[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 64, Issue 15

[Greg Heumann]

Ben -

The best resource is the online blues calendar at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Jacksblues/cal
- you might have to sign up to access it but it is the most complete
and up to date.

Best clubs in the city for Blues and jazz are Yoshi's, Biscuits and
Blues,The Saloon, Lou's Pier 47

Monday jams: Skip's Tavern in SF, Murphy's Law in Sunnyvale, Sausalito
Cruising Club

Tuesday: Mojo Lounge Fremont

Wednesday: Redwood City Blues Jam - this is far and away the best jam
anywhere in the world. People like Tommy Castro and Mark Hummel drop
in. See http://www.rwcbluesjam.com Here's a video from last week of me
playin' there with a typical jam set - everyone on stage performs in
their own band, which is pretty typical of the caliber of "jammers"
there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNVjSHA5c6s ( the mediocre harp
solo is at 3:30.)

Thursday, Friday, Saturday no jams I recall

Sunday: Old Princeton Landing in Half Moon Bay.

Let me know if you're going on Wednesday...

/Greg

http://www.blowsmeaway.com
http://www.bluestateband.net

> From: "Ben FELTEN [ML]" <li...@planetharmonica.com>
> Date: December 4, 2008 9:57:53 AM PST
> To: Harp L Harp L <har...@harp-l.org>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Things to do in San Francisco when you're there
>
>
> I will be in San Francisco and San Jose for a week starting Saturday.
>
> I was wondering if anyone could recomment good music spots (apart
> from Amoeba where I'm slated to sell my soul already...)
>
> Doesn't have to feature harp, but good blues and/or jazz concerts
> would be enjoyable.
>
> Of course, if any harp-lers want to meet, that would be way cool too.
>
> You can contact me directly on benoit dot felten at gmail dot com.
>
> Benoit

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[Joy]

Hi!

I've got an audition in less than 2 weeks to play the US national anthem for
an NBA game. I can borrow my sister's karaoke mic and have a VOX DA5 amp
that I use for my guitar. I have no idea how to set it right for harmonica.
I have only auditioned in studios before and never big arenas so I think I
may need to boost the volume. My mic is not good with the harmonica but
maybe it is just me. I know someone on this list just has to have played a
place like this. Does anyone have some ideas to make my audition go better?
What's the best way to play the song in a big space? I can post the one I'm
working on to youtube if you want to judge it. You can email me off list.

Thanks,

Josh King

www.joshuaking.net
www.youtube.com/joshuaking1

[mark wilson]

> I've got an audition in less than 2 weeks to play the US national
> anthem for
> an NBA game. I can borrow my sister's karaoke mic and have a VOX
> DA5 amp
> that I use for my guitar. I have no idea how to set it right for
> harmonica.

Hopefully, one of you NY or NJ guys will step up and help him out.
This would be great!

Mark

[billh...@comcast.net]

Josh,

I'm not a professional by any means like some of the folks on this list. So take my advice with a grain of salt. But you might consider just asking them to put a vocal mic on a stand so you can play as you normally do, just standing in front of that mic, instead of trying to deal with holding a mic and your harmonica if you are not used to it. That might make you uncomfortable.

A really good thing would be to tell them that you will provide your own mic and bring an Audix Fireball V which is almost like a vocal mic and will fit into the same connector as a vocal mic (an XLR connection) and is designed for harmonica and will limit any feedback.

They will likely want you to do a runthrough before the game sometime so you can test everything out.

Good luck and I hope someone puts it on youtube! I'm sure the more experienced people here will have better ideas.

Bill Hines

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Joy" <joyk...@windstream.net>
> Hi!
>
> I've got an audition in less than 2 weeks to play the US national anthem for
> an NBA game. I can borrow my sister's karaoke mic and have a VOX DA5 amp
> that I use for my guitar. I have no idea how to set it right for harmonica.

> I have only auditioned in studios before and never big arenas so I think I
> may need to boost the volume. My mic is not good with the harmonica but
> maybe it is just me. I know someone on this list just has to have played a
> place like this. Does anyone have some ideas to make my audition go better?
> What's the best way to play the song in a big space? I can post the one I'm
> working on to youtube if you want to judge it. You can email me off list.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Josh King
>
> www.joshuaking.net
> www.youtube.com/joshuaking1
>
>

[Richard Hunter]

Josh King wrote:
<I've got an audition in less than 2 weeks to play the US national anthem for
<an NBA game. I can borrow my sister's karaoke mic and have a VOX DA5 amp
<that I use for my guitar. I have no idea how to set it right for harmonica.
<I have only auditioned in studios before and never big arenas so I think I
<may need to boost the volume. My mic is not good with the harmonica but
<maybe it is just me. I know someone on this list just has to have played a
<place like this. Does anyone have some ideas to make my audition go better?
<What's the best way to play the song in a big space? I can post the one I'm
<working on to youtube if you want to judge it. You can email me off list.

Josh,

Don't confuse the audition with the performance. You don't need to amplify yourself for the audition. Just play. If amplification is necessary after all--if, for example, the people auditioning you want to hear how it will sound through the house PA system--then have them set up a mic on a stand for you and run it through the house PA system. There is NO possible way that your Vox DA5 amp is going to fill an NBA arena. It takes THOUSANDS of watts of power to fill an arena. The team you play for has a PA system to do that job. Let them set it up for you.

Regarding the audition, practice the piece until you know it cold. Then when you perform it, hear the song in your head, and play to that. Both at the audition and the big performance, remember to enjoy yourself. You want to be able to remember this later. Before and after you play, no matter how nervous you are or how well you think you played the piece, look right at the audience and smile, so they know you're enjoying yourself too. Remember that the audience wants you to succeed, because when you do they will enjoy themselves.

Good luck and tell us all how it went, regards, Richard Hunter

[Robert Hale]

Hi Josh,

Wow...an NBA audition, cool!

I just played the National Anthem for a Phoenix
(Arizona) RoadRunners Hockey game.

Big arena! Great sound! They just handed me a wireless
vocal mic. I cupped it close and it sounded good! (I
drew a low chord from my Lee Oskar Melody Maker in E,
which helped the sound man grab the correct volume
before I started the melody. Fun to see myself on the
huge LCD screens above the ice. They mailed me a DVD of
the performance. Multi-camera shots and dissolves over
the digital flag background.

My audition, however, was in a glass-walled lobby, on a
small riser in front of 8-10 judges at a draped table.
That was a vocal mic on a stand, and I stood there with
a big paper number pinned to my chest. 270 auditions,
44 slots. Got interviewed for local television. (I
recorded myself on a small digital camera on a photo
tripod)

In either case, I chose throat vibrato over hand
vibrato.

Dress well. Simple cut solids in pants and shirt that
fit you properly. Not tight, not baggy. You will be
significant simply because you play the harp, and not a
vocalist. Practice smiling if you are not already good
it. (Have a spare harp in your pocket for emergency.)

Robert Hale is the Duke of Wail
DUKEofWAIL.com