Forum Activity for @john-henry

John Henry
@john-henry
01/16/10 01:06:57PM
258 posts



Barrel Organ? Denise Ivy said:
that was soooo awesome-thanks so much for posting-Those were great looking Limberjacks--weren't they?

-Was that a Hurdie Gurdie that guy was playing?
Haven't had too much to practice myself-all my extra practice time has gone to my dulcimette --but looking foward to a little extra time for Lilly to strut her stuff.
John Henry
@john-henry
01/02/11 02:49:59AM
258 posts

Bowed Psaltery


Adventures with 'other' instruments...

Keltia, from what I see of your abilities with other instruments I do not think that the psaltery would offer any problems to you. As Strumelia says above, ask away here, I am sure you will be answered.

JohnH
Keltia said:

I was closed to get one the last time I went to Brittany.... beautiful instrument but still, I wonder about tabs, strings, tuning, etc...
John Henry
@john-henry
01/01/14 06:45:18AM
258 posts

A W Jeffreys Jr.


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Totally agree with you Mike, with the rider that even when attending festivals, where accomodation was sometimes an oven of a tent, tho' more often one which was distinctly damp !!!, I have never felt the need to offer any special provision in the way of protecting instruments I had with me, and so far as I can see, this has in no way affected any of them adversly. (Well, perhaps sometimes just a suggestion of rust on the strings on my hammered dulcimer.............. lol)

John

John Henry
@john-henry
12/31/13 05:03:41PM
258 posts

A W Jeffreys Jr.


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Glossy Polyurethene/two pack finishes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol, tell me more?

JohnH

John Henry
@john-henry
03/23/12 09:13:59AM
258 posts

A W Jeffreys Jr.


Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Still wear mine when in the workshop, I also went for the 'shortie look' aeon's ago, but these days, by the time it's draped over my stomach I have no need to use the 'tummy hitch' to lift the hem!

JohnH

John Henry
@john-henry
11/06/09 11:48:41AM
258 posts

Only 10 to go till 200 members


OFF TOPIC discussions

I,m cheering, thanks Stumelia. JohnH
John Henry
@john-henry
03/20/10 03:01:47AM
258 posts



Kendra! England COOL??? Now that IS a quote to pass on to my grandkids. We all see things in different ways I suppose, which is good! I once took a very nice lady from the USA (called Maddie) to Castle Coombe, a small village in the Cotswolds, not far from Bath. It was twilight when we arrived, there was soft yellow light shining from house windows,the smell of Ash logs burning on hearths in those houses, no traffic, and no people except us. She thought that it was some sort of theme park I recall !!! As for the car park,you were lucky to find space in one in Bristol! It would be great to see you busking over here, just don't TAKE MY SPACE. No, you're OK, I,m getting a bit old for it now!Best wishes,JohnH Kendra Ward said:
Ha! Ha! John Henry!

No the Bobbies did not leave us a tip!!!! :-(

We always busked in Bath because that was the best place and Bob's family was there. We once heard a great Bluegrass band playing and we went to hear them and talk to them thinking they were American's because they were playing "Grandfather's Clock". When they stopped they had the English accent-we were surprised because they sang with an American accent! Hahaha

Gosh! We love England! It's been too long since we have been there!

Another funny story is that I broke some strings on my HD and I forgot to bring my extra strings with me! We went to a piano store in Bristol to get some extras but they kept breaking too. I had enough from them to keep up, but the funny thing was we couldn't find our car! We were so lost and turned around! We parked in a "car park" but found out there were lot's of them with the same name in Bristol and we were so confused and turned around!!!!! It took us about 4 hours to find the right "car park". Hahahaha

Bob's family came from England (Bath) and we visited them and had a wonderful time! I love it there! We are considering moving to England for a while because of the crap that is going on here in the states with OBAMA. I guess we would just have to rent our farm here???

Anyway, we love England and it's very cool!

