Shure Green Bullet?

[Ryan Thomas LeGere]

I am looking for a vocal effect for a live/recording setting that has good breakup and a tinny sound. I've been looking at the Shure Green Bullet, which is harmonica mic (omnidirectional), and Copperphones and their relatives (can't remember the name of the manufacturer). Do you have any experience with any of these mics or suggestions of artists who have utilized them for voice?

[Mike Gallows]

Yeah. They are pretty dope for vocals. You can check out the BLACK EYED SNAKES. They used one alot.

[John White]

Check out the Boss VE-20 vocal foot pedal, you can do many different sounds with it. It has a distortion setting that I'm sure can create that effect if you play with it enough. If your playing a club where you set up the PA, you can have total control from the stage. If you are dealing with a soundman, just set it up a he can patch it through your channel.

[Pete]

John White said:

Check out the Boss VE-20 vocal foot pedal, you can do many different sounds with it. It has a distortion setting that I'm sure can create that effect if you play with it enough.

I just watched a youtube video, and apparantly there's a preset on the VE-20 that's called 'Harmonica', which is meant to mimic a Green Bullet. Pretty interesting, but if the green bullet sound is what you're after, just buy the mic!

[Mr.Occhio One Man Band]

green bullet is good if you are lookin for a heavy distorted voice,
but they have a lot of feedback and you cant have a clean voice.is expansive and there is not possibility to put it on a mic stand.
if you need a very cheap wild lo-fi mic you can try a telephone mic.
my friend chuckviolence(a good brazilian one man band) he make one whit the telephone tape capsule puttin on a bicycle lamp case.
you can do it whit 10 dollars.
cheers from italy!

[Ryan Thomas LeGere]

Thanks Mike. I'll check 'em out.

Mike Gallows said:

Yeah. They are pretty dope for vocals. You can check out the BLACK EYED SNAKES. They used one alot.

[Ryan Thomas LeGere]

Well, the thing is Pete I am not sure if that is the sound I am after. I have a pretty good inkling it is, but if you read my post, I was asking, also, if anybody had any experience or links to tracks that utilized the effect so I could get a better idea.

Pete said:

John White said:

Check out the Boss VE-20 vocal foot pedal, you can do many different sounds with it. It has a distortion setting that I'm sure can create that effect if you play with it enough.

I just watched a youtube video, and apparantly there's a preset on the VE-20 that's called 'Harmonica', which is meant to mimic a Green Bullet. Pretty interesting, but if the green bullet sound is what you're after, just buy the mic!

[Pete]

I guess what I was trying to say is that if the sound is what you want, get the real thing rather than a stomp box.

However, the good thing about the stomp box is that you'll be able to dial down the effect as well as turn it on and off when you need. There's at least two other effects on there, distortion and radio that give a similar sound which might suit you better. Also, there's nothing to stop you from adding some reverb/delay on at the same time.

As Mr Occhio said, telephones also make nice mics and they also look cool, especially if you get a coily cable for it. Check out Bob Log III and Mika Miko for examples of that.

[Ryan Thomas LeGere]

Checked out the Black Eyed Snakes, "Good Woman Blues" and their cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lighting." That 's exactly the sound I am looking for. As for any pedals, I'd like to go with the real thing and take my chances with too much distortion. So I think I am going to stick with the Green Bullet. As for telephone mics, that's not quite what I had in mind though I am sure they would have their applications. Thanks to everyone for your input. You've been very helpful.

[George]

You probably know this but the most famous recording of that microphone (on blues harp) is 'Juke' by Little Walter with Muddy Waters' band.

Maybe that will hint at how they distort?

[Ryan Thomas LeGere]

Actually, I didn't know that. I was always more of a Howlin' Wolf fan than a Muddy Waters fan. I guess that preference caused me to miss out! I'll have to check out "Juke."

George said:

You probably know this but the most famous recording of that microphone (on blues harp) is 'Juke' by Little Walter with Muddy Waters' band.

Maybe that will hint at how they distort?

[The Apes Party]

I got one of them and it is pretty cool! It cuts a lot of frequencies on the low end but it has a nice lo-fi sound with a little clip if you turn the volume you got on the mic itself.

If you put it trough and old tube preamp then you got the kind of "Sonics" vocal sound!

Obviously since it cuts frequencies once you can't go back to a normal vocals sound once you have recorded.

I really suggest to by one if you like that sound a telephone capsule might be too extreme!

I'll post some mp3's once I got the song mixed down...