Wireless Microphone Ban by FCC

If you own or use a wireless microphone or wireless musical instrument interface, it's important to know that the FCC has banned all wireless microphones which operate in the 700 Mhz range. The ban goes into effect starting June 12, 2010.

If you're curious whether the brand of wireless mic which you own is included in the ban, you need to check the FCC website: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/manufacturers.html

If your model is listed on the table, it is a 700 MHz wireless microphone and can not be used after June 12, 2010.
If you can find your manufacturer’s name and your equipment is not listed, then you may continue using your wireless microphone because it does not operate in the 700 MHz Band.

If your manufacturer is not listed, please contact the FCC for additional assistance to determine if your wireless microphone operates on the 700 MHz Band.
You can also contact the FCC’s Consumer Center for more information aboutwireless microphones or other communications issues by calling1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY1-866-418-0232 fax; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division 445 12th Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20554.

Links:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/FAQs.html

Electric Berimbau by Paulo Nenflidio

Wow, check out this electric berimbau by Paulo Nenflidio. This opens up a whole new range of tonal variations with the berimbau, and moves it from being simply an acoustic instrument to accompany capoeira to a respectable rock band instrument. I love how Paulo demonstrates some of the modified sounds that are possible with the electric, amplified signal from this new electric berimbau. I can't wait to hear what the likes of N. Scott Robinson are going to do with this instrument once they get into the recording studio.



Links:
To buy one ($1000USD): http://www.nscottrobinson.com/shop-instrumentseberimbau.php

Other interesting Paulo links:
http://paulonenflidio.vilabol.uol.com.br/
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/03/sound_sculptures_by_paulo_nenflidio.html
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=nenflidio#grid/uploads

Jazari - Midi controlled musical robot

Wow. Check out these video of Jazari, a midi-controlled musical robotic ensemble. Patrick Flanagan created the software to manipulate the musical robots with a Wii Remote. It's an amazing demonstration of a convergence of technology.





Links:
http://jazarimusic.com/

Gibson Dust Tiger

Check out the latest "robotic guitar" by Gibson.

This puppy does everything but play itself...
It tunes and retunes itself automatically.
The third generation, Gibson Dust Tiger features color coded tone and tuning banks, with a total of 98 user preset positions for sound and 99 preset positions for tuning available.
It comes with a pretty big price tag, but like they say, if you have ask how much it costs, you can't afford it...

Having trouble deciding which scale for your Pantheon Steel Halo Drum?

Here's the latest details: http://www.pantheonsteel.com/Scales.aspx

Kiavara Halo by Pantheon Steel

I love the sound of this one. Definitely middle eastern sounding. Would go great with a middle eastern rhythm.



Ake Bono Halo by Pantheon Steel

Of course the Ake Bono has that Asian feel to it. Would go great with a Koto or Shamisen, or a taiko drum.



Xiao Xiong Diao (XXD) Halo by Pantheon Steel

This scale has a slightly different Asian feel to it. More questioning and unresolved in it's feel.


Blues Halo by Pantheon Steel

Given my recent resurgent interest in blues music, this scale would be awesome for a blues jam with bass and guitar



For the complete picture, check out the Halo Channel on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PantheonHalo

The Monochord Sound Chair

Bored with your normal therapist? Give the sound chair a spin (or should I say sit...).
Interesting marriage of massage and soundscape. I'd like to try this out, or maybe I'll build one for myself.

If you want to buy one, here's the link: http://www.soundtravels.co.uk/monochord-sound-chair-p-1681.html

If you have an extra $7000 laying around you can buy this one from Hammacher-Schlemmer: http://www.hammacher.com/Product/11319?source=FROOGLE

Unprofitable Instruments

I love this site: http://www.unprofitableinstruments.com/instruments/

Talk about obscure instruments! Wow. Kate Buehler-McWilliams has a taken on a mission to resurrect a whole branch of instruments lost in time. Definitely worth the time to browse her site.

How to Make a Monochord

What is a monochord?

According to Wikipedia: A monochord is an ancient musical and scientific laboratory instrument. The word "monochord" comes from the Greek and means literally "one string." A misconception of the term lies within its name. Often a monochord has more than one string, most of the time two, one open string and a second string with a movable bridge. In a basic monochord, a single string is stretched over a sound box. The string is fixed at both ends while one or many movable bridges are manipulated to demonstrate mathematical relationships between sounds.

