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Who are Musicians here?

Started by Aderin, May 27, 2013, 08:39:54 PM

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Aderin

I am a vocalist and a guitarist with hopes of being a violinist/small harpist (when I come across them).

If you play any instrument(s) (especially period authentic :) :) ) which do you play?
"There is always hope." - Aragorn

Life is the School, Love is the Lesson.

Merlin the Elder

I am primarily a bassist, but somehow I doubt my 5-string electric would be period authentic outside of the last 50 years or so. I also play guitar. I have a lovely Martin D1235, but even that would not be period. I could play some other stringed instruments with a little practice.
Living life in the slow lane
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I've upped my standards. Now, up yours.
...and may all your babies be born naked...

Meagan

I sing and used to play the violin. I want to pick up the mandolin, which I have been told has the same fingering as the violin and has the added bonus that I can sing while playing.

Prof. John Bull

Quote from: Aderin on May 27, 2013, 08:39:54 PM
I am a vocalist and a guitarist with hopes of being a violinist/small harpist (when I come across them).

If you play any instrument(s) (especially period authentic :) :) ) which do you play?

Organ
Harpsichord
Piano
Accordion
Fiddle
Lute
Guitar
Mandolin

The faire-going public has relatively little interest in period music so I mostly play in more modern styles on more modern instruments.

William the Braveheart

I'm a drummer, as you can see from my photo. I'm currently the Bass Drummer for "Baton Rouge Caledonian Pipes and Drums" and played snare with "Kilts of Many Colors" in some of their Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans this past season.

My background is high school and college marching band (L.S.U.) and post college Pipe Band.

I'm currently trying to put together a Celtic Fusion Pipe and Percussion Band. (Envision a little bit of Tartanic and The Rogues, with Fiddles and more percussion) 

My ultimate goal is to play at TRF and Scarborough, but you have to walk before you can run.

I've been playing for over 40 years and have been to so many Ren Fests that I have a pretty good idea of what will work and be unique and popular with Faire goers.

It's difficult finding Fiddlers and Pipers that are serious about playing.

If anybody might be interested, please e-mail me at braveheartfusion@cox.net
"Consuming my enemies with fireballs from my eyes and bolts of lightning from my arse"

Aderin

Quote from: Merlin the Elder on May 28, 2013, 12:13:27 PM
I am primarily a bassist, but somehow I doubt my 5-string electric would be period authentic outside of the last 50 years or so. I also play guitar. I have a lovely Martin D1235, but even that would not be period. I could play some other stringed instruments with a little practice.

When I think of a medieval band, I think of Merlin on bass! Acoustic of course ;-)
"There is always hope." - Aragorn

Life is the School, Love is the Lesson.

Aderin

Quote from: Meagan on May 29, 2013, 09:17:11 AM
I sing and used to play the violin. I want to pick up the mandolin, which I have been told has the same fingering as the violin and has the added bonus that I can sing while playing.

Mandolin is such a beautiful intrument and I'm excited for you to learn it! It has a fret board much like guitars and ukuleles and you hold them the same way. I know many a fiddle player who plays while singing! Must be tough though.
"There is always hope." - Aragorn

Life is the School, Love is the Lesson.

Aderin

Quote from: Prof. John Bull on May 29, 2013, 04:16:11 PM
Quote from: Aderin on May 27, 2013, 08:39:54 PM
I am a vocalist and a guitarist with hopes of being a violinist/small harpist (when I come across them).

If you play any instrument(s) (especially period authentic :) :) ) which do you play?

Organ
Harpsichord
Piano
Accordion
Fiddle
Lute
Guitar
Mandolin

The faire-going public has relatively little interest in period music so I mostly play in more modern styles on more modern instruments.

Wow! This is quite the impressive list! You are very talented!

My heart's desire is to one day start/join a period music band that sweeps the ren faire public by storm! It would sound so beautiful yet exciting that the faire-goers could not resist! I've already seen some bands start the movement such as Maidens IV and the bagpipe/drum combo bands. So exciting!!!  ;D  ;D

I pray you won't give up on performing period music if that is something you desire to do in your heart! I think it makes the faires amazing!
"There is always hope." - Aragorn

Life is the School, Love is the Lesson.

Aderin

Quote from: William the Braveheart on May 30, 2013, 01:38:48 AM
I'm a drummer, as you can see from my photo. I'm currently the Bass Drummer for "Baton Rouge Caledonian Pipes and Drums" and played snare with "Kilts of Many Colors" in some of their Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans this past season.

My background is high school and college marching band (L.S.U.) and post college Pipe Band.

I'm currently trying to put together a Celtic Fusion Pipe and Percussion Band. (Envision a little bit of Tartanic and The Rogues, with Fiddles and more percussion) 

My ultimate goal is to play at TRF and Scarborough, but you have to walk before you can run.

I've been playing for over 40 years and have been to so many Ren Fests that I have a pretty good idea of what will work and be unique and popular with Faire goers.

It's difficult finding Fiddlers and Pipers that are serious about playing.

If anybody might be interested, please e-mail me at braveheartfusion@cox.net

I am SOOO happy for you and I wish you the best of luck! You will be in my thoughts and if any fiddle or pipers come my way I'll send them to yours! :)
"There is always hope." - Aragorn

Life is the School, Love is the Lesson.

William the Braveheart

Quote from: Aderin on May 30, 2013, 01:27:26 PM
Quote from: William the Braveheart on May 30, 2013, 01:38:48 AM
I'm a drummer, as you can see from my photo. I'm currently the Bass Drummer for "Baton Rouge Caledonian Pipes and Drums" and played snare with "Kilts of Many Colors" in some of their Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans this past season.

