What instrument do ye play?

[darkRose]

Lets see now.....

12 string Acoustical---( Martin, Fender)

6 string Acoustical---(Fender)

Banjo(Rogue)

Mandolin( Larson Bros., Chicago -1921}

Resonator (just got it 4 weeks ago)(Rogue)

Hurdy Gurdy (Olympic Musical Instruments---get it this weekend)

Hi to all...ifin ye look you'll see me name as one of the moderators of this here forum...but I think its been...er....2 yrs since got a chance to drop in

darkRose

[Quartermaster James]

While marooned this long time, I did finally finish the banjo project:

[Silkie McDonough]

How beautiful!

[Iron Bess]

Wow!!

Sweet!!!!

Any video of you playing?? Such a work of art deerves to be heard AND seen!

C'mon... anti up!

[Quartermaster James]

Sorry, the heard is going to have to wait a while...

I'm better at buildin' than I am at playin'!

[CharlieQ]

Guitar here, a vintage 1978 Ovation acoustic/electric, plus 4-string tenor banjo, 5-string bluegrass banjo, and the new one, a Goldtone 6-string Banjitar.

Oh, can't read a single note of music either...

[Aedon]

Well, I can play a violin if the situation demands it, but mostly I caterwaul with my own God given pipes.

[Iron Bess]

but mostly I caterwaul with my own God given pipes.

Aye, and isn't that the most fun?!

[Capt Thighbiter]

An a lovely set o' pipes ye have!

[Red Maria]

Well, I can play a violin if the situation demands it, but mostly I caterwaul with my own God given pipes.

That makes me think of that old Jack Audbury quote "I've been known to torture a fiddle now and then"

Hello fellow fiddler!

[OL Jack The Pirate]

does anyone know if they had harmonics durning GAOP

[Red Maria]

According to the New Grove Dictionary of Music v.2 pg 128:

"Christian Frederich Ludwig Buschmann is credited with inventing the harmonica. In 1821 he invented a 15 reed case he called an'aura'"

So a harmonica is not GAoP. Sorry

[Aedon]

My fiddling has really died out. It's a shame, really. I used to enjoy it, but after a small incident with an irate fellow with a knife, my left index is too funky to play well. The scar is all over the tip and side, and the nerves are slightly screwy now and tender or numb, depending on which side of the scar it is. The vibration of a string just gives me fits.

[Graydog]

I play the bugle.

I get a charge out of it.

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

does anyone know if they had harmonics durning GAOP

Is that "harmonics" as in plainchant or Beach Boys harmonies, or is I readin' it wrong?

[Jacob Cook]

I think he meant to type "harmonicas."

Anyhow, I'm adept at guitar, which is really all you need to play folk music. I'm also pretty good at harmonica, just need a better set than these plastic beginners. I play drums alright, so I'll throw that in, too.

With banjo and piano, I know chords and can play the same stuff I can on guitar and more...

And then there's stuff I just kinda mess around with. I had a bodhran, but it broke after someone beat it too hard... I have various odd things: tin whistle, toy accordion, etc.

Well, I think that's pretty good for me being just a kid.

[Matusalem]

Anybody here know anything about violins?

I was able to aquire my late step-grandfather's violin. It has no strings and no horsehair on the bow. It has one of those classic "Nicolaus Amati fecit In Cremona 1670...made in Germany" stamped on the inside but I know nothing else. I think it's safe to say it was not made in 1670 in Cremona by Amati or Stradivari for that matter, but has to be pre-WW2 germany.

[Capt Thighbiter]

Anybody here know anything about violins?

I was able to aquire my late step-grandfather's violin. It has no strings and no horsehair on the bow. It has one of those classic "Nicolaus Amati fecit In Cremona 1670...made in Germany" stamped on the inside but I know nothing else. I think it's safe to say it was not made in 1670 in Cremona by Amati or Stradivari for that matter, but has to be pre-WW2 germany.

Hmm. Fiddles are funny objects. Most likely you have a mid-grade instrument that might be worth the investment in getting it playable again.

If you have the old bridge, thats a big step. Fitting a new bridge is expensive and needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing - the feet of the bridge need to be in PERFECT fit to the curve of the violin top. If done poorly, the instrument will not sound good and may even crack the top due to uneven pressure of the bridge feet.

It is possible to do it yourself - send me a PM.

Strings - use Supersensitive mediums- good sound, easy to note.

Tail piece - if you got it, I;d add individual string tuners - trying to tune with the wood pegs is always a PIA. If you dont have it, Dr Tomastik tail piece with built in string tuners is the way to go.

Make sure the pegs are well fitted and easy to turn but not sloppy.

Bow hair - bows are arguably the most important part of the set, and it pays to have a good man do the hair. Figure 50-75.00 to get it

re-haired.

It would pay to have a technician check the instrument for correct placement of the sound post too ( hopefully that is still in place inside the fiddle). It contributes greatly to the tone of the instrument.

[Matusalem]

Captn Thighbiter, thank you for all the wonderful advice. My only experience with stringed instruments of this kind is my upright double bass, a 1953 Kay, which I have all gut strings set up to play rockabilly and old style country and hillbilly. But the violin does have one fine tuner on the tailpiece, and a decent looking bridge. I will have a pro do the bow hair.

If I can get good enough to play 'Jambalaya' in the violin, Then I'll be happy.

[D.Patrick Burke]

I play the Feadóg, more commonly known as an Irish Tin Whistle. I played cello as a kid, moved on to drums, tampered with bass and guitar...Have a fiddle that hates me due to not picking it up in about a year's time.

[theM.A.dDogge]

i have in me possesion:

a fiddle

banjo

lute

piana

and just picked up a practice chanter fer the Highland Pipes.....

now if i could actually figure out how to play ANY of them......

[Capt. Sterling]

Damn...remind me to send you copies of Bean's violin books... at least you can start on something...

[theM.A.dDogge]

hey....remeber to send me some of Beans practice books...so i can at least start learnin sumpthin....

[withoutaname]

i am trying to learn to play the fife (I played flute for 8 years but stopped about 15 years ago) Does anyone have any good resources for learning online, or know of a fife instructor in the NYC metro area?

[Iron Bess]

Okay... I had a request to see not only the custom Bodhran but see it in action as well.

Here be the Bodhran (those with you with the proper eye... can you see the water horse on the skin?)

And here be it being played at Belmont Shores with m'self and me mates, the FABULOS Doxie Chicks! (that’s m’self behind the pole.)

Ahhhh... Music!