Instruments aboard a ship

[Mark Leser]

Funny thing I wondered today.... What musical instruments would you see aboard a ship? I can't think of any besides possibly a piccolo or a tin whistle.

[Dread Pirate Slasher]

Good question!

I would think you would probably have seen a little bit of everything that was around at the time. Smaller instruments would have been best.

When I read your post I couldn't help but get a mental picture of the Captain of The Filthy Whore from "Cabin Boy" playing his sqeezebox

[the Royaliste]

Well, you ne'r mentioned an era,so..We're sailin' with some wooden recorders, a silver flute, and a '65 Fender Strat(Seafoam green of course) and a Pignose amp! We also take on a compliment of fife and drummers for battle sails and living history......(the squeezeboxes seem to rot at the bellows).....

[Fox]

Assuming you're talking about golden age of piracy:

Trumpeters seem to have been pretty standard on many English vessels and had been for centuries. Drake had a trumpeter (who was also a watch-keeping officer) on the Golden Hind, Monson considered trumpeters (and their mates) to be essential officers on 17thC privateers and Trumpeters were on the pay lists for Royal Navy ships of all sizes until 1797. In battle the trumpeters' purpose was the transmission of orders, but their is no doubt that they played for the entertainment of their friends when off-duty.

Just the other day I was reading about a pirate ship with two fiddlers aboard, but I'm jiggered if I can think where! If I can find the reference I'll post it.

I know that various flutes and whistles have turned up at shipwreck excavations, but the tin whistle probably didn't come in much before the end of the 18th century. Prior to that wooden whistles would have been the norm.

Drums are mentioned in a million and one sources about music at sea, but one has to wonder about the drum-heads in such a damp environment.

One other instrument that I have seen evidence for from excavations is the Jew harp, though earlier ones tended to have a straight tang rather than the bent tang common on today's instruments.

By Nelson's time fifers were included in most larger marine contingents, and Admiral Collingwood was always accompanied at sea by Northumbrian pipers.

FWIW, squeezeboxes weren't invented until well into the 19th century, they belong firmly in the age of steam rather than sail.

[William Brand]

Drums are mentioned in a million and one sources about music at sea, but one has to wonder about the drum-heads in such a damp environment.

I asked a friend about this once. He has been in an Irish Folk band for fifteen years and he has several drums that can't be played until the drum head is moistened with water. Some drums are made in such a way as to require moisture before they achieve their proper pitch. We live in high desert country and the air here is very dry, so he has to soak some of his drum heads just before he plays a set.

Still, salt water can't be good on instruments as a rule.

The Spanish vihuela was the precursor of the modern guitar and was taken aboard ships as early as the 15th century. In fact, during the 16th century, the early guitar was found in many pubs and was considered a "tavern instrument" because it could not meet the demands of classical music.

[Black Hearted Pearl]

Alas, I believe the Royalist will also have an acoustic guitar, drum, harmonica and harp aboard during the Toshiba Tallship Festival. Please correct me (Red Maria, et al.) if I be wrong.

[blackjohn]

Great question Mark! While I have a pretty good notion of which instruments are "period correct" I have no idea which hold up well at sea.

We also take on a compliment of fife and drummers for battle sails and living history......(the squeezeboxes seem to rot at the bellows).....

Royaliste, I'm curious, how do things like violins weather the salt air? Or oboes? Or drums?

[the Royaliste]

Actually, the fiddles and drums do well, as long as the luthier did right with the types of glue. The period type drums seem to do well, since they are rather rudimentally tuned. As far as the woodwinds, might be tuff, as hollow round wood things don't seem to fare well.

[Jonathan Hawks]

Well, thar be regular whistelin fer sure. Also, ta be e'en more accurate, many a song were accompanied by some o the crew usin parts o the ship ta be makin music. Different tones in a wood plank or rail as well as metal sounds from what they had. They be real ingenious I says.

[Dread Pirate Slasher]

One other instrument that I have seen evidence for from excavations is the Jew harp, though earlier ones tended to have a straight tang rather than the bent tang common on today's instruments.

Hmm... I hadn't thought of a Jew Harp on a ship but I suppose they would have had them. The instrument has been around a long long time. It's a shame you don't hear it much anymore. I actually have a Whitlow Harp in D that I learned to play. It's funny because when I show it to kids they ask what it is and I tell them it's a musical instrument. It's funny to watch them try to figure out how it makes noise. They invariably figure out the twanger and pluck it a few times and say "ok, so now what". Then when I start playing it always brings a smile.

[Red Maria]

Fiddle definately. I've seen illustrations of a fiddler standing on top of the capstan fiddling, while other seamen pushed the capstan. A little late for the period I saw in the periodical Martime Life and Traditions a fiddle from a 19th c. whaler whose tailpiece, neck and pegs were all scrimshaw whalebone.

I've been researching what tunes a GAoP fiddler would play. I've been studying fiddle for about six months now. I'm actually beginning not to frighten the cat when I play.

I forgot to add that at least one fiddle has been found aborad the Mary Rose.

If you want to see a picture of said fiddle go to your local library and see if it has the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (usually in Ready Reference). It's in v.8 pf 771

Edited September 15, 2005 by Red Maria

[HarborMaster]

The Spanish vihuela was the precursor of the modern guitar and was taken aboard ships as early as the 15th century. In fact, during the 16th century, the early guitar was found in many pubs and was considered a "tavern instrument" because it could not meet the demands of classical music.

If you ever heard me play., its definitely a tavern instrument Sir William LOL .

Guitar 1521 Ferdinand Zor

Guitar 1949 Les Paul

It really didnt change much..., but I do prefer my 81 Les Paul CherryTop.

[Sir Eric]

The pirate articles in Johnson and Cordingly both mention musicians, and Cordingly quotes some trial testimony about a pirate aquitted because his fellows said his only action was to play the fiddle.

And... as a bodhran player meself, natural skin frame drums are very sensitive to humidity changes, but since tone is altered by pressure on the back of the skin, a good drummer can overcome the effects to a certain degree.

[Red Maria]

Alas, I believe the Royalist will also have an acoustic guitar, drum, harmonica and harp aboard during the Toshiba Tallship Festival. Please correct me (Red Maria, et al.) if I be wrong.

That's right BHP

[Dread Pirate Slasher]

How about a hurdy gurdy?

It seems I was mistaken what one was. I always thought a hurdy gurdy was what an organ grinder played whilst his monkey danced about

But seriously, the hurdy gurdy has been around long enough to have been used aboard a ship. So far I haven't been able to find a reference to any being used aboard ships, pirate or not, but it's a fine instrument, and similar to a fiddle, so if I had lived back then, I think I might have brought one aboard.