Instrument of the Month: Theremin

You find yourself in a room. You don't know where, but the cold hospital gown you seem to be wearing indicates something has gone wrong. You search around, down empty hallways and scrub rooms, searching for a glimpse of humanity. As you look, you feel a slight shiver beginning to work it's way up your back. You realize an odd noise has been playing for a few moments , a low humming tone that has been quietly rising in frequency over the past few minutes. You also realize that it's getting louder. Every inch of your body is panic. You run in the first direction you can think of. As you stumble down the hallways you hear it. The noise. Just around the corner, somehow knowing every turn you've made. Your heartbeat is pounding away in your ear. You take a left. Then a right. Where's that breeze coming from? The door! You finally spot it, just beyond the next room. You can hear the noise, swelling higher than ever before. You make a last mad dash. Success! What?! No! The door is stuck! You try to pull it as much as your strength will allow. No luck. You suddenly notice something. Nothing. Silence. You turn around slowly, dreading every inch. It can't be gone. But the room is empty. You cautiously breathe a sigh of relief, turn around, and continue on the door. The lock breaks free and the door creaks open. Suddenly the air swells to a piercing high! You scream! It's all over! You tried to run, you tried to hide, but you couldn't escape from. . .

The Instrument of the Month: The Theremin!!

It's Halloween time, and so we're taking a look at one of the spookiest (and coolest) instruments in the world. The theremin is a staple in classic cinema, finding it's niche amongst the horror and sci-fi genre. It's not difficult to see why. Here are some great examples of theremin in classic film.

The theremin was invented by a Russian man (with the coincidental name of Leon Theremin) in the early 20th century. Leon Theremin was an inventor of many gadgets (including kickass espionage tools and interlacing), and after inventing his patented instrument began touring the globe, showing off his wonderous contraption and playing music to a captivated audience. The theremin is one of the first electronic instruments and the only known instrument that is played without touching it. It has a long antenna attached to a box with a metal loop at the other end. You move you hand toward and away from the antenna to change the frequency (or pitch) of the oscillator housed in the box, whilst using your other hand to affect the volume by bringing it toward or away from the metal loop. It's all very technical and sciency, but the result is beautiful in trained hands.

What about theremin in pop culture? Examples of theremin use in professional music is not as easy to find as more traditional instruments such as the guitar, but dedicated musicians can still be found, playing covers and originals alike. Here's the legendary Jimmy Page playing one. Some good examples are here, here, and here. My personal favorite? This one.

Wanna get your own? There are actually an insane amount of options. That's the Gakken Otona Kagaku DIY theremin in the previous video. It's one of the best ways to learn how the theremin works while also getting a playable instrument. You can also buy a preassembled one here, here or here. Like figuring things out for yourself? Try making your own. Or try the more portable version with the light theremin. Want a brainy instrument that's also edible? Try the bread theremin! Don't see what your looking for? Search around, you're bound to find something.

Welp, that covers it for this month. We'll be back shortly for Instrument of the Month: November. See ya soon,and Happy Haunting!!

DIY Instruments: An Experiment in Creativity

Music is vital to any culture. Music helps us to express our desires. To regale our adventures. To lament the mistakes of our past. Music helps us to educate and impart as much as explore and discover. But how did music come to be? After all, cro-magnon man didn't simply walk into a local GuitarCave and buy a Fishbone Bass.

 

caveman music was fucking sweet.

At some point, Unk the cave-guy must have heard the sound of wind whistling through a dry reed and decided he loved it. He cut off a stalk of it and drilled some holes in the side. The flute was born. And the creation bug never died. DIY music is still a common phenomenon, and people are making instruments in crazy creative ways. Like the 2-string paddle bass. Or the tootophone. I've already posted about the homemade handpan, and there's an interesting history behind the kankara sanshin. Not into the whole "starving artist" thing? Check out musical vegetables.

musically delicious.

 That's heita3, a Japanese man who is pushing the boundary on playing with your food. I salute you, sir! You as well, ragtagbag. There are literally thousands of examples of people making music out of junk on the Internet. Or musicians who heavily modify current instruments. Why? Because they can. There's no limits, beyond what space-time and your own ingenuity will allow. Ask the dude who made the jellyfish theremin. Or the maker of the mini-koto. How about the guy who plays the Legend of Zelda theme with goddamned lightning bolts? Even if your not great at craftsmanship, there are a plethora of options available. Glass bottle panflute, anyone? Now you can get drunk and stumble through Don't Stop Believing without even leaving the house! Wanna try your hand at strumming and singing? Cardboard ukulele! Like playing Guitar Hero? Why don't you learn how to actually play that thing?

