A coupla new clips with 3 amp modelers

I’ve been trying various configuration of multiple amp modelers lately. In these clips, I’m using a Digitech RP355 and a Zoom G2NU for the main sound generators, with a Digitech RP255 at the end of the FX chain.

I’ve been using Digitech amp modelers for a while now, and I wanted to see if a different make would add some flava. As it happens, the Zoom amp models are very crunchy, which I like, though they’re not as nuanced as the Digitechs. But working with both gives me a bigger palette, and I find that the Zoom has a tough edge to its sound that’s very good for certain things. I’m also learning lessons from the Zoom that I can apply to the Digitechs (like, for example, don’t ignore the EchoPlex delay model in the Digitechs).

I’m playing through a Bottle o’ Blues mic in these clips. The RP355 is running a Matchless amp model with a perfect 4th down added. The G2NU is running a Bassman amp model with a low octave added. Both are routed through a Behringer UB802 mixer and combined for input to the RP255 at the end of the FX chain, which is running a flanger. You couldn’t do what I’m doing in these clips with less than two FX boxes, though I’m finding that managing three at once is a bit of a challenge. The RP255 output goes to a Digitech JamMan Solo looper, and that’s plugged into a Peavey KB/A 100 keyboard amp.

The clips were recorded live using the built-in mics on my Zoom H4 from a foot or so in front of the KB/A 100. No additional processing was done post-recording.

Enjoy!

Two RPs + G2NU Blues with power chords
Two RPs plus G2NU power chords with flanger

Richard Hunter: Widow’s Walk

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Video of the Day #1 March 27 2011: Richard Hunter/Billy the Kid

Recorded live at the Virigina Harmonicafest on March 18 2011. A little grainy in both sound and image, but a good performance overall. I’m using a Fireball V mic with a Digitech RP255; the RP255 is set up to do a short slapback delay plus a medium hall reverb.

What a Show at the VA Harmonicafest

I played my second solo electric show, and the first using prerecorded loops on the looper, at the Virginia Harmonicafest last night. It was also my first live show with my new amped setup, which includes three Digitech RPs, two in parallel, one at the end of the FX chain.

It was a good show, though it felt tough to me. I had some gear problems from the start–at one point the rig just started howling, and I still don’t know why. But I video and audio recorded the show, and the tape don’t lie–it looked and sounded good. I’ll be doing more of this.

Richard Hunter at Va Harmonicafest 18 March 2011

I spent a fair amount of time getting my setups ready for this gig. Two hours before the show, I took each RP device and loaded the patches required for the songs in my setlist into each device, with the patches renamed for the songs, loaded in reverse order from the back of the user patch area to the front. In other words, all I had to do to line up the patches for the next song in the set was step down to the next patch in each RP.

Some of the electric songs were tricky to handle in performance. But the overall sound was very cool. Especially cool were the single RP setups I used for some of the acoustic solo material–basically patches with reverb or delay or both. I dialed in some great long reverbs and delays for the slow solo pieces, and some nice slapback delays and short reverbs for the fast ones.

Singing "It Takes a Lot to Laugh"

Video of the Day Feb. 27 2011 part 1: Richard Hunter, Chris Michalek, and Brendan Power in a Psychedelic Jam at SPAH 2009

Chris and me on harmonicas, Brendan doing a lot of percussion. There’s some great stuff in here, but Chris and me could not stay connected on the grooves–I think that’s why Brendan started doing the beatboxing thing. Brendan and I had two interesting things happening in the first 30 seconds, one of which is the very opening, and the other Brendan’s autowah lead over a chunky rhythm from me close to 30 seconds in. I couldn’t follow Chris much of the time–at one point I stopped playing completely so I could try to hear his groove. I couldn’t. That said, each of us had some interesting things to say. Did I mention that there’s some great stuff in here? The RP350 sounds cut through pretty well on this stuff. I really like the big lead lines I played with a low octave double patch at about 54 seconds in, that’s a big noise that makes for a big groove, and the wavy chorused sounds at the beginning are nice too. See the other Video of the day for today for more on this event and the second part of the jam.

Video of the Day Feb. 27 2011 part 2: Richard Hunter, Chris Michalek, and Brendan Power in a Psychedelic Jam at SPAH 2009

This recording took place at a seminar on effects that I did for SPAH at Sacramento in 2009; Chris Michalek was a late addition to the official program, and Brendan just showed up. I was glad to see Brendan. I got upset with Chris after this show, for reasons I describe below.

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Heavy Metal Harmonica With the RP350/355

I had an idea for a song last week, something slow and heavy, inspired in part by Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced”. I put a drum track, synth drone, and bass together quickly, then recorded a few harp parts over it. I still need to do the vocals and a solo, not to mention a final mix and mastering, but I’m excited by the sound of this thing already, so I’m putting a little taste out there for your listening pleasure.
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A few user testimonials for our patch sets

The testimonials on this page are all unsolicited, unedited, and published with the permission of the people involved, all of whom are patch set licensees. Where available, we’ve included a URL for the bands these musicians play in so you can hear what they sound like. We’re proud to say that our patch sets are inspiring musicians playing blues, rock, jazz, Celtic, and even heavy metal!

Jon Eriksen, Soul Sauce, (USA, jazz)
“I tried (hrs & hrs) to program a model of a bassman to get that Little Walter etc sound and never got it. YOU GOT IT! like I said before, many thanks. I knew it was in there and with your patches I now have it… the keyboard player I work with loved them. Sounded like the real deal bassman/Chicago blues harp to him.”

