[Michael Ward]

Have a great session today on a concept album/ film I am involved with.
A rare opportunity to record with my Scandinavian horn collection
Cows horn
Tung Horn ( a shepherd clarinet made from a billygoat horn with a Juniper reed and reindeer horn mouthpiece)
Bone flutes ( reindeer, elk and sheep)
Jorvick pipes ( a copy of an actual wooden Viking pan pipe found in excavations in nearby York)
Norwegian seaflute ( made for me by Bodil Deason Master Norwegian recorder maker)

The Cows horn is the hardest as a trumpet embouchure is needed but I can make a few notes that will sound authentic

Straight after I am writing in another studio with a garage Rock n roll band so it will hopefully be an interesting day in my calendar.

 

[nachoman]

Sounds like a great day! You need a bit of musical saw in there too, I reckon! Does your Nordic horn section play in an euthentically Scandinavian Style (Not that I'd really recgnise cultrual euthenticity here- though I remember the very odd, horn based music from Noggin the Nog when I was a kid.... which I'd assume had some pretention to being 'proper' viking music)

 

[Michael Ward]

Hey man. It went really well. I was amazed how good it sounded. I do listen to Scandinavian music but whether I'm authentic..probably not. Some of the ornaments they use are fantastic. I used them all except the Seaflute and the Jorvic Pipes. I'm doing more so they will all get used. The reed in the Tung horn was really soft and I didn't feel like changing it because it's held on with twine and it's a ball ache to change. I played percussion too as I have a few unusual toys there too.
I did love Nogin the Nog when I was a kid which probably accounts for my love of Norse music!
I do need to buy this though
http://www.naturinstrumenter.no/

 

[nachoman]

I do need to buy this though
http://www.naturinstrumenter.no/

Ah- the call of the weird!

 

[Michael Ward]

I do like unusual horns. I'm not buying a lure though I'm buying a Bukkehorn..the sound is so wonderful I can't resist.

 

[Fader]

I'm sure that was fun! I use a lot of different instruments / sounds for my stuff. I really enjoy that kinda thing. Sometimes just figuring out how to coax a sound from something unusual can fill a day with wonder, or bringing in an experienced player can be a lot of fun too because you get the whole cultural experience.

A couple of years ago I recorded some stuff with hageum in it - It just sounded terrible. Almost a year later I was on a project where there was (supposedly) a renown hageum player. I just couldn't wait to hear one played correctly. She brought what appeared to be a better instrument than the one I purchased (and later sold), set up on the floor - began to play. And it sounded terrible too

 

[magical pig]

http://www.naturinstrumenter.no/

Man! Some of those horns are wild!!!

 

[Michael Ward]

Fader what is a Hageum? Googled it but nothing came up.
Naturinstrumenter stuff is really amazing..and beautifully made. I have lots of pieces and they are all great.

 

[Fader]

May have spelled it wrong. Leaving for a gig NOW but more info tomorrow. It's the centuries old predecessor to the violin though and an Asian instrument. It looks like a string on a stick connected to a tin can sized wooden cylinder

 

[Michael Ward]

Thanks . Sounds like a kind of Stroh Violin.

If you ever do soundtrack esque/ atmospheric recordings the bone Flutes are superb. There is something about the sound that has a primeval effect on the listener. I have done three or four sessions when I play them for producers /artists and they prefer them to conventional metal or wooden flutes/ whistles.
By half holing you can usually get some nice motifs in key with the piece or sometimes it just sounds atonal..alien and primitive which can really work. I first used a reindeer bone flute on this album and it was very successful. Since then I've done a few.
http://www.discus-music.co.uk/flakplanetcd.htm

 

[Fader]

Soundscape recordings are my bread and butter. Sax is a hobby I am lucky enough to get paid for a few nights a week. I will check your link out for sure when I get time. For the next 72 I am posting via iPhone due to a heavy travel / gig schedule. I will post up something ive done with alternative instruments when I get back. Nice to see someone with similar interests here.

 

[nachoman]

If you ever do soundtrack esque/ atmospheric recordings the bone Flutes are superb.
http://www.discus-music.co.uk/flakplanetcd.htm

Interesting- where does a man get a bone flute from in Sheffield?... Actually- ignore this, i've just checked the main Naturinstrumenter site.... I suddenly feel the desire to broaden my already vastly eclectic collection of kit...

 

[Fader]

It's haegeum. This is the woman who was at my studio....er....I think.....I may be able to dig up the track - It was a new age jazz sort of thing with several korean players including three drummers with similar drums to the one in this video. We did two live shows and the girls all wore the traditional garb you see here. It was interesting but strange even for me,

In addition to the traditional instruments, we had a harp, piano, bass, trap drums, keys, guitar, and sax. The sax player was also korean and very good (I played guitar)

 

[Michael Ward]

Great thanks . Very Interesting. I love studying music from other cultures and trying to incorporate little things into my own bag. A while ago I learnt a scale from a Bansuri player on Youtube and used it in a solo on bassflute. It sounded really fresh in the context.

" Where does a man get a boneflute in Sheffield?"........ this may be the title of my solo album if I ever did one. I got my bone flutes from Naturinstrumenter in Norway and also here
http://www.ancientmusic.co.uk/wind.html

 

[Michael Ward]

Just seen your edit. No qualms in recommending Naturinstrumenter...Magnar Storbecken is a superb craftsman and his pieces are all signed and individually handcrafted.

 

[Michael Ward]

Just ordered a replica bamboo 4 feet long "Kill Bill" Meditation flute like Carradine plays in the film. Make a great weapon for hecklers in the front row.

http://www.thomasrichardsonmusic.com/content/chinese-tan-bamboo-4-foot-kill-bill-flute-replica

 

[differencetone]

http://www.naturinstrumenter.no/

Love the site.