Our next song is called,
"Red, red, yellow. Red, red, blue.
I like boobies. What's for lunch?"

"This is all very cool and stimulating", I hear you saying, "But I know nothing of musical theory or engineering. Surely I can't become the next Jon Gomm". Sure you can. As usual, there are tons of websites ready to help you make something tonally awesome. Instructables is full of hundreds of DIY tutorials, many of which are music related. You can also check the Music Instrument Makers Forum for information on the different aspects of building. Still not finding what you need to make your dream banjo? Just Google search it and somebody's shown you how! Want to try augmenting that old guitar from high school? Take a page from The Presidents of the United States of America and turn it into a GuitBass. Or a Basitar. There's a cool website that teaches you how to make a theremin out of a Wii-mote. Or this one that shows you how to make a harmonica out of a comb and some paper.

For blues smoother than Dom Perignon

 Whatever sound you're looking for, there's a way to make it in your own home. There's a resource online to show you how. There's a video out there waiting to demonstrate it for you, whether it requires years of woodworking skill or is so simple you can help your six-year-old make one.

or your six-year-old-at-heart

 We live in a world of unlimited technology and information, and Do-It-Yourself projects have never been more accessible. As the Internet grows and our means to connect to it become easier, music will continue to evolve and adapt. It's a very exciting time to be creative.

So what do a cardboard box, a wooden paddle, and a vegetable all have in common (besides all having grown out of the ground at one point)? They can all be used to make kickass music. Now you know.

Exactly.

Instrument of the Month: Penny Whistle

It's August and you know what that means. it's time again for Instrument of the Month! This time around we will be looking at :

The Irish Penny Whistle

Also called the tin whistle, or feadog, the Irish penny whistle is an instrument of Irish (obviously) decent that has been around for thousands of years. It is an end-blown, six-holed fipple flute. It's most closely associated with Celtic or Irish music, and is a great tool for learning basic reels. It's also fantastic for beginning musical education.

The modern penny whistle as we know it was born in England in the mid-1800s, but the flute as a whole is part of a much larger family of fipple-flutes dating back as far as 50,000 years ago. These days they are typically made of aluminum or wood, they can be tapered or straight, and some come with a detachable head while others are one solid piece. The tin whistle is a diatonic instrument. That means if a whistler wants to play in different keys, they'll need numerous whistles in various keys, so many feadogs come with detachable heads that can be placed on different scale bodies. Know what else is awesome? The Low D Feadog.

Arguably the most famous song utilizing the tin whistle is "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, but it's long history in Celtic music has given it a robust set of songs, like Cooley's Reel above, or:

The Butterfly



Swallowtail
 


Concerning Hobbits
 


The pennywhistle is no stranger to contemporary music either, like the before-mentioned  Lord of the Rings' "Concerning Hobbits". There are many great online resources for learning to play the tin whistle, and so many new performers are learning to pick it up. Some great modern uses of the tin whistle include:

The Corrs: Little Wing
 


Akeboshi: Wind
 


The Unicorns: Sea Ghost
 


Flogging Molly: Devil's Dance Floor



and my personal favorite:

Jimi Hendrix Tin Whistle: What Might Have Been?
 

 
If you're interested in purchasing a penny whistle, some great online shops are here, here, here.
For more information and TABs of whistle music, check here or Google search for more.

For instruments similar to the penny whistle, check out the fife and the Irish flute. You Zelda fans might also be interested in the ocarina.

Well that's it for this month's special instrument. See you guys in September!

