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Looper's Delight
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I've been fascinated with this bowing thread and thought I'd share my two cents: Here while back, I went out and bought the smallest Suzuki method bow I could find at Sylvain Music in Santa Cruz. It is wonderful on bass and electric guitar. It is so much shorter than a regular violing bow that it is more maneuverable with a guitar strapped on or in lap steel position (mind you, I'm not a guitarist or bassist, I just play one on t.v............cheesy, winking, smiley face emoticom here). Also, a very talented instrument maker here in Santa Cruz, Dennis Murphy, sold me a bow for a bowed psaltery that he custom built for me for $25. It is very simple and very short. I spent an hour this evening experimenting with it on a Gopichand (Indian monochord) and a Bau (Vietnamese monochord). Because it is made of hardwood, I could bow the string, use the back side of the bow to strike the string (I am a percussionist and a trapset player, professionally) and also I used the back of the bow as a slide. Using my fist (holding the bow) to strike the sides of the Gopichand I was able to get this really beatiful rapid warbling sounds as well as, sequencially bowing, tapping, plucking with my other hand and even using the side of my fist to get harmonics. What a universe of sounds......very electronic sounding, which I think is very cool: making acoustic instruments sound as if they are electronically processed. I can put anyone interested in touch with Dennis. These are great experimental bows. Apropos of nothing, my father went in for emergency stomach surgery tonight at 10 p.m. west coast time. He is 75 and in good spirits but I am worried about him. Any healing thoughts or prayers sent in his general direction would be greatly appreciated. His name is Arthur Lee Walker, M.D. and he instilled in me a great love for music and life itself. He has a wonderful laugh and loves humour. He's a good guy. Thanks, Rick Walker (loop.pool)