Harmophon in dub

JahNice · Post by **JahNice** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:49 pm

I present to you the Dub i did today to check how my harmophon sounds in a dub recording. Here is how i did it:

For recording i use my pc with an e-mu 1212m soundcard. I recorded in cubase sx2 DAW.

First i recorded the drums. I used a toy keyboard, a casiotone mt-68 as a drum machine and i choose the 'beguine' rythm pattern. I ran the casio through my mixing desk and added some spring reverb (Furman RV-1). I just pressed start and after a while i started messing around with the "fill in" button, here and there to get some variation on the drum pattern.After some time i started slowing down the speed cause i thought it could be a cool way to end the track.

Then i was ready for some bass. I recorded the bass trough a behringer mic200 tube preamplifier. I listened to the drums and improvised to the beat on my vester bass. When i thought that i had something like a bassline that fits on the drums i recorded it.

Then it was time for the Harmophon. For the recording i took a phillips sbc md600 dynamic microphone which i placed about 25cm over the harmophon. Recorded again through the MIC200 tube pre. I recorded 3 takes of improvisation, killed the bad parts and kept the parts with less mistakes.

I added a riddim-guitar (epiphone sg)and voila, the harmophon song was ready for dubbing.

I send the song trough my 8-channel adat a/d d/a converter, each track to a separate channel of my mixing desk, and then recorded the Dub action that followed on MiniDisk. I did a second take where i didnt dub (for the people who want to concentrate on how the harmophon sounds), only adding some spring reverb on harmophon and guitar and again some more on the drums.. These two versions are both in "1st Harmophon in DuB.mp3"
I also did a third version where just the harmophon tracks and the guitar are heard with no effects at all (again for those who want the pure harmophon sound) called "Harmophon recording.mp3" .

Effect units used for dubbing: Furman RV-1 Spring Reverb, Ibanez DD200 Dual Digital Delay, Monacor EEM 2000st stereo echorder.

The production and dubbing of ''harmophon in dub'' took me about 1 hour and thirty min. The song is mostly improvised so there are still some little mistakes and some "not very harmonic parts".. I did this song to find out how a harmophon sounds on a recording. Also this was requested by klaus5 another user of ddb.

And also a question from me: do you think a harmophon is good for dub? I certainly do now..

Any tips, hints or criticism are welcome. Feel free to share your opinion!

Download link:

http://www.zshare.net/download/56076181a78e0c53/

Peace

Klaus5 · Post by **Klaus5** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:40 pm

I think it sounds good. Sounds like a melodica but can be played in the style of an organ or piano as well. perfect mix. Definately has a place in reggae music!

I also very much like the tune, old style roots dub!

Thank you for posting the music.

I also saw you have some pan pipes in one of your pictures. Have you got any songs using it which you could post if it wasnt too much of a hassle?

JahNice · Post by **JahNice** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:35 pm

Hi Klaus5 and thanks for your comment..

If you are interrested in a harmophon for yourself, just keep your eyes open.. Every now and then you can find one on Ebay, and the prices are usually ok(from 30€ to 80€)..

About my music: it mostly sounds like old style dub because i'm using the cheap old analog effects and because i often like tryin' to play real instruments.. And because i mostly listen to old dub/rootsreggae music and i just love that organic warm sound from the 70's and early 80's.. Some times i also make electronic dub.. Like uk steppahs style, where i use allot of vsti's...

I have not used the pan flute in any recording yet, because its a weird panflute. As you can see on the foto it is round(the pipes from longest to smallest are placed in a circle), and i have not yet figured out how to play a nice melody on that thing... The guy who sold it to me on the fleamarket said that he brought it from thailand where it is a traditional instrument. But maybe i can try to use it next time i make some music and then post it here.. Maybe i'll find some time on the weekend . . .

Greetings

Post by **interruptor** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:12 pm

Hi!

I also think the sound of this thing is very good for dub. The turbine you mentioned is not audible to me.
A disadvantage I see is that with a melodica you can control the loudness of the tone with your breath thus being able to play more expressively (with dynamics like a horn player rather than an organ) Is there a way you can control loudness while playing?
Your playing is very lively and natural anyway. You definitely do master that far east style

thanks fro posting..

JahNice · Post by **JahNice** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:41 pm

Greetings, interruptor!

Thnx for your comment and props for cleaning up ddb so fast,from these spammer scums..

If you listen to ''harmophon recording.mp3'' in loud volume and with headphones, then you will probably hear the turbine noise in the background.. In the mix it almost disapears because the sound is pretty dirty anyway and there is a constant little noise carpet in the backgrund from my effects.. Offcourse i have also tryed hard, to get the turbine out of the mix by choosing the mic position carefully and i also have used my mixing desk eq and my cubase eq to make it sound like this!

Oh, and you can control the loudness of the harmophon.. I just did not use that feature cause i havent played much on that thing and i am not used to it yet. It has got a slider beneath the keyboard, which controls how much air is blowen through the instrument! Offcourse the melodica gives you more control cause you can do that with yout breath, wich is easier in my opinion.. But you can do swell effects..

peace

Foona · Post by **Foona** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:51 am

I loved this track!

Raw dub riddim. I like how you play with the delay.
Also the part how you slow it down until it gets quiet.
Take it away, and bring it back again.

Thanks for the dub experience!

Neil C · Post by **Neil C** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:39 pm

Yes, nice.
That harmophone sounds a bit like a cross between a melodica and a small Indian style harmonium, and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKrNWGbjrdQ like an accordian.

JahNice · Post by **JahNice** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:20 pm

Hi Neil C, thanks for your comment on the harmophon..
Indeed this instrument has some (little) versatility in its sound,
imo depending on the type of mic and the mic positions,
and also depending on the loudness(how much air goes through it).
I believe it sounds more like a melodica when less air is blown
through it (sound is warm and soft)and it sounds more like an accordion
when more air goes through it (harder and more "metalic" sound).

Irie Foona, thank you very much for your feedback and respect for
InI Sound! I downloaded your free album some weeks ago after
seeing a pre release teaser on youtube and i must say i really
dig your vibe. Strictly roots n culture inna dub style fashion..

one of my favourites is faga heba bennah DUB.
give more Fyah Rasta