Autoharp Rock

Stratomaster

Stratomaster

Active member
I bought an autoharp recently and came up with this simple tune while strumming around on the couch. Was able to get this recording between pro tools crashes. Recorded on an mbox 2.

ReverbNation Player

Song is called Harpie-should be the first thing you hear on the link. Let me know what you think. Thanks for listening.

Strat
 
Good GOD, man, TUNE THAT THING!! The song is almost un-listenable- check that, it IS un-listenable, with that Autoharp so out of tune. I literally cringe with every strum.
 
Come back when you're sorted - pearls Before swine used an Autoharp 40 years ago & were an excellent band so I look forward to listening when it's listenable.
 
Interesting tune. Yes, I would tune / un-warble for sure. Maybe a bit of vibrato, but no pitchy stuff, unless you are going for the 'Beachhouse' vibe. Their stuff cracks me up. Other things I noticed... Snare could come down a bit. Other guitar parts could come up and the autoharp could sit a bit further back in the mix. I love how it just expands near the end of the jam. It seems to open up quite a bit. I could even see it keep expanding. I am not hearing much panning of the guitars (if any). You could feature each part by panning them a bit. The drums seem to be the only stereo instrument. Starting at about the 2:20+ spot you could bring up the guitars that are pushing the 16th note patterns. They are building tension and sound really good.
 
Inspired by these comments I re-recorded this tune, I don't expect anyone who left this thread dizzy and vomiting to listen again but thanks for spending your time anyways. chrisjorge, you had some very good comments which I did take into account. So what is different from last version??

-All tracks re-recorded
-tempo bumped a notch
-2 autoharp tracks instead of 1 so i could pan them
-snare down
-lengthened the end and shortened first "verse"
-got a real drummer to play the end jam

ReverbNation Player

Thanks

Strat
 
Stratomaster said:
Inspired by these comments I re-recorded this tune, I don't expect anyone who left this thread dizzy and vomiting to listen again...
Click to expand...

:laughings:

Listening right now...

Oh, so much better in tune. Thanks. It pulls the autoharp back a bit- not in level, but in how much it stick out- much better. Heck, you could pull the a-harp UP in the mix, now. I like how the intro is first just A-harp, it sort of tells everyone, "HEY! YOU! Yeah, you! THIS is an auto-harp song!" :D I LOVES me some tremolo (modulation in the volume)- but vibratone (modulation in the pitch) sometimes makes me queezy. Your song has a western vibe (see spaghetti western thought, below) so some tremolo might find a home in it.

I like the slightly faster tempo- in fact, I'd like to hear it MUCH faster- the tune sounds like it could be used in a spaghetti western- a faster tempo might really work for that. I remember a song I wrote, I played it with my main colab buddy, and he insisted we up the tempo. I was way resistant, at first, but he kept at it, so I said, "Ah, what the hell," and sped it up. I actually liked it faster. Who'd have known?

Have you tried some arpeggios on the A-harp? I am not hearing any, I don't think. Maybe some tube overdrive, too? Just my thoughts, feel free to not do or even try either.

Wondering why you didn't have the live drummer do the whole song? IMO, that would have been better, esp. as he was "already" there.

John Sebastian. of "The Lovin' Spoonful" often played an autoharp. Google "john sebastian autoharp," and you will see lots of lessons on the instrument from him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top