Here's a "how to video":



Another vidio:



One more:

ZenDrum LT

From the ZenDrum website:

"The Zendrum Laptop (ZLT) is ergonomic, ambidextrous, worn with a strap orheld in a snare drum stand, on a desk, or in your lap. Same electronics andprice as a Zendrum ZX, with one extra trigger. Only 18" wide.
Standard accessories shipped with the Laptop include custom LT gigbag, strapwith straplocks, power supply/heavy-duty merge box ("Brick"), 15' and 3' MIDI cables, plus 1 extra MIDI cable (15' or 45', your choice), adapter for use on snare stand and instruction manual. International Merge Bricks are shipped with interchangeable power supply adapters for universal power requirements.
Zendrum Laptop Physical Specifications:

ZLT Dimensions:

W18" X D10" X H3.5"

Gigbag with Laptop inside: L19" X W14" X H~4.5"

Laptop shipping carton: L30" X W15" X H7"

Weight: 6-7 lbs, varies with wood used

ZenDrum Zap

From the ZenDrum website:

"The ZAP is a compact stationary MIDI controller designed with a smaller footprint specifically to fit in tight spaces and studio environments. Four adjustable threaded feet customize the playing angle for desktop workstation beats. It can be mounted to a snare stand (via optional universal adapter) for live playing situations. Solid heavyweight wood species were chosen for beauty and lasting value as well as for density and trigger isolation, even in the toughest onstage playing conditions. The ZAP features 19 triggers in five offset rows in a hexagonal cluster which can be played as a single instrument with many different articulations, or used as separate voices to be expressed individually or together with a minimum of physical effort. The ZAP is even more adaptable as a melodic instrument with the Zendrum default note map scales suggesting many pplications, playing techniques and creative possibilities. The ZAP uses the same proven electronics and trigger components as the Zendrum ZX and LT, with 3 extra 1/4" trigger pedal inputs and a 1/4" sustain pedal input for "drummer-friendly" footwork as well as the Zendrum momentary sustain button on the top that acts as a "choke" for longer sounds and MIDI effects.

Standard accessories shipped with the ZAP include direct-connect 12vdc power supply with locking connector, 15' MIDI cable, and instruction manual.

Current production time for the ZAP is 2 weeks from date of order.

ZAP physical specifications:

Dimensions:

W12" by D10.5" by H2.5"

Weight: 7 lbs

Cost: $999

The ZenDrum Zap is

Wernick PercPad

The Wernick PercPad is the world’s first electronic pad designed specifically for hand percussionists.

From the Wernick website:

"Its Ash wood playing surface combines the warm organic feel of an acoustic hand drum with all the capabilities of electronic music. It’s based on the successful Notepad, using the same patented Wernick Percussion System technology to achieve unrivalled levels of sensitivity and range. The PercPad isolation system starts with the playing surface which sits on free floating suspension mounts inside a rugged ABS tray.
On the back there’s a foam mounted steel housing for mounting the PercPac on its frame. There’s also a locking XLR connector there too ensuring that the plug can’t come loose even under the hardest playing conditions. The PercPad isolation system is finished off with two simple T Nuts ensuring thePercPad is in minimum contact with its frame.PercPad Iso Frames are available to fit two and four PercPads. They have further isloation features including a free floating collar piece and are finished in bright chrome. They fit standard drum hardware. PercPads also fit our standard Frames which are available to fit one, two, four, six and eight Pads.
The PercPad can be used with any commercially available drum brain with trigger inputs and also with Wernick Musical Instruments upcoming Trigger to MIDI converter unit. With high specification brains such as the Roland TD-10 or ddrum 4 the levels of expression and layering capabilities can be awesome.
The Wernick PercPad is not an electronic conga or bongo. It’s a new kind of musical tool for hand percussionists giving them the opportunity to make great music with the tap of a finger. "

Wow. This is cool. I want one!

No prices yet.

Wernick Xylosynth

I just discovered this interesting musical instrument, the "Xylosyth" by Wernick.

It looks like a very interesting mix of classic Xylophone with the electronics to provide the output for the modern electronic musician.

I don't own one, but it just went on my wish list!!!

The Xylosyth is avialable in either Burbinga or Birth keys.
It provides MIDI output.
Unique for this intrument is a transpose pedal, which allows you to transpose the instrument in real-time! Wow, that's cool.

If you want to read the manual for the Xylosyth, here's the links:

http://www.wernick.net/docs/Xylosynth%20Manual%20XS6-4%20M2.16%20Birch.pdf
http://www.wernick.net/docs/Xylosynth%20Manual%20XS6-4%20M2.16.pdf



Links:

http://www.wernick.net/bubinga-xylosynth/

http://www.wernick.net/birch-xylosynth/

NAMM 2010 Best in show

Here's a sample of the new products which got "Best in Show" and the 2010 Winter NAMM show this last week:

Rhythm Tech "Stickball":

This looks like a great solution for kit drummers who needs to have that shaker sound from behind the kit.