Ross Macdonald, Sassparilla (USA, Americana)
“Richard Hunter’s RP patch set is one of the great bargains in harmonica electronics today, and he is awesome at answering questions about the set up and use of the RP units.”

Gary Mulholland, The Watchsnatchers (UK, Irish music)
“Well I’ve loaded the patches and played with them through a clean amp with my Fireball V and couldn’t be more delighted!! Your hall patch is perfect for me, all I did was take a little bit of treble off at the amp and wow!! I’ve finally got the sound I’ve spent 10 years looking for. I actually swapped a Peavey Delta Blues tube amp set up for harmonica for the clean amp, so I gave away a lot, but boy was it worth it.”

Alistair Russell, Swamp Donkey (Australia, Hard Rock/Metal)
“Alistair here down under. Just wanted to wish you a happy new year, and also let you know that I am really enjoying the RP. It has been a wow factor to a number of audiences, and players who have asked what ‘rig’ I am using. Always tell them about R.H. and to Google Youtube to see for themselves. Thanks again for teaching an old dog some new tricks and licks.”

Marcos Coll
“Hi Richard!!! How you doin! I’m cool, still with my RP200 and happier than ever ha ha ha…now I don’t care about takin’ an amp for touring, this is totally cool for me, I got different blues sounds, plus the freaky ones…i love it!!!”

Glenn Woodhouse, ColdRail Blues Band (USA, Blues, Rock)
“I am set up with the RP350 and Richard’s patches. I play mostly diatonics into a black label CR, through a Lone Wolf delay pedal, and into a SJ Cruncher for most of our blues tunes but I am adding more and more organ backing on some of our songs using a Fireball V, through the RP350, and into the PA. We also do a couple of Zydeco tunes and I use a chorus/rotary effect on diatonic with the RP350 to emulate accordian and it works great.

“We are adding William Clarke’s “Greasy Gravy” to our catalog and I am using two RP350 effects with chromatic for the song. For the melody I use a Fender Champ with Reverb effect and for backing the guitar solo I just hit the “up button” to go to the above mentioned organ patch and then “button down” to come back in with the melody. Basically these are the only two patches I am using so I have located them next to each other on the pedal so I can alternate back and forth quickly and easily.

“We are also adding Booker T’s “Time Is Tight” that I am playing on chromatic with the RP350 chorus/rotary effect. Playing chords on chromatic (versus the split octaves I typically play) with this patch is incredible, if not “organasmic”!

“I have reached a level of comfort and appreciation with the RP350 that I will consider using only it into our PA for smaller venues. It will save my back and some time not having to lug and setup my amp. I still love the Cruncher though………”

More Looper!

I’m preparing for the Virginia Harmonicafest, which I’m supposed to play in March, but may not unless a few more paying customers show up. (A post to the harp-l list tonight from the organizers said they’ve only sold eleven tickets so far, and they need to sell a lot more to pull this thing off.) Anyway, I’m working on new versions of a lot of pieces from my repertoire, using pre-recorded tracks I’ve created and a Digitech Jamman Solo looper. I just bought a footswitch so I can advance to different loops while performing, hands-free. I figure that I can store relatively complex arrangements as collections of short loops, and move between loops pretty smoothly with the footswitch. We’ll see how it works in practice. The less I can pre-record the better, because it’s more interesting for everybody to hear the parts played live. But I need to prerecord things like drums sometimes–I can’t just beatbox for 8 measures, let alone 32.

It’s important to have short loop segments, because if you don’t you can’t add multiple parts to the loop without forcing people to listen to a long section at least twice. It’s also important to think through the whole arrangement, including exactly which sounds I want to use in which places, alone or in combination. I’m trying to use a maximum of three harp layers–bass, mid range chords, and lead–for most pieces, though I might use another part to double the lead in some cases. (Makes it juicy in lots of ways.)

I just realized that I need to add a 3rd RP to my setup, because it’s the only way to get some of the fat sounds I’m hearing in my head without playing everything over and over.

I’m also working on adding different sounds to my solo pieces using the looper and/or the RP355. The solo pieces take on a new meaning when they go electronic. Stay tuned for samples.

More ringtones!

I’ve put a few new ringtones up on my site on the downloads page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and look at the Ringtones section. At the top of that section, you’ll see “3 harp slide,” “3 harp stroll”, and “Dual Electro Harp Leads”. Check ‘em out. Buy ‘em if you like.

These pieces were all recorded first as loops in my Digitech JamMan Solo looper, which I find to be an absolutely awesome tool for quickly developing grooves. Once I had the grooves down, I transferred the loops to my computer, where I either mastered them as is (“3 harp stroll”) or re-created the grooves with drums (and sampled bass guitar in the case of the Dual Electro Harp piece).

I’m particularly interested right now in developing layers of sounds with the Digitech RP355, and all of these pieces have multiple layers of harmonica. For these pieces, I used an amped blues harp patch based on a Blackface Deluxe Reverb amp model; a double-low-octave patch that I call “Tuba,” for reasons that will be obvious when you hear it; a rotary speaker effect patch with a Bassman amp model; an auto-wah patch based on a Matchless amp model; and my freaky favorite, a patch that uses the RP355′s LFO (low frequency oscillator) feature to overlay the main sound (based on a Blackface Deluxe Reverb amp model) with a second voice that shifts rapidly between an octave down and a fifth up.

I’ll be distributing the Tuba patch to my patch set licensees soon, along with a few new patches for RP350 and RP355 users only. (Sorry, the 250 and 255 just don’t have all the models and effects involved.) Stay tuned for those and for more ringtones.