Members Boo40 Posted May 14, 2009 Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 I hope it's OK to post this question here, since it relates to keys playing (versus posting it on the live performance forum). I do audio recording/mixing and also play keys for an 80's hair metal cover band (which is to say, I play on 1 song out of 10). I have a lot of musical experience, but when it comes to keys I'm a bit of a hack. They keep me because I'm easy going and flexible and will attempt to do whatever they need me to without whining...including carry and assemble heavy gear and stuff....but I'm really not a great player when it comes down to it. Fortunately 90% of the stuff we play is extremely easy/simple (except for lead guitarist / lead vocalist). I use a Korg X50. It has a couple of pretty decent harmonica sounds on it. One of the songs we cover is "Got No Shame" by Brother Cane. Which has an AWESOME bluesy harmonica part in it, especially the intro. Our former lead guitarist played this on his guitar, and it worked better than I'd have anticipated. He made that sucker growl, and it had a lot of soul. He didn't play it note-for-note the same, but it worked really, really well. Well, he's moved onto bigger and better things and we have a new lead guitarist. He's also pretty good, but like me he finds this harmonica thing a bit daunting. The band was wondering if I could try to maybe help cover it on keys. I have tried. And tried. And tried. Every thing I play sounds LAME. I've tried using all kinds of FX, no dice. I just can't seem to capture the soul of the thing. When playing with the band in the mix it's OK, it's just a thin harmonica veneer on top of all the other layers. But my attempts at the intro/solo really stink up the place. Any tips, ideas, suggestions on how to mimic the sound of a harmonica player using the ivories and maybe a mod wheel and/or pedal somehow? I think the overblown notes, glissandos, and articulations are big part of what's missing here. I think maybe it'd be easier to just learn how to play an actual harmonica at this point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jercat Posted May 14, 2009 Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 Real Harmonica....they really aren't that hard to learn. Just make sure you get a good one or you won't be able to 'bend' notes on it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink floyd cramer Posted May 14, 2009 Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 IMO the reason why pitch-bending harmonica samples invariably sucks, is that the timbre does not change when you pitch-bend- unlike as with a real harmonica. Give up trying to play blues harp on keys and just get a harmonica. It's also an inarguable fact that everybody will think you are way cooler when you play a real harp (regardless of whether you are any good). davidharp.com is the best resource IMO for learning how to bend- although it's hard for me to read his stuff because he goes into overly minute detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boo40 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 Thanks for the replies so far (I love Pink Floyd, BTW, cramer). I'll consider getting a real harp, but for the record nothing is going to make me look cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xmlguy Posted May 14, 2009 Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 The Kaossilator does a good harmonica, very nice in a minor blues scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members augerinn Posted May 14, 2009 Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 I remember Brother Cane ! Anyone here remember Kick Tracee ?!?!? As far as harmonica on keys, I can't help you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deadvolvo1 Posted May 14, 2009 Members Share Posted May 14, 2009 Just please not the DX7 Tina Turner "What's Love Got To Do With It" harmonica.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SH-5 Posted May 15, 2009 Members Share Posted May 15, 2009 The Kurz PC3 has a fairly convincing harp preset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members memphis Posted May 15, 2009 Members Share Posted May 15, 2009 I think your best bet for covering this sound on keys is not using a harmonica patch. Instead go for a really overdriven growly organ patch. I think it would cut through a lot better and serve the same function that your former lead guitarist served without sounding lame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cygnus64 Posted May 15, 2009 Members Share Posted May 15, 2009 Get a breath controller. Better yet, keep your hand on tha attack knob. Alter the attack between fast and slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akapuli Posted May 15, 2009 Members Share Posted May 15, 2009 It's impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tusks Posted May 15, 2009 Members Share Posted May 15, 2009 I second the b3 suggestion. It will allow you to keep your integrity as a keyboard player, and depending on the patch you can have tons of growl and (emulated drawbars) tonal control. That said, here are some techniques I have used in the past: 1) Grab any X50 harmonica patch - Then, (from within the X50) run it through some (amp sim) distortion, add a touch of resonance to the filters, close them up quite a bit, then set the mod lever to control cutoff. Now when you move your joy stick up you get a timbral change. When you swing the joystick up and to the right, you can control the harmonica musically. Play with the cutoff and t6he filters to tast. Sometimes switching one of them to BPF is necessary. For extra effect, you can add a little white noise to come into the patch when you swing the joystick.2) The above technique, when use on a synth patch, will allow you play the same idiomatic moves of a harmonica player, yet retain your voice. You'll need some pitch bend technique to pull this off.3) Use something like a physical modeling synth and breath controller, to get close to a real harmonica, than add an amp sim. A synth can be programmed to change timbre upon request as evidenced here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=842czqDz7Mo whether that approach is you ... that's the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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