Amping the Blues Harp.zip

For ALL LEVELS: BEGINNER through ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE. Almost one hour in length, this QuickTime video tutorial narrated by Adam Gussow gives blues harmonica players a series of foundational principles for successfully amplifying their harp and getting that full, rich, ballsy Chicago/West Coast sound made popular by Little Walter, Big Walter, Paul Butterfield, Kim Wilson, and many other classic and contemporary players.

Gussow talks about mics, cupping techniques, speaker cone size, even and odd harmonics, solid state vs. tube (valve) circuitry, and the importance of overdriving every stage of the mic/preamp/poweramp/speakercone chain. Using his collection of vintage Fender, Premier, and Kay amps as evidence, Gussow takes you around back, explaining the magic of small-magnet speakers and SHOWING you the way in which speaker configuration subtly but profoundly affects the amp's sound and playability. Every amp has an ideal operating range, above which it feeds back but below which it refuses to sing; Gussow shows you how to dial this in.

This video will be invaluable to harp players of all levels, from beginners thinking about purchasing their first amp to professionals still searching for the perfect sound.

Also included in this zip file is Gussow's out-of print article from the American Harmonica Newsletter entitled "Getting the Big Sound: Adam's 10-Point Guide" (1993).

Running length: 56:16 (long!)

Another Modern Blues Harmonica production (www.modernbluesharmonica.com)