Link: Stickball Shaker

JamHub:
I love this idea for bands that need a solution to performing without disturbing the neighbors too much. I am sure that my mom would have bought this for me in heart beat for the garage band that I had in high school...



Links:
JamHub GreenRoom JamHub GreenRoom Silent Rehearsal Studio
JamHub BedRoom
JamHub BedRoom Silent Rehearsal Studio

Daisy Rock Guitars
I bought my daughter the Daisy Rock, Beginning Guitar book a few years back. Now the Daisy Rock product line has expanded.



Link: Daisy Rock Debutante Junior Miss Acoustic Bubble Gum Pink Guitar Starter Pack

PolyTune

Why tune one string at a time? This looks like a great solution to the quick tune:



Link: http://www.tcelectronic.com/PolyTune.asp

Youtube video of finches playing guitar

This is an incredible improvisation on guitar by a flock of finches:






Here's another video, not such great resolution:



I'd love to hear/see more videos of animals improvising on any musical instrument.

Dispersion of Sound Waves in Ice Sheets

I discovered this incredible recording of ice sheets cracking.
It was recorded with underwater microphones. The article describes how the sound waves are propogated.

Link: http://silentlistening.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/dispersion-of-sound-waves-in-ice-sheets/

Here's an updated post: http://silentlistening.wordpress.com/2010/01/17/ice-recordings-updated/

Eigenharp Pico

This is the Eigenharp Pico, a smaller version of the Eigenharp Alpha.

Here's a couple video's introducing the Eigenharp Pico:

Eigenharp

Check out the Eigenharp, by Eigenlabs.

The Eigenharp is a professional level instrument which allows the musician to play and improvise using a limitless range of sounds with virtuoso skill. The unique design of the keys makes this the most expressive electronic musical instrument ever made. The Alpha can play and record loops, change scale and key, transpose, alter tempo, program beats, create arrangements, switch and layer multiple sounds, all while the musician is performing live on stage.

The Alpha requires a Mac computer to run.

Here's a Youtube video of the Eigenharp:



More information: http://www.eigenlabs.com/

The Moog Guitar Model E1-M with MIDI

Check out this supper cool and innovative Moog synthesizer guitar.
For all of you guitar players out there, you can now compose electronic music without leaving the fretboard.

Winter NAMM 2010 Coverage

NAMM 2010 starts tomorrow in Anaheim, CA.

I found the following links with coverage of all of the cool new gear this year:

Musicians Friend NAMM 2010 coverage: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/namm?src=3TP0AE&ZYXSEM=0&indiv_id=102448

Emusician: http://emusician.com/ms/namm/

Official NAMM Site: http://www.namm.org/

Twitter noise:

http://twitter.com/#search?q=namm%202010
http://twitter.com/NAMMShow

Yamaha: http://www.yamaha.com/namm/w2010/videosandphotos.html?CNTID=5102564&COLTYP=VIDEOS

Ultimate Guide: http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/namm-2010-the-ultimate-guide-231683

How to Build a PVC Flute

I stumbled onto a great site that highlights the design for making simple flutes from PVC pipe. This is a great design if you want to organize a flute making workshop for kids, adults or others and emerge with a workable design.

Here's the link: http://www.cwo.com/~ph_kosel/designs.html

Recycled Bass Guitar

I love this simple idea:

Amplified Cajon from Tycoon Percussion

Check out this cool Cajon from Tycoon Percussion. It includes an embedded amplifier and speaker to produce a larger sound that the acoustic instrument itself. I don't own one, but this is a cool idea.

Link: http://www.tycoonpercussion.com/products/product/e_cajon_bubinga

The Humanthesizer

Bowed Piano

Great video of a bowed piano:

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Improvises A Cappella

Wow.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Improvises A Cappella, Song Two of Two from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale

This is an absolutely amazing demostration of the intuitiveness of the pentatonic scale by Bobby McFarrin, during session of the World Science Festival 2009

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

iphone app: Cleartone Tuner

I was looking for a digital tuner application to add to my iphone, so that I am never without a digital tuner. There are so many times that I am in a vendors booth at festival, looking at purchasing a new instrument, or even checking the tuning of my 'toys' at the beginning of a jam session. I thought that it would be useful to have a digital tuner app on my iphone.

After some research and looking at reviews for all of the digital tuner applications in the iTunes app store, I decided to purchase the Cleartune app from bitcount.

