Is Digitech Phasing Out the RP355?
I noticed something interesting in the last few days. First, the price of new Digitech RP255s has dropped to about $100. That’s a pretty good deal on a pretty capable device. Second, RP355s are listed as discontinued at Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, etc. etc. Put it…
“On The Road Again” with the RP355
The piece attached to this post is a segment from a performance I put together using the Digitech RP355 loaded with my patch set for Digitech RP, plus the RP355’s builtin looper. The sounds include beatboxed percussion (run through a patch with heavy vibrato and…
The RP355 Has A Looper, And I’ve Seen It In Action
I’m in Idaho as I write this, and my rig in Idaho consists of a Digitech RP355, an Audix Fireball, and a Peavey KB2 amp. I was jamming on that rig a day or so ago, and I remembered that the RP355 has a looper….
Video of the Day 18 December 2014: Tom Morello on “The Ghost of Tom Joad”
Why is Harmonica Not a Foundational Instrument? Because You Can’t Sing While You Play It
There are a few instruments–or roles, perhaps–that you hear in just about every band that’s playing anything related to roots or any popular style. Something is making a bass line. Something is percussively pounding out a rhythm. Something is playing chords or adding color above…
Why We Make Big Cool Sounds for Harp Players: History is On Our Side
There was a recent discussion on Harp-L of FX, which I found revealing of all sorts of things. It’s chronicled here, and be warned: gotta lotta words. (The boldface emphases I put on certain lines in that discussion were added by me, and were not…
Digitech RP360XP or RP500? Here’s how I make up my mind
I published most of this post in a response to a question posted in the comments here. I figured that it was worth publishing as a post in its own right. So here are a half dozen things I think about when I’m choosing between…
Jackson Kincheloe Interview, Part 2: Gear and Roles
As I noted previously on this blog, I interviewed Jackson Kincheloe of Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds right after the band’s performance on the afternoon of Sunday, July 21 2013 at Targheefest in Alta, Wyoming. The band sounded great at this show, with a…
Richard Hunter’s Advanced Harmonica Technique Workshop: Program Notes
Introduction The purpose of this workshop is to cover a wide range of approaches to playing music on the harmonica. The workshop isn’t aimed at jazz, or blues, or folk, or any other style in particular; the techniques and approaches we cover here will help…
Here’s How to Get a Chicago-Style Sound Through a PA
Members of the Harp-L List regularly ask how they can achieve a “Chicago” style sound when using the PA system as the main amplifier for harmonica. This page, with help from guest writer Dom DeStefano, offers a few solutions that have been tested and proved…
