Digitech RP Patch set update this week!
I’m releasing an update to my patch sets for the Digitech RP250, 255, 350, and 355 this week: a set of four patches designed to cover a range of acoustic harp performances. These patches were in fact developed by me for use with my solo…
RP Tip #8: Louder, Louder, Louder
If there’s one thing harp players need, it’s loud. As in, to be loud. Louder than the guitars. Loud enough to hear yourself over the band. Loud enough for the audience to hear you over the band. The RPs can get pretty loud, but like…
Video of the day 18 May 2011: RealWeepingHarpSenoh
RealWeepingHarpSenoh is a band from Japan with three harp players. I never heard of them before this video was posted to the Harp-L list. Every one of these guys plays totally authentic blues harp–it’s really quite impressive. This piece is Jimmy Reed’s classic “Baby What…
Video of the Day 11 May 2011: Hazmat Modine, “Yesterday Morning”
Hazmat Modine is a very cool band, world music/blues/early jazz with a big beat and two harmonicas up front. This video is a live performance of one of my favorite Hazmat Modine tunes. (Check out the big sound of a POG (Polyphonic Octave Generator) on…
Video of the day 3 May 2011: Crystal Bowersox with John Popper at SXSW, “Kiss Ya”
Crystal Bowersox playing with accompaniment from John Popper. Bowersox sings nice and strong, don’t she? Popper’s playing on this piece is very interesting stuff, plenty of colorful accompaniment, and a solo that seems more like free jazz than R&B. He pulls it together by the…
RIP Phoebe Snow
Phoebe Snow, a great singer and reportedly an admirable person as well, has died. She was not a friend of mine, nor even an acquaintance. But her music was wonderful, and I’m sad to see her go. Rob Paparozzi, one of the elite harp player/singers…
Gear Review: Three mics to do it all
Different mics produce very different sounds, as the samples here show, and no mic by itself can do the best possible job on everything that a harmonica player might want to play. But a harmonica player can cover an amazing range of material and performance…
Fixin’ to Live
Here’s a rough mix of a tough instrumental blues, “Fixin’ to Live,” by myself and my brother Mark Hunter. This piece began life as a solo slide guitar recording by my brother. I added bass, drums, and harmonica. The harmonica is recorded through an Audix…
The Buckeye festival was cancelled–what does it mean?
It was reported today on the harp-L internet mailing list that the Buckeye State harmonica festival–one of the world’s longest-standing, and a venue that I headlined in 1999–was cancelled for 2011 due to “lack of interest”, meaning a dearth of paid attendees. It’s always tempting…
Gear Review: The Powerbender diatonic harp
Brendan Power, by any measure one of the most skillful and innovative harmonica players and composers for the instrument of all time, has recently offered an introductory package for his PowerBender diatonic harmonica tuning. The package includes a Suzuki Harpmaster diatonic harp with PowerBender tuning…