Oh yeah! I will have to tell you about the time we were almost arrested in a laundry mat in Oxford for changing strings while we were waiting on our laundry. I was called a "tory!" :-)

Kendra
John Henry
@john-henry
03/19/10 07:39:34PM
258 posts



Kendra! Tis' is no wonder that I am not so well received when I play in Bath these days!!! LOL. (More likely cos' I'm getting old and don't like sitting on a plastic milk crate for long spells) It is the nearest tourest place after my home town, where I tend not to play for fear of 'the Neighbours' passing me by!!! Did our 'bobbies' put money in yer hat?Regards, JohnH Kendra Ward said:
Hi ya'll,

I love to busk! Bob and I have been busking many places.

I wanted to share my best all-time busking story with you. It's pretty funny!

Bob and I were on tour in the British Isles and busking is a big deal there. Me, having red hair and being very Irish, and Bob having family in Bath, found that if we did not open our mouths we were thought of as natives. (all the rich Americans would throw us money haha)

Anyway we were busking in this little town in northern England, doing a pretty good job of collecting money, and we noticed the local "bobbies" (policemen) were watching us closely. While we were playing they seemed to get a little closer and a little closer. We were sure they were going to make us quit or ask for a permit or something, so we were getting a little nervous.

Finally they walked up to us and said, "You are better than the usual lot that play here!" and walked on.

We were really relieved and thought that was one of the funniest things that ever happened to us.

We were mostly playing the "other" dulcimer that you play with hammers, and guitar, but we did have the mountain dulcimer and played it some as well.

Thanks for reading,

Dulcerina aka Kendra
John Henry
@john-henry
03/16/10 06:11:32PM
258 posts



Congrats Vickie! You have broken the ice; may I say that a tin cup is a difficult target to aim for whilst on the move, LOL, give em a chance!!!JohnH Vicki Miles said:
I busked this afternoon. Well, is it busking if you don't get any tips?! ~8-)

I had 20 minutes between my music lesson and picking up my grandson. I went to the riverwalk, sat on a bench and played. It was a very difficult thing for me to do. I've never played solo, in public. I took a deep breath and started playing. The world did not end, I did not throw up and no one noticed when I made a mistake.

Most people just walked by, some smiled and nodded. One little girl asked what I was playing...she thought is was some kind of violin. I told her about my dulcimer. In those short 20 minutes, I grew more as a musician than I have in years of playing in private or a group.

As for blocking traffic, I didn't. (People were exercising so they didn't stop, but they may next time. If they do, there is plenty of room to get off the trail). If they didn't like it, all they had to do was move a few steps away to be out of earshot.

My dulcimer was much quieter than the thumping music in the parking lot, the noisy motorcycles or crying kids. I'm going back...soon...but I'm taking a tin cup. ~8-)
John Henry
@john-henry
03/16/10 04:28:43PM
258 posts



To busk! Or not to busk! That is a question. Another is to ask why busk? I live in a city which gets its fair share of tourists, and I live about 12 miles from a city that probably gets a few more!!! (Bath) In both places it is possible to busk, and indeed it is to a certain degree encouraged, with the obvious proviso's that no nuisance occurs, no risk to health and safety is presented etc. People listen or not, is their right, and they may or may not put money in your hat, case ,whatever. Why busk? I have a friend who wished to accompany me to a festival in France; over the course of a few weekends in Bath he made the money he wanted, long hours tho', and cold, and sometimes just a bit dangerous! For me the initial push came because I was faced with doing a performance (I hate that term), I was to play in front of an audience and while I had played in pub sessions, or for friends and family etc, I had never been on my own with a dulcimer (hammered I should add) committed to making music for others to listen to. It was a salutary experience, I had not known just how fast it was to use up material that I had learnt or how often someone would ask if you could play ?......? (nearly always 'Duelling Banjo's on the grounds that I was playing some sort of 'hillbilly instrument') I learnt a lot from my first time,and gained in confidence as a result, and would never assume that everyone welcomed me or my music. I am reasonably sure that some places/situations gain from having buskers perform for whatever reason. My interest in dulcimers certainly grew from seeing a hammered dulcimer player named Jim Couza playing in front of Bath Abbey. He did it for money, I did it for the experience, tho' a little bit of extra cash did help the ego! I am not sure if our mountain dulcimer (minus amplification) is the right instrument for the hustle and bustle of a busy town centre, and if it is amplified, then like other instruments, it may be seen as becoming intrusive. It is always wise to check at least two things: Is a licence required fron the appropriate authority, and is there some sort of pecking order in existence among regular buskers at the place that you propose to play .my regards, JohnHPS On reading thro' the above I see some confusion may exist about the term "hammered"; it does not refer to me being under 'the influence', despite what Strumelia may have remarked upon in the past in relation to Rod's mountain dew, and my job of guardian of same at our past anniversity parties!!! Carson Turner said:
I've never been to Chicago - I can only imagine it's a pretty packed place the likes of NYC, London, Paris, Munich, etc... Those have a long and storied history of street performance (busking is simply playing in a public place for tips - so most "street performers" whether hired and licensed or begging for alms are buskers) that has at times even extended into some pretty important religious and political change movements.