Cleartune features a unique "note wheel" interface allowing you to quickly find your pitch, paired with a highly responsive fine-tuning meter for the perfect tune. See the screenshot above for what it looks like. Some of the other features that I like include:

• You can change the sensitivity of the needle, so that it doesn't bounce around so much.
• You can select: "Pitchpipe" to have it generate a tone
• You can select up to 23 temperaments out of the box, and you can enter in your own.
• Cleartune supports A4 calibration in increments of 0.1Hz.

All in all, I really like the design and function of this application.

Link: http://www.bitcount.com/cleartune/

Does the Belkin TuneTalk work with iPhone?

I discovered that the Belkin TuneTalk Stereo microphone indeed functions beautifully with my iPhone 3G. I purchased the Belkin TuneTalk Stereo microphone originally, to use with my iPod fifth generation. It worked great with my iPod, except for the occasion hickup when the iPod 5G would pause for a second to write to disk (very annoying). But the sound quality was great. When I purchased my iPhone 3G, I was curious if it would work, so I plugged the microphone into my iPhone. It fits perfectly, however, you get the following message popping up on the screen when you plug it in.

But if you discard the message (by tapping on NO) and them open up the iTalk application (by Griffin Technology) you now have an awesome portable digital recorder. I haven't found anything better yet for the iPhone to record great sound. Plus the microphone is so small that I can pop it in my shirt or jacket pocket and easily insert it into my iPhone when I need to record something.

Plus the the TuneTalk has a stereo mini-jack for a line in, which means that you can easily insert an out from the master board line out at a show if you need to record something live.

I use this all the time now to record events, meetings, songs, interviews, inspirational moments.

Links

iTalk application: http://www.italksync.com/

Belkin TuneTalk: http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=277661

Chromatic Kalimba

Another interesting experimental instrument by Tong Intruments:

Link: http://tonginstruments.com/other_chromatickalimba.htm

Video:

The Tong Gong

I stumbled on to this link with a new instrument called the Tong Gong. The 6 metal tongues are attached to a wooden base. The tongues can be changed and placed in any configuration, and each tongue can be tuned over a range of several tones. Furthermore, the tongues can be fine-tuned very precisely. This makes a great variety of tunings and configurations possible.
It's produced by xx of Tong Instruments.

Here's a link: http://tonginstruments.com/

Here's a couple videos:

Puck'n Stompa by Peterman

I caught a concert this weekend with N. Scott Robinson. During the show he was stomping on some awesome sounding, bass-drum like little black thingy. After the show, I went up and asked him what it was that he was playing and he showed me the Puck'n Stompa by Peter Sesselmann.

It's a great idea. It uses a real hockey puck, and plugs right into your bass or guitar amp.

Here's the link: http://www.peterman.com.au/music/stomp.php

And a video:

More from the Halo Drum from Pantheon Steel

This first Halo is tuned: Minor Pentatonic 9 - C ding - F Ab Bb C Eb F G

For more info: http://halo.pantheonsteel.com/

Danny Sorenson gets the first Halo from Pantheon Steel

For more information: http://halo.pantheonsteel.com/

ZT Amplifiers - the loudest little amps in the world

Alright, so here's the story. I was in Vegas a few weeks back, checking out some live blues at the Sand Dollars Blues Club (the best live blues in Vegas, in my opinion). It was open mic night on Mondays and I was checking out the local talent, when one of the guys steps up to the stage with this tiny, cute little amplifier. He proceeds to plug it in and warm up. I am amazed at the sound quality (and volume) coming from this little box, so I approach that stage and ask him how many watts the little box has.

He says: "200 watts"
I say: "No way, 200 watts in that little box? You gotta be kidding me..."
He says: "Yup, it's a ZT Lunchbox amp"

So I go back to my table, pull my iPhone and google "ZT Amplifiers" right there in the blues club. Sure enough, 200 watts from an amplifier no bigger than a lunchbox. Incredible.

Here's a pic of the "cute little amplifier" with the monster sound from a 6.5" speaker:

You'll find all of the details here: http://www.ztamplifiers.com/products/

I don't own one (yet), but this little guy is now at the top of my wish list.

Anyone want to buy a 30 watt Crate Taxi amp, cheap?

