hahahaha that's fairWell, I have to give the shave 2/10
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Musical Instruments
- Thread starter heysi
- Start date
I love old Slingerlands - I'm glad you kept it in the family, Rich!
So I thought I would add a rather unique entry to the musical instruments thread.
So as a percussionist/performer, for about 10 years or so I have been one half of a stage production called SPIN - a kind of hybrid of theatre and music, with songs, characters, projections, monologues, and spoken word. It is essentially a 2 person show (although we have a version that we sometimes perform with a score for cello, viola and violin). It is a show about the history of the bicycle, and how its invention and marketing intersected with first wave feminism at the turn of the last century. It tells many not-oft told tales, including the story of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to ride around the world on a bike. In 1895.
My friend and collaborator Evalyn wrote the show, and sings the songs and plays guitar. I accompany her as a singer/actor - an I use a bicycle as an electro-acoustic percussion instrument.
I can essentially say that I invented this instrument, I suppose. When the show started to be written, and the idea of using a bike as an instrument for the songs was born, I started playing around with contact mics, which are microphones that pick up vibration as opposed to sound. Piezo pick-ups, essentially...the kind of thing you might stick to the body of a ukulele to amplify it.
I found that If I attached one under the bike seat and then hit it with either my hand or a stick, it produced a low end sound very much in the bass drum world. I then mounted one to the front fender...which when played with brushes kinda lives in the world of hi-hat frequency. I then can play the frame and create a somewhat snare drum-like back beat.
The bike creates all kinds of "non drum kit" sounds that I use a lot for the songs. I have tuned the spokes on the front wheel and pluck them for melodies in some songs, and also use a violin bow on them.
The technology, seen in the 2nd photo, is not particularly high tech...but is a bit of a rig. Basically, I run the two pickups on the bike into a mixing console on the table. There I can mix the two signals and EQ them before sending them out. The mixer goes into a series of pedals at my feet - firstly a reverb/echo unit, then into a loop station, and lastly into a volume pedal before going out to the house.
For a lot of the songs I create a loop of my playing and then "overdub" as the songs go along, building sometimes very full arrangements of parts as a song builds. It is a kind of choreography between my hands and feet, and all of the looping is done live, so there is always a challenge involved in having the grooves be in time and feeling good.
Super weird, I know, but i thought it would be fun to share.
So as a percussionist/performer, for about 10 years or so I have been one half of a stage production called SPIN - a kind of hybrid of theatre and music, with songs, characters, projections, monologues, and spoken word. It is essentially a 2 person show (although we have a version that we sometimes perform with a score for cello, viola and violin). It is a show about the history of the bicycle, and how its invention and marketing intersected with first wave feminism at the turn of the last century. It tells many not-oft told tales, including the story of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to ride around the world on a bike. In 1895.
My friend and collaborator Evalyn wrote the show, and sings the songs and plays guitar. I accompany her as a singer/actor - an I use a bicycle as an electro-acoustic percussion instrument.
I can essentially say that I invented this instrument, I suppose. When the show started to be written, and the idea of using a bike as an instrument for the songs was born, I started playing around with contact mics, which are microphones that pick up vibration as opposed to sound. Piezo pick-ups, essentially...the kind of thing you might stick to the body of a ukulele to amplify it.
I found that If I attached one under the bike seat and then hit it with either my hand or a stick, it produced a low end sound very much in the bass drum world. I then mounted one to the front fender...which when played with brushes kinda lives in the world of hi-hat frequency. I then can play the frame and create a somewhat snare drum-like back beat.
The bike creates all kinds of "non drum kit" sounds that I use a lot for the songs. I have tuned the spokes on the front wheel and pluck them for melodies in some songs, and also use a violin bow on them.
The technology, seen in the 2nd photo, is not particularly high tech...but is a bit of a rig. Basically, I run the two pickups on the bike into a mixing console on the table. There I can mix the two signals and EQ them before sending them out. The mixer goes into a series of pedals at my feet - firstly a reverb/echo unit, then into a loop station, and lastly into a volume pedal before going out to the house.
For a lot of the songs I create a loop of my playing and then "overdub" as the songs go along, building sometimes very full arrangements of parts as a song builds. It is a kind of choreography between my hands and feet, and all of the looping is done live, so there is always a challenge involved in having the grooves be in time and feeling good.
Super weird, I know, but i thought it would be fun to share.
Sara-s
Shave Member
“O Canada” is among the songs I am learning. My goal is to be able to play it nicely, for my husband, (who was born in Canada) on Canada Day. I was working on it, on Friday, during my lesson. His study shares a common wall with mine, so he heard me playing & asked if that was “O Canada”.
As a relatively new uke player, I was pleased that it was recognizable. Of course, I told him it was & reminded him that he should be standing.
As a relatively new uke player, I was pleased that it was recognizable. Of course, I told him it was & reminded him that he should be standing.
As a Canuck living in the States, I fully endorse this post!
You guys need a win after the past few hockey games.
Well hey, there was that curling gold metal they stole!
