The Qin is an ancient Chinese instrument that has created the music for many a slow, quiet moment in Kung-fu movies. This old man is taken directly from the Zhang Yimou movie Hero.
Happy New Year.
P.Hos out.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Marac' the House
The idea for maracas (also known as rumba sticks and shac-shacs) started out as a rainstick, until I realized that very few people actually use rainsticks to play music. But both rainsticks and maracas remind of the sound a TV makes when it's on the fritz. So here you have it: Latin American TV static, in convenient idiophone form.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Baby got Bagpipes
Bagpipes are unique in the musical canon. They don't fit into any other category. They aren't woodwinds, or reeded instruments, or brass, or percussion, or strings. They fit into the "Bagpipe" category. They are also plural, like pants. You have to look hard to find someone playing a single bagpipe.
Manana: Maraca
Manana: Maraca
Monday, December 28, 2009
Humor in Jugular Vein
Don't knock the jug. There aren't very many instruments that a beginner can pick up and sound almost as good as a virtuoso. Any kid with a Coke bottle can do it.
Tomorrow: Baby got Bagpipe
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Two's Timpani, Three's a Crowd
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Law of the Jingle
Thursday, December 24, 2009
100% Organic
In all those kids' movies from the 90s that I sort of liked, the bad guy played an organ. I think in the Beauty and the Beast sequel, the bad guy WAS an organ. I, not being a very creative type, decided that the pipe organ was the piano's grumpy, scrooge-like uncle, and that organs everywhere never smile.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
"Echo One to Bass!"
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Try Harder, Triangle
When I took band in middle school (I played clarinet, just like Squidward) the director happened to go off on one occasion about the Juilliard School of Performng Arts. According to him, one could major in triangle, and become so proficient one could play an entire scale of notes on this bent little piece of metal. We were all duly impressed, and I quit band shortly after.
Tomorrow: Bass Camp
Tomorrow: Bass Camp
Monday, December 21, 2009
Look over theremin!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Peace and Harmonica
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Didgeridoo, where are you?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Flight of the V
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
King of the Bongo
Here I am, going for an homage to one of my personal favorite styles, the sixties cartoon screen print. All the designs were shaped like exotic fruits, and exotica lounge music ruled the scene. In his more devilish moments, I'll bet Don Draper listened to bongo music.
P.S. Catch the Manu Chau reference in the title?
Tomorrow: Flight of the V
P.S. Catch the Manu Chau reference in the title?
Tomorrow: Flight of the V
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tambourine (Wo)man
Monday, December 14, 2009
Donald Trumpet
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Accordion to Him
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Going, Going, Gong!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Portrait of a Bassoon and his player
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Sitar-day
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Flute of the Conchords
Those of you with an interest in foreign animation may notice, rightfully, that the flute girl is based partially on Aisling, the forest fairy from Tomm Moore's excellent Irish film The Secret of Kells. You might also notice that the lack of buttons on her flute suggests it's an Irish flute. I do my homework on these, people.
Tomorrow: Sitar-day
Monday, December 7, 2009
Jaw-Harp Jubilee
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The Oom-pa-pa Loompa
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Graphic Violins
Friday, December 4, 2009
Gimme down to there snare
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Musical People
My new project, one I hope I can stick to, involves creating one character a day for a month based on a musical instrument. December is 31 days, so at the end, I should have 31 characters. This probably means I'll need to double up a little so I can take Christmas off, but I think it's a worthy goal.
Here's the first: Ukulele Lady.
Tomorrow: Saxophone Man.
Here's the first: Ukulele Lady.
Tomorrow: Saxophone Man.
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