Tonehammer Hang Drum Samples

I just discovered a set of Hang Drum samples from Tonehammer. I didn't download them yet, but I thought that I'd pass it on for those of you working on projects and don't have access to a physical Hang Drum, yet would still like to use the sounds. Here's the description from the site:

"The Hang Drum is a unique tone based percussion instrument,
which is almost impossible to come by, since there is only one maker in the
world and less than 1000 drums in circulation. The instrument has a soft,
sorrowful, melancholic tone to it and is a perfect companion for emotional or
ambient type of scores. The Tonehammer Hangdrum is unique in the sense it was
recorded at an average of 15 velocity layers and with 10 round-robin repetitions
pr. layer/note, so you will never experience any repetition in the articulation.
We used custom microphone set-ups to capture the delicate resonance both inside
and outside the drum, since the resonance defines the true sound of the drum.
Additionally we sampled multiple playing techniques with fingers, palm, slaps,
hand brushing and the back-side of the drum, which has the similar properties to
the Udu. Multiple versions of all multis allow for a variety of ways to switch
or fade between articulations while playing.

COST: $59

Formats: Kontakt 2 and .wav

Link: http://www.tonehammer.com/?p=15

Rufus Cappadocia and Friends - Pop!Tech 2008

This video blows me away. It's of Rufus Cappadocia at Pop!Tech 2008. This is cello music like you've never heard before...

Link: http://www.poptech.com/popcasts/popcasts.aspx?lang=&viewcastid=213

The Pantheon Steel Halo site is LIVE!

IT'S FINALLY HAPPENED!
The Halo site is finally open on the Pantheon Steel website. There a four minute video posted on the site showing we may finally see the Halo shipping soon! I can't wait...
If you want to get on the info list or even the waiting list, every thing is there to make your dream a reality.

About the Halo:
"The 1st generation HALO is a bit larger than the Hang and is lower in pitch. Where the low D3 (Ding) resides on a Hang is a low C3 on the HALO and the first three notes in the tonal circle (F,G,G#) are lower than the lowest tonal circle pitch (A) on a Hang. Our Ake Bono scale is C - F,G,G#,C,C#,f,g,g#.

Looks like the price will be $1500 USD

With 2300 people already on the waiting list, the folks at Pantheon should be busy for a long time. I am in the first third of that waiting list, so you'll definitely hear my Halo, when the time arrives. Until then, I'll just have to keep dreaming and listening to the videos.

Great Guitar Intonation Article

Here's an excellent article on how to set the intonation for your guitar: http://www.guitarattack.com/repair/intonation.htm

Patheon Steel HALO is Coming!

I am on the newsletter distribution list and waiting list for the release of the upcoming "Hang-style" drum from Pantheon steel. This drum is called the "HALO". Listen to the sound links below and you'll be hooked. This is going to be one awesome adventure...! Thanks Pantheon.

Here's the content of the recent email newsletter:

"HALO is now reality!

The developmental phase of the HALO has now become the production phase. For the past 20 months we have been working to contribute to this art from while respecting the originators by not making a copy of the original, but rather introducing our own unique process, material and sound. We feel we have stayed true to that in producing an instrument with a soulful and rich timbre of its own that is capable of creating a powerful sonic experience.

The 1st generation HALO is a bit larger than the Hang and is lower in pitch. Where the low D3 (Ding) resides on a Hang is a low C3 on the HALO and the first three notes in the tonal circle (F,G,G#) are lower than the lowest tonal circle pitch (A) on a Hang. Our Ake Bono scale is C - F,G,G#,C,C#,f,g,g#. The warmth and projection of our lower register creates a new tonal experience in HandPan playing. The helmholtz (internal) resonance of the HALO is being used in a new way that not only can be activated when the top dome is played, but also while the low F pitch of the tonal circle is played (depending on leg placement and/or tilt angle). You will also notice that when leg placement is correct it creates a 'pedal pitch' of C2 which remains active while entire HALO is played. If you listen closely enough you can hear this in the upcoming audio as well as the video. We are excited about the nearly infinite possibilities our manufacturing process provides. The 1st generation HALO might possibly be the lowest pitched production HandPan in existence.

You may be wondering why the HALO is being unveiled in two stages. So much can be missed while both listening and watching something. Therefore we have decided to release the audio track of the HALO before the video itself. We would like your ears to discover the HALO and all its harmonic abilities first. Please use quality headphones or speakers. Nothing is better than the real experience, but quality sound reproduction is the next best thing. Listen over and over to the many nuances as the HALO comes to life.

Part 2 of the unveiling (the video) will be sent in approximately 24 hours.

HALO audio 1

HALO audio 2

Sincerely,
Kyle Cox and Jim Dusin
HALO creators
Pantheon Steel, LLC

Guitar Fret Calculator

I am working on creating a bass guitar from some scratch materials. I wanted to calculate that scale and fret locations as I am sizing materials. If you're looking for a nice, online fret calculator for any type of stringed instrument (guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin) then check out this link: http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

Another Stan Wood video

Here's another video of Stan Wood:

Stan Wood and his rubber band trumpet

Here's an awesome video with Stan Wood, playing a piece of rubber band, and sounding just like a jazz trumpet.

