In Harm's Way

Yesterday, our extra special musical friend, Mr. Harm "High-On-Music" Goslink, came by to do some recording. (Sorry for the "High-On-Music" part. It's an inside joke which is completely unworthy of explanation, i assure you. But, it'll make Harm giggle.)

Where was i, oh yes. Recording. Marko did a cool washtub bass line and i sawed. You know, the sawing didn't go half bad. (I'm new to sawing) I listened to the tracks this morning and was pleasantly surprised. Anyway, we had fun while recording what is sure to be Harms Big-Ass-Blockbuster Hit, in a record store near you sometime next year.

And it could happen you know...Harm is an incredibly talented and truly original dude. Here he is with friends playing his absolutely wonderful homemade instruments constructed mostly of fruit crates. Take it away Harmpie!

The Washtub Bass

This is one of the coolest musical instruments ever. Light weight, inexpensive & ever so effective! It goes way back. Marko, my main squeeze, first saw it on the streets of Rotterdam being played by a Russian dude. Marko's improvement on the design is the PVC Pipe which you slide up and down to 'fret' the notes instead of just squeezing it with your hands. This makes it easier and faster to play plus, it saves your hand from incredible pain. It's quite strenuous to play in the first place. I've been playing it now for five years and have since developed the arms of a lumberjack.

To build it you will need:
*1 ±90ltr. Rubber Tub
*1 Wooden Stick, 3cm in diameter and 1.97m long
*1 peice of PVC Pipe, 4.5cm in diamter and about 5cm long
*Electricians Pull Line (polyurethane) or regular rope will also do in a pinch.
*2 Wire Connectors (to hold the wire at the top & bottom)
*A bit of plastic or rubber to keep the string from pulling through the bottom

Instructions:
First drill a hole through the top of the stick large enough to thread the string through. The end of the stick will eventually be inserted into the lip of the tub. Sawing a notch in the bottom of the stick will help it to stay wedged in the lip of the tub.

Next make a small hole, aproximately the same size as the string, in the middle of the top of the tub. Best to do this by heating a nail and carefully pushing it through. Using a drill will usually result in cracking the tub.

Click on the images to ZOOM!

Now, Thread the string through the bottom of the washtub with a peice of rubber sandwiched in between and then clamp this with a wire connector. Wedge the stick in the handle and then thread the string through the hole at the top of the stick. Pull this taught and clamp it with a wire connector. Now slide the PVC Pipe over the stick and the string. At this time you should be able to bust a groove on your new 10euro bass!

You'll have to do a bit of expirementing with the tightness of the string to get the right range of notes on the bass.

This contraption makes an amazing sound. We've played it all over the place and it never fails to amaze folks, non-musicians & musicians alike. They ask to look inside to see what is making the sound only to find an empty tub. Unfortunately i don't have a sound file of just the bass playing but i can direct you to this video clip where you can hear Marko tearin' up the tub. (But, you have to play it over decent speakers to be able to hear it...the Bass is the first thing to disappear when played over small speakers.) And in this video you get a good look at how to play the damn thing!

So, there you have it. Our version of the Washtub Bass. There are many other takes on this homemade instrument. Find out more here!

The Uke Box is Back in Town

We just returned from the Irish Ukulele Festival in Dublin and it was amazing! Everything from the venue to the performers, the workshops, events, vendors, sound system, food.... was wonderful! There have been lots of great events this summer but this was really really well done. Plus, i LOVE Dublin! We just can't wait to go back.

Here are some of the amazing performers that were to be seen & heard during the festivities: Ukulelezaza, Peter Delaney, Gus & Fin, Winin Boys, Vertigo Smyth, Steven Sproat, Andrew Robinson and The Ukuhooleys..

We also performed, did a beginners workshop (for 40+ folks...wow!) and set up "The Jumping Flea Market". (Photographs and Video yet to come.) We sold really well. I'm almost completely sold out of all my homemade musical items. So much work to do to build up the inventory but i'm looking forward to that.

An article from The Irish Times. Click to ZOOM!
Well, Dublin was the last large fest for the season. The coming months we have several dates for workshops and performances within Holland. We will be taking this time at home to make musical plans for this upcoming season. Really curious how things will develop from here. Last year we estimate that we taught over 500 folks their first ukulele chords in Rotterdam alone. Now were developing projects so that these people can get together to play and learn and have big ukulele fun! We're also trying to figure out how to carry on with the Monthly Ukulele Jamboree which started out humbly but now has the venue busting at it's seams. One thing is for sure...we need sponsors! Anyway, it's all very exciting.

But, the thing i'm most looking forward to personally is building more Cigarbox Instruments. I'd love to be able to do a set where we only play the instruments we've built ourselves. I want to build a sopranino uke, a concert uke and a mini 5 string banjo. Just for starters. I love the thought of long dreary winter days spent upstairs building wonderful things.

The Dublin Saunter

Hi Folks, How is your summer so far? Ours has been really amazing and i have so much posting to catch up on! Marko & i are still traveling around performing at Festivals, selling musical goods at our "Jumping Flea Market" & teaching folks how to play the uke at the "Ukulele Interventions" (a workshop for aspiring ukulele players). We're having a ball!

The next big Fest we'll be at is the International Ukulele Festival in Ireland and we just can't wait! It will be held on the 15th & 16th of August in Dublin...wooohooo. The organization asked us to tape a little song as a promotion for the fest. Last week in the middle of the hectic packing for the UK (that's another story) we ran upstairs, recorded the song, edited it and sent it off. The film quality isn't very good (i screwed up the settings....crap!) but the song ain't half bad! See ya in Dublin!