that
amp, with one player or another.  it struck me that the upcoming spah
offers an opportunity to do something more comprehensive.

the idea is to have a number of different players, with different styles,
playing through a number of different amps.  not as a competition,
but to give other players some sense of the range of sounds one can
get out of the various amps (i'm kind of assuming we're talking boutique
amps, but i guess it could be any).

so, for example, assemble 4 amps, maybe harpgear, sonny jr, meteor,
and harp king.  probably want to use off the rack mics, say, sm57, that
are generally available.  then round up a mix of players.  you'd want good
players who could really put the amps through their paces, but they
shouldn't all be Harp Gods (maybe just demigods).  they should have 
different
styles, maybe play different genres of music. 

now let first player play whatever he wants for one minute, on each of 
the 4 amps.
maybe give them some upfront time to explore what each can do before 
recording.
record these samples.  repeat for all players.  then edit it down into a 
series
of videos.  you'd get, say, two performers in each 10 minute youtube video.
and you;d have an interesting way for potential buyers to get a sense of how
the different amps can sound.

i don't know if it'd work.  there are logistical and perhaps emotional 
issues that'd
need to be resolved.  but it might be an interesting experiment.  i 
think it'd be
helpful to buyers, and i also think it'd be good for the amp vendors to 
have a
chance to show off their wares.