Show me your homemade instruments

I discovered this excellent video and responses on You Tube. The best videos are found in the video responses to this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAFkkPKgpJI

Cool music apps for your iPhone

Check out this preview of several music creation apps for your iPhone. There are a whole host of apps available to help you capture the beat or create music when you're away from your studio, on the go.

Link: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/iphone-gems-the-best-music-creation-apps/

Help Save Pandora Music

If you enjoy Pandora Music (www.pandora.com) as much I do, then your help is needed to help save internet radio. I recieved the following message from Tim Westergreen, founder of Pandora:

"Hi, it's Tim from Pandora;
Today, thanks to the extraordinary support of many Pandora listeners, we took a giant step forward when the House of Representatives supported Pandora and Internet radio and passed the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008. Now we need your help so that the Senate will pass it also - and quickly... The finish line is in sight!
After a yearlong negotiation, Pandora, SoundExchange and the RIAA are finally optimistic about reaching an agreement on royalties that would save Pandora and Internet radio. The legislation would give us the extra time we need to finalize the deal.
Please call your Senators Monday morning starting at 9:00 (Eastern) and ask them to support the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008.
The person who answers the phone in your Senator's office may ask for the bill number - it's H.R. 7084 (if they ask for a Senate bill number, you can assure them that in this unusual case, the Senate is actually voting on the House bill number).

If the phone is busy, please try again until you get through. These calls really do make a difference.
Thanks so much for you ongoing support.
Tim

Moyo Drum - Hank Drums by Rick Dunlop

My good friend, Rick Dunlop, has started producing some wonderfully crafted Hank Drums. Rick is a talented musician and metal worker who has combined these two passions into a wonderful fusion of metal and music. I'll be lucky enough to join Rick Dunlop and Steven DeRuby on stage for the opening act of the upcoming Yosemite Flute Festival. Where Rick will be jamming on the Moyo Drum and Steven and I will be on compatible keyed Native American Flutes.

Rick calls his drums "Moyo Drums". Moyo is a Swahili word for “heart”. His innovation is the inclusion of attachable legs which support the drum at a comfortable height for playing.

For more info, check out his website: http://www.moyodrum.com

Joe Craven

I ran into Joe Craven at the World Music Festival in Grass Valley this weekend. We had a really fun conversation about obscure/interesting musical instruments, lot's of talented people and the joy of music festivals. If you get the chance at any event in the future, be sure to check out Joe's performance, you won't be disappointed.

If you didn't catch the World Fest this year, I hope to see you there next year!

Hank Drums from alternative tanks

Here's a great documentary video on a issues and concerns with building a Hank Drum from alternative tanks with Hank builder Forsyte Stahlen. Forsyte explores some of his recent experiments in building Hank Drums.

Hicks Sticks Didgeridoos now back in business!

Ben Hicks is back at it, making beautiful didgeridoos out of Aspen and other hardwoods. Ben took a break from the business for a year or so to regroup, and it looks like he's came back with renewed passion and building some beautiful instruments. I was fortunate to purchase a Hick Stick Didigeridoo in D (it's almost as tall as I am) a few years back, and I love it. I was sad to see Ben stop making 'em, but I am glad to see that he's back at it.

I was walking through a grove of Aspen, near Tahoe, over the fourth of July weekend, and I couldn't help but see where Ben gets his inspiration from the very shape of the trees themselves. Aspen has a wonderful, natural rugged quality to them.

Check out his website for complete inventory of what's currently in inventory, the few that are pictured have some wonderful inlay in them : http://www.hickssticks.com/didgeridoos-aspen-hardwood.html

Oh, yeah and tell him that you heard about it from FoundMusic!

Play the Hang Electronically!

Can't afford to buy a Hang? Well our friends over at the Hangfan.co.uk have put together a really fun, virtual Hang that you can play right now, from your desktop. They call it the "e-hang" and it uses sampled tones from an hang combined with an online interface to your keyboard to enable you to play the virtual Hang with your keyboard. The sound samples are pretty good, and the keyboard mapping is intuitive. The only thing that takes a little getting used to is the slight delay with you hit a keyboard. I have a pretty fast internet connection, so I don't know if slower connections will impact the interface

Check it out: http://www.hangfan.co.uk/ehang.html

Hank Drum Magnetic Tuning by Milltone

Larry, drum maker at Milltone Drums has demonstrated a new design using magnets to achieve a tunable Hank Drum. This is a very cool concept. He's finished his first drum and I believe that it'll be for sale on ebay soon. Here's a YouTube Video of his creation:

Mother of all Frame Drums

I need some help from the blog readers out there. I purchased what I am calling "the mother of all frame drums" (MOAFD) a few months ago. (See the picture to the right).