My background is high school and college marching band (L.S.U.) and post college Pipe Band.

I'm currently trying to put together a Celtic Fusion Pipe and Percussion Band. (Envision a little bit of Tartanic and The Rogues, with Fiddles and more percussion) 

My ultimate goal is to play at TRF and Scarborough, but you have to walk before you can run.

I've been playing for over 40 years and have been to so many Ren Fests that I have a pretty good idea of what will work and be unique and popular with Faire goers.

It's difficult finding Fiddlers and Pipers that are serious about playing.

If anybody might be interested, please e-mail me at braveheartfusion@cox.net

I am SOOO happy for you and I wish you the best of luck! You will be in my thoughts and if any fiddle or pipers come my way I'll send them to yours! :)
Thanks. I need all the word of mouth I can get.

It's a difficult process trying to find the musicians I want and need.

I'm going to check with the Pipe Bands in Houston to see if any of their Bagpipers might be interested. 

I see Meagan from this thread is a Fiddler. Interested in playing my dear Lady?
"Consuming my enemies with fireballs from my eyes and bolts of lightning from my arse"

Prof. John Bull

Quote from: Aderin on May 30, 2013, 01:26:01 PM
Wow! This is quite the impressive list! You are very talented!

Persistent, mostly.  Some might use the word stubborn. :)

Quote
My heart's desire is to one day start/join a period music band that sweeps the ren faire public by storm! It would sound so beautiful yet exciting that the faire-goers could not resist! I've already seen some bands start the movement such as Maidens IV and the bagpipe/drum combo bands. So exciting!!!  ;D  ;D

I pray you won't give up on performing period music if that is something you desire to do in your heart! I think it makes the faires amazing!

The general, mundane public in Minnesota has more trained, part-singing, sight-reading vocalists per capita than anywhere else in the world and so it should come as no surprise that there are no less than three a capella vocal ensembles at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival who perform, well mostly at least, period music.

But there aren't any instrumentalists who play period music.  Occasionally I see some at smaller faires (the late Owain Phyfe was one example though he sang as well) and I hear that the SCA has some.  Well I guess we do have a string quartet at MNRF but the mostly play baroque and later material.

The thing is that most authentic, period material that endures, other than the dances, is courtly material that doesn't lend itself well to street performance.  Most of it is most effectively performed with 4 or more people, the instruments are not loud, some must be played while seated, some are too large to be hand carried by the performer.  And to the modern ear it doesn't have the excitement or crowd appeal that most music now heard at the festival brings.

So, I still listen to it, and play it, at home, for my own reasons.  But on stage I do something else.

William the Braveheart

QuoteI am SOOO happy for you and I wish you the best of luck! You will be in my thoughts and if any fiddle or pipers come my way I'll send them to yours! :)
Oh BTW, I'm looking for musicians within the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio/Austin triangle, with Houston being the base. 
"Consuming my enemies with fireballs from my eyes and bolts of lightning from my arse"

Meagan

Quote from: William the Braveheart on May 30, 2013, 03:51:23 PM


I see Meagan from this thread is a Fiddler. Interested in playing my dear Lady?


Unfortunately I am a hobbyist. I don't even own an instrument anymore and the only songs I can scratch out by memory are Amazing Grace and Rubber Dolly.  Have you spoken with Jim Hancock at all? He seems to know everyone in the Ren-Faire musical world and I think he is based in Houston as well.

uncletimcobleigh

At faire, as The Minstrel Teig, I mostly play fiddle and octave mandolin, but I've been seen playing things like pipe & tabor, dulcimer, guitar, bodhran, whistle, and recorder. I'm slowly building a bowed psaltery, so I guess I'll have to learn that, as well. Outside of faire, I also like to play clawhammer banjo.

Aderin

Quote from: Prof. John Bull on May 30, 2013, 10:31:08 PM
Quote from: Aderin on May 30, 2013, 01:26:01 PM
Wow! This is quite the impressive list! You are very talented!

Persistent, mostly.  Some might use the word stubborn. :)

Quote
My heart's desire is to one day start/join a period music band that sweeps the ren faire public by storm! It would sound so beautiful yet exciting that the faire-goers could not resist! I've already seen some bands start the movement such as Maidens IV and the bagpipe/drum combo bands. So exciting!!!  ;D  ;D

I pray you won't give up on performing period music if that is something you desire to do in your heart! I think it makes the faires amazing!

The general, mundane public in Minnesota has more trained, part-singing, sight-reading vocalists per capita than anywhere else in the world and so it should come as no surprise that there are no less than three a capella vocal ensembles at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival who perform, well mostly at least, period music.

But there aren't any instrumentalists who play period music.  Occasionally I see some at smaller faires (the late Owain Phyfe was one example though he sang as well) and I hear that the SCA has some.  Well I guess we do have a string quartet at MNRF but the mostly play baroque and later material.

The thing is that most authentic, period material that endures, other than the dances, is courtly material that doesn't lend itself well to street performance.  Most of it is most effectively performed with 4 or more people, the instruments are not loud, some must be played while seated, some are too large to be hand carried by the performer.  And to the modern ear it doesn't have the excitement or crowd appeal that most music now heard at the festival brings.

So, I still listen to it, and play it, at home, for my own reasons.  But on stage I do something else.

Wow, interesting! Thank you for that information and I'm glad you are playing to your heart's content :)
"There is always hope." - Aragorn

Life is the School, Love is the Lesson.