Sh*t Otaku Say Panel - A-Kon 2012

This past A-Kon myself and a few friends set about ripping on all the worst aspects of fandom, sticking mostly to problems within the american anime community. It went better than we ever imagined. We got tons of laughs (from our full house, no less), the audience was heavily involved and gave us great feedback, and even some fans from fanbases we were poking fun at were present. They were absolutely great sports and the whole panel was well received and fun as hell. Zach McClure, who put the whole panel together, has the foresight to record the whole thing. The 4-part video is below. Please know that there is foul language and adult-themes, so viewer discretion is advised. I hope you enjoy our little show, and we appreciate comments of both a positive and negative nature.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4



Thanks so much,and remember:
Only YOU can prevent Pony Smegma

Odd Time Signatures

I'm currently arranging a cover of the song "Wind" by Japanese singer/songwriter Akeboshi. This song is fairly popular in Japan, and it even has a bit of an audience here at home, serving as the first ending theme to the popular anime Naruto. It's reflecting narrative themes and somber atmosphere place it right at home with other 'soul-searching' type songs, but there's something different about Wind.

More specifically, Wind is written in an odd time-signature. 5/8 time, to be exact. Odd time-signatures aren't as prevalent in popular music as even time-signatures, maybe because their 'offbeat' nature may be difficult for some musicians to work with rhythmically. Some beginning artists (yours truly included) feel more comfortable writing in 4/4 or 3/4 time (or 'common time'), and writing in an odd time-signature can feel daunting if you've developed a natural habit of writing 'evenly'. (is that word applicable?)

However, there are some really cool songs that incorporate odd time. Examples include:

The original Mission Impossible theme. (5/4)

 

Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. (7/4)



5/4 by the Gorillaz. (5/4 guitar, 4/4 everything else)



They also make the rounds in plenty of Jazz and Blues songs, as well as a fair repertoire in Classical music.

So the next time you sit down to pen a classic song, consider moving that beat forward one more note. You never know, it may be the best thing you ever did!

Happy Independence Day!

It's July the 4th today, the day when we declared our emancipation from England all those years ago. Soon afterward we began laying the foundation of a nation that would go on to become one of the most powerful in the world. We've made our fair share of mistakes (as any hippy or frustrated foreigner may tell you), but everyday I meet people who remind me that we are a country comprised as much of well-minded people as it is those obnoxious hate-mongers the media keeps idolizing. I'm proud of where I come from, and I hope you are as well. After all, there are talented examples of patriotism everywhere.

Like these people



or this guy



or this lovely lady



even this talented non-American



America! FUCK yeah!



And of course the best act of patriotism ever.



So happy 4th, everyone. I'm proud to call myself a patriot and hope you do as well. And as we end off this post, I ask that you all stand, put your right hand over your heart, and follow along to our national anthem.



oops.

The Dark Knight Rises is gonna Kick Ass

I, like many of my friends, am very excited to see The Dark Knight Rises on the 20 of this month. Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is coming to an end with this film, and it looks like it's going to be an amazing send-off. Bane is going to fuck Bruce's shit all kinds of up, a far cry better than the events of his last movie.

Pictured: Bane

What really has me overly-excited for TDKR, however,  is that Bane seems to be taking a back-seat to all the chaos that will be going on. He's the main villain, definitely, but the trailer has it looking like he's building to something grander. As though he's simply a conductor to this pre-orchestrated apocalypse, showing up at the beginning to tell Batman his life is decidedly over, then returning to his lair to watch his masterpiece unfold while wearing a smoking jacket and stroking a white cat.

Pictured: Bane?

But we know that won't be the case. Not entirely, anyway. For those of us who know Batman's history with Bane, there's only one reason we're going to see this movie. We're going because we want to see Bane break Batman's spine. It's been integral to their relationship, so it's assumed it will occur. And high-five to Nolan for taking Bane, a villain who may seem a little ridiculous in the gritty realism of BatBale's world, and turning him into an intimidating badass. That mask is incredibly boss, and talk about a terrifying voice. This is going to be every bit as scary and fantastic as Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight. Psyched to see Selina Kyle and the Batwing finally showing up as well.

So get ready, guys. Because the end's coming to Gotham, and it will be unforgettable.

Instrument of the Month: Handpan

Today marks the first day of July, and beginning this week I am starting an “Instrument of the Month” blog post. The first week of every month I will select a musical instrument at random, and give an insight into its history, creation and how it has been used in music, both in current times and historically.