MOAFD started its life as a display unit at the local Guitar Center. Its dimensions are: 36" wide x 6" deep. The sound is OK with the current head (a plastic, single ply) but the graphic leaves a lot to be desired. Here's where I need your help...

I'd like to purchase and put a new head on it, but I am unsure which head material to select. First of all there isn't a lot of selection for a 36" orchestral size bass drum, but I do have some choices. I've never played bass drum nor drum kit before, so I don't have an appreciation for the subtleties of the different drum head choices. I am hoping that one of you has the experience to guide me in making my selection for a new drum head:

• Ambassador
• Fiberskyn
• Renaissance
• Other??

I want to play this drum with my hands, like a frame drum. So the question is which of these head material choices will provide the best sound, with the most overtones? I plan to tighten it pretty tight. I am thinking that timpani head would be good, but they don't make 'em this large.

Hank Drum Design Mistake

Don't Try This at Home!

I come before you humbled in this posting. I thought that I had a great idea to advance the design of the Hank Drum by accomplishing two goals:

1. Speed the cutting time for new drums.

2. Reduce the pain in @$$ cutting of the small curves in the tongues, and save blades lost when they break cutting the small curves.

So I sat down with Visio and designed a new tongue design which (on paper) seemed like a great idea. I borrowed the concept from woooden tongue drums which I have played in the past. In the picture to the left you can see the basic design, a large hole cut from the center and then the tongue cut back from there...

Well, the result was not what I expected at all...

From the picture on the right, you see the completed drum. BUT it doesn't sound great at all. After the initial removal of the hole in the center (5" in diameter) the drum sounded like a Tibetan Bowl!

Even after I cut the first tongue (the lowest D note) the drum sounded great. The low D note rang for a long time. But as soon as I cut the second tongue, the whole drum design went south... the addition of a second tongue confounded the first note and neither note sounds good. To complete the experiment I finished cutting the whole thing out. I did achieve one goal - the total cutting time was less than an hour!

My advice: don't waste $30 in this design direction. But I am going to salvage the tank by cutting out the tongues and getting back to that awesome sounding large Tibetan Bowl!

Check out the Hank Drum Collective: http://hankdrum.collectivex.com

Mytunes MP3 Amp

This is the coolest external portable speaker device that I've seen. Runs with any type of MP3 player. Runs on batteries or USB power from your computer.

Looks like it's backordered until the end of June.

Link: http://www.red5.co.uk/MP3-Amp-pr-511.html

How to build a Hank Drum: Removing the Valve

I took a few photos during my last build. During this build I prepped 5 tanks, so I learned a bit about setting up a rig to help make value removal easier. Without the rig, I actually damaged the handle on the tank, because I put too much pressure on the wrench to attempt the removal. Here's a photo of a damaged tank, the arrow shows the warped area of the handle. I was able to remove the valve on this tank, once I experimented with, and created the rig. Remember to only attempt this with a new, never been filled tank.

What I engineered was a rig, using my Black and Decker portable workbench. I also used a tie-down strap with a tightening ratchet to hold the tank body in place. Final, I used a 12 inch adjustable wrench and a 1.25 inch diameter by 3 foot pipe extension for leverage on the wrench. This made the process a piece of cake. Note that I used a steel crow bar, secured in the workbench, to keep the tank from rotating.

I used the same rig to remove the metal bracket on the bottom of the tank. This part of the tank becomes the playing area.


Here's a view of the tools needed to remove the tank valve:

Milltone Hank Drum Youtube Video

Here's a great video from Larry over at Milltone Drums, as he tours some of the design features on his new drum.

Hank Magic Video

Here's a short Hank Drum Video:

The Hank Drum Collective Group site

I created a new online community called: The Hank Drum Collective

This online community is designed to enable discussion of all aspects of the Hank Drum. It includes online discussion groups, a calendar and file storage area to enable communication between members.

Membership is free, and you can browse the information without being a member.

Link: http://hankdrum.collectivex.com/main/summary

Hank Drum tuning concerns

I am not sure if other Hank Drum builders are having similar issues, but I've noticed that the first Hank Drum that I built 2 months ago has gone out of tune. I was rechecking the tuning this weekend before painting it, and I noticed that all of the notes are about 10-15 cents flat.
When I built this drum, each note was dead on in tune. Now it appears that all of the notes have gone flat. It still plays well and sounds good, but I am concerned that it's out of tune and won't play well with my Native American Flutes.

