[Lowboy]

Hi,

It just so happens that I finished a rough mix of an original song this evening and decided to post it, even though it needs some work. The first melodica solo was done using a modern Suzuki S-32C soprano melodion. The middle section or second solo was played on a Hohner Piano 32 keyboard harmonica (Model HM-32 melodica I believe), and the third solo was played on a vintage “Yamaha” Piano 32 that Alan Brinton lent me for evaluation. I used the Lone Wolf Blues Company pedals as described in my “blues melodica” posts except I did not use the distortion pedal as I was looking for a clean sound.

I composed and played the song using my Moog Voyager monophonic analog synth for the bass part and my Hammond organ for organ of course. There is also a MIDI percussion track that is a bit mechanical. I may use this song to test out some other melodicas in the future.

Here is the link:

Hope you enjoy it. It is not blues.

Regards,

Lowboy

[Melodica-Me]

Nice Groove Lowboy, can I ask in your opinion, how quiet is the compressor you are using from lone wolf, I have been seriously thinking of buying the Roger Mayers RM 58 limiter for a while now. But the cost is a bit up their and sacrifices will have to be made so I can purchase one. Most pedals I have been using add a little noise, so the least noise is better. I recently bought the Chase-Bliss warped vinyl “Chorus pedal that is totally unusable with my melodica due to the added noise. It but sounds great with my keyboard setup so I will be keeping it. How is the lone wolf compressor working for you?. I agree the two most important pedals for me are Delay and reverb of which really fill a room with a fat
melodica. I am working on a post about the use of pedals (stomp boxes) with Melodica’s, and hope to get it all done soon so I can share my agony and defeats so far. Question are the old green bullets better than the new?

Melodica-Me

[Lowboy]

Hi Melodica-Me,

The compressor I use is not from Lone Wolf Blues Company. It is from MXR. It is called MXR Bass Innovations Bass Compressor. Dead quiet. It has five knobs which gives it a lot of flexibility and adjustment. I love it. Would not play without it. It really tightens up the sound.

I am selling my new Green Bullet mic. It simply does not give me the sound I want. I tried it a million different ways and with many side-by-side comparisons and decided it was not the mic for me even though many harp players user it. I am now using a mid-quality Audio-Technica shotgun mic because it gives me a much fuller sound. If I want the midrange sound of a Green Bullet, I can just dial it in using the Harp Tone+ EQ pedal.

Regards,

Lowboy

[Lowboy]

I think there is a photo of the MXR compressor pedal in one of my threads on getting a blues sound from a melodica.

Lowboy

[Melodica-Me]

I will check it out Lowboy, I need to find one that will work with my setup without hopefully not having to make any major changes to my pedal board layout. Now that I have almost all that I need in pedals I am finding that I should have purchased a larger pedal board 🙁 I will be taking the parametric EQ DI box out and using it on the floor next to the PB allowing room for a compressor/limiter on the board. Have you changed your system to a pedal board or are you still using the rack unit, I see you have been adding a lot of stomp boxes to your setup.
Melodica-Me

[Lowboy]

Hi Melodica-Me,

I stopped using the rack system and only use the pedals now. One reason for doing this is I am in a new band and must also drag my dual-manual Hammond XK-3c around as well. So I am keeping my melodica setup to a minimum. I am experimenting with the rack unit as a secondary/studio setup or for when I am going out to play melodica only.

I have not purchased a pedal board yet, but probably will. I want it to be small, just enough for the four pedals.

Note that the MXR M87 Bass Compressor I use will tighten up and cut the bass frequencies just a bit. I compensate for this with the Audio-Technica condenser mic; and of course, I can boost the bass all I want with the Harp Tone+ EQ pedal.

Regards,

Lowboy

[Lowboy]

Just a note. I am not sure I can continue to recommend the MXR M87 bass compressor. I absolutely love the pedal’s functionality and performance, but the gain reduction lights stopped working several months after I bought it. Dunlop fixed it under warranty two months ago. Then two days ago, the pedal stopped working all together. It is still under warranty and I am sure Dunlop will fix it, but this is not a good sign.

Lowboy

[Tom Teasley]

Thanks for sharing this. Very cool!

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