Volume
Hi Skip, I posted this in general discussons but it's probably better to ask an expert!
So I'm having the age old problem of not getting enough volume when playing with a loud band. I would say the band is about as loud as an average bar-band....maybe a bit louder than most. I prefer playing through a Bassman but even when miced through the PA I am not getting the volume I need.
I have tried going straight through the PA and that essentially solves the volume issue but the tone is thin and tinny to my ear. I have a LW Harp Attack and tried playing through that and while it certainly gives me better tone I start feeding back when I approach that "critical mass" volume. I'm not the least bit tech savvy but I've read about using a DI box down-chain from the HA. Would that help me get better volume before feedback? I've never used one.
I was using a bullett which Greg installed his element in for me and have switched to a SM57 because I get more volume with it...is this something to be expected or is something wrong? I am using an impedence matching transformer so that aspect is under control.
Any advice is appreciated!
Thanks,
Tom
Hello Tom- I am hoping that your question will generate some response from other BH.com contributers. As a non-harp player I am really not qualified to answer this question, but that never stopped me before so here goes!
First, find a lower-volume jam or better yet, a lower-volume band! Let those SRV blues-rock dudes find a different harp player.
A miced Bassman SHOULD be usable at almost any gig unless you aren't getting the volume you need because you haven't spent quite enough time practicing the art of feedback control. I've heard Rick Estrin playing a stock Super Reverb in a 10X20 room without feedback. It was so loud the window glass was pulsing in and out.....
I know that the Kinder box does an excellent job controlling feedback, but I don't know much about other available boxes or preamps.
It's great that you are trying an SM57 as well as a bullet mike. Those mikes are going to sound completely different so keep working and experimenting with both.