Ask me which weird musical instrument you should learn this summer

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me which weird musical instrument you should learn this summer

Gumby Orgy: Mar 21, 2007; by T. Finn

I was thinking about getting a melodica, kalimba, and an array mbira and starting a hipster band.

realpost: Is an array mbira hard to play?

# ¿ Jun 12, 2011 16:04

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 15:26

Gumby Orgy: Mar 21, 2007; by T. Finn

bru posted:

Anyone know where you can pick up a Cardboard Dulcimer in the UK? I've google'd it to high heaven but not found anything. The site linked to in the OP is charging ~$100 for delivery :/

I have a wooden lap harp I'm willing to part with. It sounds very much like a dulcimer, but it is a little more basic. You can pluck it and even change the tuning to suit your needs.

Caveat: I don't remember if I packed it and brought it with me when I moved out of my mom's house. I'll pm you if I still have it.

# ¿ Jun 13, 2011 01:24

Gumby Orgy: Mar 21, 2007; by T. Finn

I am very aware that a lap harp is different from a dulcimer. I'm just saying that if the person wants it, I'm offering it. Or, at least I was offering it. Apparently I left it at my mom's house when I moved out and she gave it away. :smith:

I'm not talking about just a mbira, I'm talking about an array mbira.

Look at that smug loving instrument. This is the instrument that hosed your girlfriend while you watched.

# ¿ Jun 13, 2011 14:18

Gumby Orgy: Mar 21, 2007; by T. Finn

I don't have 1500 dollars burning a hole, but my anniversary is coming up!

What about a kalimba? Would that be an acceptable substitute? What is the difference between a kalimba and a mbira?

Edit: I play french horn. Is there some weird instrument available like it?

Gumby Orgy fucked around with this message at 02:20 on Jun 14, 2011

# ¿ Jun 14, 2011 02:18

Gumby Orgy: Mar 21, 2007; by T. Finn

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Kalimba, mbira, sansula, and dozens of other names pretty much refer to what we call a "thumb piano". There may be some minor variations between certain types, but they're all basically the same. If you want a kalimba with the most similarity to an array mbira, you could buy a good quality, very large kalimba. Also, if you get a model where the tines are easily removable, you could read up on the array mbira arrangement and set up your times in an imitative manner. There are probably some World Percussion forums where you can ask about that, and/or you can email the owner of Kalimba Magic (who seems very into such things) and ask his advice.

I was dimly aware that there was some instrument out there kind of similar to an array mbira in size (if not complexity), and finally the word "rumba box" jumped to my memory. More formally called a mar�mbula.

There are various of these, of various complexities/ranges in the $300ish range online. Schlagwerk seems to make some pretty cool ones (24"x8"x16") that are �245, and they have a US importer (no idea of markup).

JBH Guitars also builds a wide variety of sizes and arrangements.

Clips:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqnBgfGC0sg JBH Guitars demo
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIEqx1_M0lc Sin dar el corazon (marimbula and voice arrangement)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ_tCocO-Vc&feature=related Schlegwerk model (not a great clip)

So glad you asked:

Serpent

The serpent was originally made around 1600AD to back up church vocal music, since it had could hold up the bass end, but blended well enough with voice not to be ostentatious.

These were until recently ungodly expensive, since makers had to carve a bunch of interlocking wooden parts, channel them, wrap them in leather, etc. Then some geniuses started making them from fibreglass, and now Kaiser Serpents makes them for an eminently reasonable $635.

These are somewhat tricky to get used to, apparently, but not (as I understand it) crazy difficult. More that you have to get into a certain groove, get a real feel for the dynamics of your air column, instead of a "I blow and push X button and get an F#". So a touchy-feelier brass. However, from the results I've heard the thing sounds loving gorgeous:

Clips:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5-_YVS9CcQ Jazz tubist Michel Godard is a drat genius and welcome to nail any of my better-looking female relatives.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xuxzJkuJWI Michel jamming with some Arabs
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VbXMQRs_MM drat, but Michel is awesome
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4pWAIRY58 And here's a less technically awesome but nevertheless brave teenager who saved up his paper-route money, bought a serpent, and plays it in church. It's not great playing, but it's a neat illustration that even a relative noob can get into the serpent vibe.

Given the awesomeness of both these instruments, and your upcoming anniversary, now might be a great time to engage your wife in a productive dialogue along the lines of "hey honey, I was just thinking what an amazingly awesome marriage we have. And I was also thinking about how much and deeply you must love me. And on a semi-related note, I've been thinking of how my love for you is so overwhelming that it can only be expressed through music..."

Holy poo poo. The serpent!? That is right up my alley. I have an amazing talent for being able to play scales on my french horn without pressing any keys. I'm cool with touchy-feely brass. I honestly have never heard of this instrument until reading your post. I kind of love it.

The price is better than an array mbira, and I could probably rock the poo poo out of it sooner than with just about any other weird brass instrument.

Also: my husband will love to know a random internet person called him my wife.

Edit: Now I'm reading up on cornett which has led me to shawm, which now lead me to crumhorn. Such a delightful, annoying noise! Are crumhorns hard to play?

Gumby Orgy fucked around with this message at 14:20 on Jun 14, 2011

# ¿ Jun 14, 2011 13:48

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me which weird musical instrument you should learn this summer