Has anyone else experienced this?

A couple of thoughts that I have:

1. The drum has been unpainted since I built it. There has been some minor rust formed along the edges of the tongues and the area where the welds were removed.
2. The drum has spent a good part of it's life outside on my (covered) deck. It's get's played often.
3. I play primarity with super ball mallets rather than my hands.

Traditional Nigerian Udu Drum workshop with Frank Giorgini

TRADITIONAL NIGERIAN POTTERY WORKSHOP UDU DRUM
by Frank Giorgini

Three-Day Workshop
WHEN: July 12, 13 and 19, 2008
COST: $325.00 includes Tuition and Materials ($50.00 deposit required)

GIORGINI STUDIO
4425 County Route 67, Freehold, NY 12431
Tel: 518-634-2559 (or 1-800-UDU DRUM) Fax: 518-634-2559
www.udu.com or frank@udu.com

Link for more info: http://udu.com/Udu_html/uduworkshop.html

Samavesha Hang Gathering Concert, Richmond CA

WHAT: Hang Concert featuring Alan Tower, Gary Muszynski, Matt Venuti, Kim Riccelli, Daniel Tucker, Jessica Styler and other special guests.
WWHEN: Saturday, June 14, 2008
TIME: 7:30 PM

DETAILS:
Samavesha Space
6115 Bernhard Ave
Richmond, CA 94805 (10 minutes from Berkeley on I-80)
Doors open: 7pm
Show: 7:30pm
Suggested Donation: $15-$20
For reservations call 415.568.1393
Link: http://www.samavesha.com/projects/gathering/

Hicks Sticks Didgeridoos to reopen

I just heard from Ben Hicks, and after an extended period of refocus he is going to continue producing didgeridoos. During this period, Ben took down his website and stopped producing didge's for sale. I am fortunate to own one of Ben's "Sticks", and I am happy to hear that he'll soon be making them again.

Ben explains it all on his webpage: http://www.hickssticks.com/

Ben lost his email / newsletter list to a hard drive crash last summer, so even if you were on the previous email list, you'll need to resubscribe.

Alternative Hank Drum Tuning Configurations

I had a busy weekend experimenting and building several Hank Drums from propane tanks. I am busy editing all of the video footage that I took, in order to create a "How To" video which I'll be posting on YouTube soon. I prepped a total of 5 tanks this weekend (removing the values and the metal foot, and grinding down the welds). Along the way, I learned and mastered several time saving techniques to improve the speed of the work. You'll be able to see the rig that I created for holding the tanks while removing the values. This is the biggest pain, and once I figured it out, it became simple enough that I can have the value off the tank in under 2 minutes.

The other key piece of advice is that you must have a portable grinder to remove the welds from the bottom (playing surface) of the tank. Unfortunately, the tanks that I bought were made by an overzealous welder during manufacturing. Each weld (four all together) was about 1/2 of metal attached to the tanks. I ground the first tank with a file - needless to say it took over an hour and a half...

The next day, I borrowed a portable grinder (the type used for autobody work) from my brother in law, and I was able to grind the remaining four tanks in under an hour total. The trick here is to not let the powered grinder dig into the surface of the tank to produce any 'channels'. It's impossible to clean those up, so stop short of the final grind and finish with a file.

In the meantime, I discovered one new tuning idea with Dennis Havlena's original tuning configuration. I had emailed Dennis after my first build, because the highest two notes (the C and the F, next to the low D "ding" note) didn't have great ring or sound. My theory was that they were too close to the center, and didn't have a stable base to ring appropriately. Thus, I theorized that moving them outward from Dennis's original plans would make them sound better. Indeed, my first drum that I built this weekend, I moved both of these notes out towards the perimeter of the body by almost an inch. The result was perfect, with both of these notes provided much better clarity and ring.

Here's an illustration of Dennis's original configuration (in D Minor Pentatonic)

The second drum that I built this weekend has a different tuning, still in the key of D minor Pentatonic, but with a different configuration of notes that I had proposed in my prior Blog posting: http://foundmusic.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-improve-your-hank-drum.html

The notes are (lowest to highest):

D F G A C D* F* G* *octave

The drum which I made using the following configuration came out really nice. I'll post pictures and a YouTube video, as soon as it final tuned and finished (Iater this week). The different configuration of notes has a different vibe. I think that it brings out different songs, and since it matches the tuning of a Native American Flute, it'll be really nice to play along with.

Link to Dennis's plans: http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/for-webpage-lp-hang.htm