Posted by Tuten (63.210.223.30) on May 16, 2000 at 16:22:36:
In Reply to: how do i do this on a harmonica??? posted by Stryker on March 09, 2000 at 18:15:42:
: how can i get the harmonica sound like that in Led Zeppelin or any other old blues band. In the song Bring It on Home, the harmonica is not very distorted or high pitch (like mine sounds like) but has a very low, muffled tone, and lot of 'wah wah' sounds - almost like talking (that's what I really want to figure out). Is it possible to even achieve that sound on the particular harmonica that i have? it's a Hohner Blues Harp.
Some questions to ask yourself:
1:AM I playing in the right key, or a 'cross' key?
2:Is there enough atmospheric resonance(acoustics)
in the area I am playing in?
3:Are my amp settings correct?(either lower the treble , up the distortion and bass, or up the treble and lower the distortion).
4:Am I playing to hard? Too soft? Is my positioning loose or tight? etc..
All of these things are factors in getting the right sound you want. Forget about amp harp for a while, and play in stairwells, subways and underpasses. Play in different environments and listen to the distinctive differences in pitch.
A harp sounds much different after a rainstorm
(because of the barometric pressure, than it does
on a subway platform,or stairwell). Experiment this way first, and pay attention to how you're playing to get those particular sounds, in that particular environment.You'll be surprised at what you hear...