I don't see that a performer takes up any more space than does a hot-dog or balloon vendor, nor does he impede traffic any more. The street performer certainly takes up less space than does a 'sidewalk sale'. He's no louder than the city's regular traffic and much less loud than a police or ambulance siren. He can't compete with a 500watt car-stereo rolling boom-box or even with a stock Harley Davidson. He can't take up all that much sidewalk that a normal person can't walk around him with minimal effort and if he's gathered a crowd then that would imply that someone wants to hear/see the performance, a passerby might want to notice that and take a minute to see why.

He doesn't inconvenience the foot traffic anymore than does a group of tourists standing in place staring at the rooftops. No more than does that couple saying goodbye with a long kiss - right in the middle of the doorway. No more than do old-friends meeting on the street and deciding to stop there in the center of the walk to reminisce on old times. Far less than do those poorly behaved children zipping in and out of every crevice and corner they can find while mom obliviously chats on her cell...

He's unlike any other business person you encounter - his product is try before you buy and he won't be all that offended if you enjoy the entertainment and don't offer to pay. He doesn't bombard you with billboards and bus-placards extolling the virtue of his particular art over all others, creating a visual cacophony of material greed, he just puts it out there for you - free. Take it, or leave it.

He can't, while performing, give the "can you spare a dime" pinch that the typical vagrant beggar offers and at least is offering some service - a moment of entertainment - in return for his lunch.

Given the pace of our society these days, he serves the needed function of slowing things down just a little. Of course, some people don't have enough time to slow down and listen to a musician or watch a mime or hear a story... they're in a hurry to reach the end of the race. They have places to be, things to do, people to meet, ... how sad for them - they don't even notice the birds in front of Saint Paul's.

I'm in no hurry to hasten the end of my life though - I'll take a minute to see if the busker can entertain or inform me. If not, I move on. If he can, I toss him some coin. He has an important social function that a free society can ill afford to restrain.

Just my thoughts though. Some people disagree.
John Henry
@john-henry
04/08/12 03:21:44AM
258 posts



Hello Patric ! We should introduce them at Launde next year, lol. My current one , made about 10 yrs ago, is of Ash construction, and perhaps a bit heavy. Have to look into making something lighter !

best wishes

John

John Henry
@john-henry
01/10/10 02:03:59PM
258 posts

How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Carolyn. Snap!!. when I retired from lecturing I resolved that I would not get involved with sitting in front of a computer, and that I would endevour to learn to read music!!! Failed on both counts; wish that I had met all the great people on this site a long time ago, both of the previous remarks seem to be somewhat misplaced, all down to messing with bits of timber and metal!. regards, JohnH
John Henry
@john-henry
08/20/09 08:01:32PM
258 posts

How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?


General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Steeleye Span, a Folk/Rock group, did a series on TV MUCH longer ago than I care to remember! John Pearce put out a book to go with the series which showed how to construct a simple fret board with tuners (and strings of course) which if placed on a suitable box, or suitcase, produced a creditable sound. I made one for my son, and was hooked! JC
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