[Dixielandjazz] Clarinet mics

[Jim Kashishian]

Larry mentions instrument mics that attach to the horn, and also the octave
gadget "Varitone".

My thoughts on mics that are attached to the horn(there are plenty out there
that are wireless) is that you can't control the distance you are playing
from the mic.  It is attached & that is that.  I like to use a mic as part
of the instrument...moving in close for a real quiet solo (the sound on the
'bone gets big & kinda muffled), or moving back for a good strong blow.
Can't do that if it is attached to your horn or your body.  And, on a
trumpet or trombone, you can't use any mutes.

The Varitone Larry mentions (he said it never amounted to anything) came in
very handy for me back in the '70s.  I was hired to play trombone in the
theater version of Jesus Christ Superstar here.  One of the reasons I was
chosen for the part was I was the sole owner of such a gadget in the whole
country, and I was able to play the tuba part for the psuedo-dixie song in
the play...but on the trombone with the octave divider set on the tuba
position.  That was two 2 hr shows six nights a week for four months...and,
I got double pay!

I also had a cuartet for awhile using electric guitar, electric bass guitar,
drums & amplified trombone (pickup in the mouthpiece), and ran the trombone
through a guitar wah-wah pedal, the varitone, & a huge stack of amps (like
the rock singers) behind me. Watermelon Man sounded like a whole supermarket
full of watermelons!!!   :>
 
I was a little ahead of my time on that one, and it wasn't all that
successful, although I did book a few gigs over one hungry summer in the
early 1970's!  

Jim