So let’s get started. The instrument of the month for July 2012 is:

The Handpan

The Handpan is relatively new to the music scene, but the impact it has made is palpable. Developed as the 'Hang' by PANart in the early 2000’s, the handpan has quickly become heavily sought after for its ethereal sound. Made originally of a ‘nitrided steel sheet’ formed into a dome, the handpan has several small dents hammered into the surface to form the different notes of the scale. Then it is melded with another dome that has a large sound hole carved into the bottom. The result?

Beautiful bell-like tones.

At the time PANart was the only one developing the instrument, and not in enough quantities to meet demand for it. Eventually all orders were placed on a very long waiting list (up to five years), and those seeking to finally purchase their handpan would have to fly to Bern in Switzerland to retrieve it.

Soon after a new company surfaced. Pantheon Steel introduced its own handpan, the 'Halo' in 2007. This is also when the term 'Handpan' was first used to describe the instrument. They were soon flooded with requests and orders. People couldn't get enough of these instruments!

As more and more people begin to develop their own methods of creating handpans, the market is steadily growing. Obtaining one is still no easy task, however. PANart chooses their customers via handwritten letters, Pantheon Steel has mailing list lotteries to select their winners, and everyone else typically has a long waiting list. You're best bet is usually to wait on an order list with a newer company or try to win one on eBay.

Or, you know, build one.


.
It turns out, there are tons of instructionals for building your own. that forum, HandPan.org, is probably the best resource on the internet for information on developments, purchasing, and making your own handpan. Now it's insanely noisy and requires dedication, but the results are worth the effort.

So, all this is well and good, but what kind of music can you play on a hand pan?









pretty damn good music.

For more information on the handpan and its wonders, I recommend the HandPan forums. You can also check here.

Also guess what? Spacedrum is selling them directly from their maker's website.

And for a similar instrument, check out the Steel Tongue Drum.

Well that's it for this post. See you guys in August for 'Instrument of the Month'!

Okinawan Sanshin

One of the instruments I've been keeping my eye on is the okinawan Sanshin. It's an interesting instrument with a great history. It traveled to Okinawa from mainland China where it started out as the Sanxian, and then eventually made it's way to mainland Japan. You may be familiar with it's younger cousin, the Shamisen.

The sanshin is an instrument with a distinct sound and playing style, and it's really cool to see companies like Asoviva start to encourage more and more contemporary playing styles. Some good examples of popular songs on the sanshin are here and here.

I think it's really great to live in a time when so much knowledge is available so quickly and easily. This is no more apparent than in the resurgence of certain instruments, as well as how many people are teaching themselves music without the use of a tutor. There's so many cool sounds out there to experiment with and thanks to the internet, those sounds are usually just a click away. Still, there are some sounds that would be hard to find a proper place for, but that's all part of the fun of music.

In any case, the sanshin is one of those instruments that are slowly making their way into pop culture, and it's exciting to see what direction it will go in.

If you are interested in learning more or purchasing a sanshin, click here, here, or here. (the last one may require Google translate)

Another great resource for sanshin information and playing techniques in the Simple Sanshin.

For a more rustic version of the sanshin, check out the Kankara Sanshin

.

Kamoa's new beauty

I'm very excited for the Evolve steel string semi-hollow from Kamoa that is just now beginning to be sold in the ukulele community. I know there are plenty of players who don't see the point in steel strung, electric ukuleles, seeing it as "ape-ing" electric guitars and therefor redundant, but I think having the option available is exciting. I greatly look forward to seeing these beautiful ukes put to use in creative ways, and the number of people that are planning to buy them means we should have plenty of excellent examples.

The steel string electric ukulele is not necessarily a brand new idea. Risa has been doing it for a while, and Eleuke is well known for their solid-body electrics. I'm a little sad to hear that the long-anticipated steel-string Eleuke ukuele has been recalled at the last minute, but these things do happen.

The coolest steel-string ukulele in my opinion? This one.

So which steel-string do you like best? Let me know below.

I'm Back

Wow. Two years it's been. The heat in Dallas is terrible and it caused me to remember I used to keep a blog that I stopped posting to. Maybe it's time to restart this little look into my life and interests. A bit has happened since last we met. My brother got married. I went to my first open mic night, and got offered my first gig. Sadly it did not go through. I've also been working on an album, hopefully to have out later this year. I hope to update this blog better than I did last time, so stick around.

 See ya soon.

P.S. Better leave some music. It's only proper. Here's one of my few recorded originals.