Recording the harmonica

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:40 pm

How do you all do this? Any favorite techniques that you want to share.

I'd appreciate it.

Red Rockets Glare · Post by **Red Rockets Glare** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:51 pm

I have two techniques for harmonica;

Rock song - Shure Bullet mic through a small tube amp then mic the amp

Country or folk - LDC about a foot away

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:02 pm

Thanks Raymond. It is Country/Folk so I'm going to go with the LDC.

-it is Raymond right?

Red Rockets Glare · Post by **Red Rockets Glare** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:55 pm

Yeah! It's me. Your studio looks great man! I'd love to visit next time I come up to fiddle about with those Norfolk and Western kids.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:00 pm

For folk-y type I also like a LDC, a darker one if possible. Also have the player just hold the sides of the harmonice so it sounds like it in a holder.

For 'blues harp' just mic the amp like its a guitar amp. Most of those guys think they're the lead guitarist anyway!

aeijtzsche · Post by **aeijtzsche** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:40 pm

For some reason I like an EV 666 on harmonica. Probably an odd choice.

davedarling · Post by **davedarling** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:54 pm

The last harp I recorded (modern country) we used a coles ribbon about eight inches
away - truly beautiful. (it was a nice sounding room - the coles is bidirectional)

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 2:20 pm

Whuddabout compression or EQ for natural harp? I don't have a problem with the GreenBullet > guitaramp rig but I can never get natural harp to sound right or sit in a mix. It's either too dull, too brash or too "pokey" and jumps out on one phrase and is buried on the next.

davedarling · Post by **davedarling** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:01 pm

hey Moose -
while I'm sure there are many ways to get it right, I use a little compression (a
distressor/1176 thing) and a notch around 8k, and sometimes a lp filter to calm the buzz. using a bi-directional, or omni seems to smooth things as well.

and of course ...killing a chicken, and swinging over your head can't hurt.

dave

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:02 am

I usually use a 414 half a foot or so away for clean harp. If I want to dirty it up, I put an SM58 right next to the 414, run it into a guitar amp and mic the amp. Most recently the amp I used was one of those little battery-powered Marshall mini practice amps. I print to two tracks so I can blend the clean and dirty to taste later. I also occasionally record with a harp player who goes through a Digitech vocalist for effects (harmonizing, chorus, echo, whatever), so an SM58 or 667 goes into that, then to tape.

For a Sugar Blue record I assisted on a few years back we multed an LDC (414 or U87 or Beyer, I can't remember right now)--one signal went straight to tape clean and the other went through a Chandler Tube Driver for distortion.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:11 am

aeijtzsche wrote:For some reason I like an EV 666 on harmonica. Probably an odd choice.

Not at all. That's a great harp mic.

I typically have been using a 414 for some time now, but recently, I've been really digging a Blue Mouse. That's for cleaner, "Toots"-type stuff.

Fo rougher stuff, I dig any of the usual suspects. My favorite as of late has been one of those little Egg-Static mics made in a tea steeper.

Compression is tough because too much of the wrong kind of compressor can make the harmonica really peaky. I haven't found a "go-to" yet. It really seems to depend on the player, the harp, the room, what I had for breakfast, etc...

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Fletcher · Post by **Fletcher** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:05 am

For "clean" harp [as in one that doesn't come out of a guitar amp] I've found nothing better than a Coles 4038... but I did have an issue with the magnet in that mic pulling the harp out of a player's hands mid solo once... it took damn near a half hour for us to stop laughing about it and get back to work.

The mic is wonderfully dark all on it's own so you don't have to roll off any treble like you often have to when someone uses a Lg. Diaphragmn Condenser [or even a small diaphragm condenser]... and the ribbon mic seems to reveal a measure more detail than a dynamic.

Best of luck with the project.

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:19 am

Thanks all. I appreciate the tips. I'll try a ribbon too.

sonic dogg · Post by **sonic dogg** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 1:20 pm

Wow....cool responses from some cool folks. I know that this suggestion has no business being in there with Coles and ribbons but I have found a middle ground ...sort of a 'clean' blues harp sound...I've been using the various D series Audix mics. Still handheld like a Bullett, but not as distorted and the variety of the hand moves and the cupping makes it articulate quite well. All of the 'D' series work...except the D6 and they all sound different.

just a thought.

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Recording the harmonica

Recording the harmonica

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