Where's the harmonica eq "sweetspot"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rusty K
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Rusty K

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Hey,

That's my question. My harp mix is sounding too thin and I can't seem to find the right eq to warm and fatten.

Rusty K
 
Sounds like you better retrack it and play a little closer to the mic.

You could try a little cut eq in the upper mid's, but I doubt that will help much.

Using the mic's proximity effect is the best way to "warm up" tones. You just have to be VERY careful with the preamp gain and the playing needs to be very solid.

Ed
 
Hey sonusman,

Thanks...I was just thinking the same thing when I got notification of your reply.

I just got a Grace 101 preamp and it's already making me want to recut just about everything.


Rusty K
 
If you can.. try plugging the mic {dynamic}into a small guitar amp.then mic the amp..Alot of blues harp tracks were done this way..Congrats on the Grace preamp..Good luck

Don
 
Henri,

Thanks......

The song I'm using harp on is a ballad and I'm going for a distant yet clean and full sound. I should be able to get it without the amp but I'll try that as a last resort.

Rusty K
 
Glad you clarified that - I was just getting ready to send you to Ebay in search of a Green Bullet and a gassy tube amp... Steve
 
knightfly,

Yeah I'm a bluesman from a way back so I know about the harp setup but this balad is almost (dare I say) "country".

Thanks,
Rusty K
 
Don't know what mic you used, but if it is something a tad "bright" sounding, you will have problems with a harmonica, even with a closer proximity.

I have been pondering lately why cheapy chinese mic's get compared to high end mic's by home recording people, and finally settled on the fact that since most people have severe problems with their low mids in their track rooms and control room that the brighter "cheapy" mic's sound good to them because they can still hear things cut through even with the muddy low mids they hear. When the low mids start clearing up, then they complain that their recordings sound too "thin" and "flat", which is pretty much how the cheapy mic's sound to me.

I used to fall for that "cutting" sound but found myself having to eq out a lot of upper mid's. In the new control room I work in, I hear the effect quite well now and find myself using different mic's than I did before to get things sound "warm" again.

Anyway...just some ramblings....:)

Ed
 
Damn.....

Just when I think I'm getting my gear kind of together sonusman has to come and throw cold water all over me....

Ok I'm thinking the mic (Marshall MXL 2001) is probably my weakest link now but I've had two, count em, "professional recordists" tell me they are good for the money.

Right now I'm engrossed in a mix of another unrelated song but as soon as I get back to my balad I'll find out if "proximity" will solve the problem. If not it's back to saving my pennies.

Sonusman since you brought it up...and since I've already followed your advice on soundcards (LynxOne). Which mic? Remember I don't plan to record other people for profit but I am a musician, I can hear quality. Unfortunately my pocket book is not bottomless.

Rusty K
 
Last edited:
Rusty K said:
Henri,

Thanks......

The song I'm using harp on is a ballad and I'm going for a distant yet clean and full sound. I should be able to get it without the amp but I'll try that as a last resort.

Rusty K
Click to expand...
Sometimes pulling back a bit to let in some natural reflections will help with the distance factor.
wayne
 
Hey mixsit,

You should read sonumans earlier reply to my thread.

The "distance" I can get with verb. I'm lacking warmth and questioned whether or not I could find it with eq. Sonusman, as he is so damn good at doing, stuck his knife in and twisted it.

Thank god for sonusman!

Rusty K
 
Well, I was going to say something about a 'nice flat or warm mic', but then I realized there are also several acoustic harp styles, some of which are suposed to be on the thin side...ect, ect.:)
You'r there, and I'm not.:D
Wayne
 
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