Here’s a treat!
Musical Saw and Hang Drum – They blend really well together!

Here is a clip of Olivier playing Adeste Fideles. Fast forward to 6:45 to catch the music.
Merry Christmas everyone and have a Helluva Hanukha!

Here is the video of him playing Musical Saw

Musical Saw Information

On the surface, a musical saw appears to be a normal carpenter’s saw. But the secret to its beautiful voice is the grade and tempering of its steel. Its eerily, haunting voice is like none other. This instrument’s exquisitely ethereal voice, renown for sweeping glissandi, and sheer novelty make it a joy to play and exhilarating to listen to.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to play the saw you will find that learning to play the Musical Saw is much easier than any other musical instrument. You don’t have to spend hours practicing scales or learning complicated fingering charts. If you can hum or whistle in tune you’ve got what it takes to learn to play this easy to learn instrument expertly within 7 days.

Even though it is so easy to pop in a CD or click on your IPOD, there are still a sufficient number of folks today who get more enjoyment creating music than just consuming. I am certainly one of those, whenever I go down to the beach for a walk, I prefer to grab my Uke, flute, or saw instead of a radio.

So, how do you go about choosing a vendor for your instrument? There are a few things which need to be considered before choosing a musical instrument dealer.

a) Quality:

If you’re going to walk into a store, this is an easy one. Bring a friend with a good eye for quality and let him/her guide you.
On the internet it’s a bit harder call. I can’t speak for all Musical Saw vendors, but as for me, I do it out of the love of the instrument and unless you are going to be happy with your Musical Saw, I’d rather not sell you one. I suspect all the other vendors feel the same way I do. You’ll probably see the same thing for any “niche” instrument ie. Didgeridoo, Dulcimer, etc.

b) Prices and discounts:

Do a comparison of different vendors. Don’t only fixate on price, also take a look at what you are getting: Features, Musical Quality, Range, etc.

c) Return and replacement policy:

You really shouldn’t purchase anything without verifying there is a return policy – chances are you may decide after all that the instrument is not for you or you are unable to learn or you may find a defect in the instrument. I offer a 7 day return policy and other vendors offer varying times and conditions for return, so make sure you see what is going on.

The important thing is to get a musical instrument, learn to play it, and become a generator of music and stop just being a consumer!

Pour mes amis Francaise….

If you’re not busy October 5-6, why not take time to attend this Musical Saw Master Class?

Added benefit: It’s in FRANCE!

 

Here is the notification:

Hello,
We are making, as every year, our international musical saw master classe in the Est of France (Les Vosges) on 5 and 6 October 2013, with Jean Claude Welche and myself.
There are still places available. Also, we invite you to enroll as soon as possible.
Hope to see you there, for 2 days of practising and exchange with us.

registration form
http://musicanicarts.free.fr/stage-scie-musicale-plombieres.pdf

Marie Tournel & Manivel
1102 Road Rimbelpré
88370 PLOMBIERES LES BAINS
+ 33 (0) 3 29 30 03 74
Port: +33 (0) 6 51 75 41 08
website: http://musicanicarts.free.fr/

I’m trying to think of an interesting cartoon about Musical Saws. My friend Diane thinks it should involve Zombies! – I kind of like her nugget but can’t quite think of any story lines to get it started.
Does anyone have any ideas? – Maybe someone using Musical Saw music to lure the Zombies someplace to capture them?
Of course, it doesn’t absolutely need to involve Zombies – but then again, why not?

I honestly have no idea as to what sort of music this band delivers – I do know that a Musical Saw would blend in perfectly with these instruments:

Check that stringed instrument in the foreground!!

Image by SWARM Sounds

OK, what’s that instrument the guy is holding up in the back? – Whatever it is, the band members think enough of it to feature it.

