guitarguy101
New member
I saw Shure had something called a "Green Bullet." I know how dynamic, tube, ribbon, and condenser mics work, but wth is a harmonica mic? Also, what are some more, exotic types of microphones that I haven't already listed.
What is a Harmonica Microphone?
- Thread starter guitarguy101
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chrisghost
New member
These days mics are low impedance mics, just like the mixers etc. you plug them into. But until somewhere in the sixties everthing used to be high impedance.
Guitars and amplifiers still are high impedance to this day. This is why high impedance microphones are used for harmonica, because harmonica players often plug their mic into a guitar amplifier, not a mixer.
Furthermore, a lot (not all) of those high impedance microphones were crystal or ceramic microphones, which cause for a raunchy/distorted sound. It's like the effect of talking through an old telephone, which indeed all had ceramic elements.
The Green Bullet is a microphone that Shure has been making for over 50 years. Specs have chaged a bit of course, but it's still a high impedance mic with a ceramic element for a slightly distorted sound.
Guitars and amplifiers still are high impedance to this day. This is why high impedance microphones are used for harmonica, because harmonica players often plug their mic into a guitar amplifier, not a mixer.
Furthermore, a lot (not all) of those high impedance microphones were crystal or ceramic microphones, which cause for a raunchy/distorted sound. It's like the effect of talking through an old telephone, which indeed all had ceramic elements.
The Green Bullet is a microphone that Shure has been making for over 50 years. Specs have chaged a bit of course, but it's still a high impedance mic with a ceramic element for a slightly distorted sound.
Frequent harps were played with hands cupping both harmonic and mic. With a number of mics this tended to cause feedback issues. The 520 displayed fewer of these
Again like most decisions unless you specifically want the sounds the 'green bullet' is able to provide what you tend to want is a mic that is comfortable for playing style (which includes whether one is plugged into guitar amp or board) and assists with the range of sound for which one is searching.
I happen to have a vintage shure (as well as a newer version in the studio) but when performing live tend to use an elderly Altec low impedance that was original marketed for public speeches and/or sermons (it has the requisite crushed grill and is held together by gaffer tape, and at times I have used a pig tail impedance matcher to jack it into a Gibson GA5)
Again like most decisions unless you specifically want the sounds the 'green bullet' is able to provide what you tend to want is a mic that is comfortable for playing style (which includes whether one is plugged into guitar amp or board) and assists with the range of sound for which one is searching.
I happen to have a vintage shure (as well as a newer version in the studio) but when performing live tend to use an elderly Altec low impedance that was original marketed for public speeches and/or sermons (it has the requisite crushed grill and is held together by gaffer tape, and at times I have used a pig tail impedance matcher to jack it into a Gibson GA5)
guitaristic
prophet of Dave
I love the Green Bullet....so sick.
John Willett
Circle Sound Services
One of the nicest mics I have heard on a harmonica was the Sennheiser MKE 2.
This is a tiny "tie" mic. and the player held the mic in his hand with the cable taped up his arm.
The big advantage of this mic. is that the player is still able to do all the hand effects that he can't do while holding a large mic. such as the Green Bullet - the tiny MKE 2 picks up all the hand effects beautifully and the person I heard using it said it was the best mic. of all for the harmonica.
This is a tiny "tie" mic. and the player held the mic in his hand with the cable taped up his arm.
The big advantage of this mic. is that the player is still able to do all the hand effects that he can't do while holding a large mic. such as the Green Bullet - the tiny MKE 2 picks up all the hand effects beautifully and the person I heard using it said it was the best mic. of all for the harmonica.
ranjam
New member
I could be wrong, but I thought they were originally cab microphones? It was Shure's 'Controlled Reluctance Transducer', that would withstand extreme temperature and climate conditions. I knew it had a foil diaphragm, and rather than a moving coil (the old 'speaker in reverse' explanation), the mechanical vibrations created on the foil diaphragm are turned into electrical impulses that are picked up by the magnetic armature.
I'm not sure about any of this, but I had some inkling. They don't interest me, so I never pursued the technical side of Green Bullet mics.
I'm not sure about any of this, but I had some inkling. They don't interest me, so I never pursued the technical side of Green Bullet mics.
Since we are weighing in on harmonica mics, I love the EV 638 I have. A friend got it, cleaned and polished it up, made sure the wiring was top-notch- and sold it to me for $30. Turns out, Harmonica Master Class website calls that one of the best harp mics, ever. I'ts smaller than the Green Bullet, and is a high-Z mic, so it works well in my cupped hands, and with my guitar amps, or with PA's.
I had to go without it for a while, last summer when the cable (old-style connection) went flewey and it took me a while to get 'round to fixing it- after I had repaired the cable and had the mic working again, the first time I played it with my buds, I held it and my hand high, and quoted Sweeny Todd:
At Last, My Arm Is Complete Again - YouTube
I had to go without it for a while, last summer when the cable (old-style connection) went flewey and it took me a while to get 'round to fixing it- after I had repaired the cable and had the mic working again, the first time I played it with my buds, I held it and my hand high, and quoted Sweeny Todd:
At Last, My Arm Is Complete Again - YouTube