Re: bowing instruments and a request for good thoughts

["Rick Walker (loop.pool)" <GLOBAL@cruzio.com>]

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)