Image by SWARM Sounds

Mahmoud Fadl: Nubian Master Drummer

Quote

“A few years ago, at the Love Parade in Berlin, it took a very special form-a drum & DJ project called UNITED NUBIANS that spread the message of the “Black Pharaohs” to the club circuit. The project survived the occasion and today, on the dark stage, I sometimes travel home on a tribal house beat to the rhythms of my childhood. ”
Mahmoud Fadl

Mahmoud Fadl, the celebrated Nubian Master Drummer was born in 1955. He was raised in the cities of Assuan and Cairo in Egypt, and his Nubian background is rooted in the Griot culture of the “Battikol” people. Mahmoud started out as a musician at Nubian and Arabic wedding events as well as a limbo dancer. He soon became a much sought after commodity, playing with the likes of Ahmed Adawia and Nubian legend Ali Hassan Kuban. After a number of international tours, Mahmoud Fadl secured a place for his music in Europe and started to develop an international portfolio.

The Nubian people’s legacy extends far into antiquity, predating Egyptian civilization. Some recent finds by French archaeologists have suggested that Nubia pre-dated Egypt by as much as 3,000 years and is, in all likelihood, the source of Egyptian civilization. The flooding of the Aswan dam, forced Mahmoud Fadl and thousands of Nubians to leave their homeland in Nubia, which is located today in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt and drowned old Nubia and countless Nubian monuments and historical sites.

As a musical director, Mahmoud Fadl contributed to a four album project called “Salamat”, released on Piranha records, which focussed on the music of the legendary and suppressed Nubian culture. He has four albums released under his own name and on one of them pays a Nubian homage to deceased pan-Arabian diva Umm Kalthoum, showcasing the voice of Salwa Abou Greisha from the famous Greisha family of Nubian musicians, with accompaniment from the Cairo Opera. Mahmoud’s album “Drummers of the Nile”, features ancient music from along the nile, and he collaborates with fellow drummers Gaafar Hargal and Hamdi Matoul, Nubian wedding diva Salma and many more musicians. He has also collaborated with The Klezmatics (New York), Orientalist piano player Maurice El Medioni (Marseille/Oran) and the famous gypsy saxophone player Ferus Mustafov (Skopje). Mahmoud also introduced western audiences to the distinguished grandmaster of oriental trumpet, Samy El Bably, on an alluring album called “Love Letters from King Tut-Ank Amen.”

Today, Mahmoud travels between Cairo and Berlin working on various projects. His current tribal house project entitled “United Nubians” has earned him much international acclaim in the vibrant Berlin club scene. In addition to his work as a musician, film actor and fashion designer, Mahmoud Fadl frequently performs with the West-African Griot Ensemble, “Saf-Sap” on oriental wedding and musical workshops.

You can listen to Mahmoud Fadl and many more African musicians at Kemet Music Radio.

Selected Discography:

Album: Drummers of The Nile In Town
Label: Piranha
Year: 2003

Album: Drummers of The Nile Go South
Label: Piranha
Year: 2001

Album: Umm Kalthoum 7000
Label: Piranha
Year: 2000

Album: Love Letters From King Tut-Ank Amen
Label: Piranha
Year: 1998

Album: Ezzayakoum
Label: Piranha
Year: 1998

Album: Drummers of the Nile
Label: Piranha
Year: 1997

Album: Nubiana
Label: Piranha
Year: 1996

Album: Salam Delta
Label: Piranha
Year: 1995

Album: Mambo El Soudani
Label: Piranha
Year: 1994

Learning Musical Saw Scales – 3 Tips To Accelerate Your Progress

Learning Musical Saw scales can be a very frustrating experience for many Musical Sawyers. It’s very easy to feel totally overwhelmed with just how much needs to be learnt. To learn and master every possible Musical Saw scale out there would take many lifetimes. Because of this, many Musical Saw Musicians find it hard even knowing where to start!

In this article I’ll reveal three powerful tips to help you in your quest for Musical Saw scale mastery. They are designed to help reduce any feelings of overwhelm that you may currently have. Let’s take a look at the tips now

This poor fellow is doing a splendid job when a cell phone goes off in the audience. Look how he handles it.

I’ve been to many a performance where the performer will glare out to the audience at the merest cough or paper rustle. – And actually, I support that… Sorry, but if If I’ve paid for a ticket I don’t want to spend the entire concert listening to someone unwrapping his chewing gum.