EV 635a for vocals & blues harmonica-LIVE performance?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

How much concern about feedback/ambient noise when using the 635a omni
should I have when playing in a small club or bar?

Am looking forward to starting a band, that'll include electric
guitar, bass,
drums, and keys (piano/organ). And blues harp when I improve
eventually <g>.
Out of various microphones at home, this one seems to sound the best
on me.

It enhances a more authentic "bluesy" tone out of an otherwise melodic
voice, more than say a SM57 or RE15 (at least so far). I know that the
635a should be
"eaten" close up at any rate.

Also wasn't the EV 635a used live on harmonica by a number of blues
artists?

Am planning to use it "direct into the PA" vs. Chicago style amplified
blues harp BTW.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Read around here:

http://www.jt30.com/jt30page/



"Chris Del Faro" <cdelfaro@homesoc.com> wrote in message
news:63b53f9b.0409221338.652f1155@posting.google.com...
> How much concern about feedback/ambient noise when using the 635a omni
> should I have when playing in a small club or bar?
>
> Am looking forward to starting a band, that'll include electric
> guitar, bass,
> drums, and keys (piano/organ). And blues harp when I improve
> eventually <g>.
> Out of various microphones at home, this one seems to sound the best
> on me.
>
> It enhances a more authentic "bluesy" tone out of an otherwise melodic
> voice, more than say a SM57 or RE15 (at least so far). I know that the
> 635a should be
> "eaten" close up at any rate.
>
> Also wasn't the EV 635a used live on harmonica by a number of blues
> artists?
>
> Am planning to use it "direct into the PA" vs. Chicago style amplified
> blues harp BTW.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Chris

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

"Chris Del Faro" <cdelfaro@homesoc.com> wrote in message
news:63b53f9b.0409221338.652f1155@posting.google.com...
> How much concern about feedback/ambient noise when using the 635a omni
> should I have when playing in a small club or bar?

I tried a 635 on my guitar player's amp in a small venue; we like to keep
the amp volume relatively low and put it through the mains and monitors, so
that it's at an even volume across the stage. In that scenario, the 635 had
bad feedback problems, although it did sound nice. We went back to using a
57.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I've got actual experience doing pretty much what you're asking about.

I bought the 635a for use as my vocal mic, based on seeing them in photo's
and video footage from the sixties, and reading about them, combined with
curiosity. If you're used to SM58's and whatnot, it has a sort of trebly
sound for vocals.

At the time we were using a 120W valve PA head, and would invariably get
complaints saying the vocals sounded 'muddy', so I felt the 635a sort of
helped a bit to even it out. When we were doing gigs where we had to work
with soundmen who were mic'ing everything up though, things got a bit more
problematic with feedback, although I definitely did do some soundmen gigs
with it. We don't use monitors when the band is playing backline-only, btw.
Are you intending to use monitors? Our band always consciously tries to
keep the levels down as well, compared with most modern bands - 50w valve
bass amp, 15w valve guitar amp. If the band gets too loud, the harmonica
and hammond can't really compete.

Where was I... Right, I stopped using the 635a for vocals just to have an
easy life when we started doing more and more club gigs where we had to work
with soundmen. The 635a came in handy when we were recording, as we liked
the sound of it for mic'ing the guitar amp.

Then I dropped my harp mic (an Electrovoice, can't remember the number,
something like 647) and cracked the shell. Had a 40's brown bullet and was
using that a bit. Sounded great, but was a bit unreliable, so then I ended
up using the 635a for the past few months. Looks a bit mad with an
impedance converter and cable stuck in the end (I'm plugging it into a
Fender Pro Jr), but sounds fair enough. I'm used to working with a valve
amp, and don't like the sound of it straight through the PA that much.
Feedback-wise for harp, I haven't noticed much of a difference with the 635a
and my other harp mic's, but if you're using it straight into the PA with a
monitor, I don't know how that would go.

Hope that's of help!




Richard.
www.boogalooinvestigators.co.uk

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Thanks again guys for all your contributions.

Considering picking up the "ultimate garage band" <g> vocal mic
AKA the EV 664. Geez they've gotten pretty expensive on ebay lately though!

If one WITH a cable might be had for under $100, it's a thought.
OTOH the nice thing about a '57 is that is can be serviced through Shure.

Chris

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Thanks Bob.
Down the road (long aways!) when my technique can justify it, am
planning to amp
my harmonica playing. I like "clean" harmonica at least as much if not
more though.

In the meantime, will be studying relatively easier styles of play ala
Jimmy Reed. As you probably know, Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice
Miller)rarely amped his blues harmonica playing. So far he's my
favorite of all the ones I've
listened to thus far. His stuff was generally much more advanced
technically to emulate certainly. Kim Wilson is way way up there too
for me also.

I respect David Barrett's educational materials a lot too BTW.
Starting mainly with the more beginner friendly David Harp and Jon
Gindick stuff first, and then will focus on Barrett's series later on.

Chris