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All about the music
Here are some of the instruments Jeff is playing in the Psalms Project
The melodeon is a free reed instrument - sometimes called a button accordion. This one is just in the key of G. Some melodeons can play in 2 keys - D/G is a popular choice.
The concertina is a free reed instrument. It is fully chromatic so can play in any key. It was invented during the mid 1800's by physicist Charles Wheatstone. Here are 3 concertinas. The larger one is a very early baritone made by George Case in the 1850s.. The middle one is a 1902 Wheatstone and the metal ended one was made by Crabb in about 1971.
This old instrument came via folk singer Bernard Wrigley. It was in a bad way when I sent it to Alan Davies of Nottingham, who completely restored it. There are not many people left now with that level of skill and expertise.
Another free reed instrument. I can hold a tune with this but am no expert.
The recorder is a family of woodwind musical instruments in the group known as internal duct flutes: flutes with a whistle mouthpiece, also known as fipple flutes.
This a Lakewood guitar. I learned guitar from folk singer Peggy Seeger. Peggy also taught me the concertina and I am very grateful for the time she freely gave. Peggy was married to Ewan MacColl. They had a profound effect on the way I thought about singing and musical accompaniment. You can find out more from Peggy's web site.
You can find more about this instrument on the 'book plate' page. It is thought to have originated in Scandanavia, carried over to the States in the early waves of emigration.
My dulcimer was made by Bernard Ellis of Cardiff. Bernard later went on to build very high quality lutes, for use in early music settings.
You can hear me playing the dulcimer to accompany an old folk song called Betsy Baker.
My dulcimer was made by Bernard Ellis of Cardiff. Bernard later went on to build very high quality lutes, for use in early music settings.
You can hear me playing the dulcimer to accompany an old folk song called Betsy Baker.
The psaltery is a type of Zither, known in the Middle ages but then falling out of favour. In the 19th century, several related zithers came into use, notably the guitar zither and the autoharp. In the 20th century, the bowed psaltery came into wide use. It is set up in a triangular format so that the end portion of each string can be bowed.
The strings on the right are like the white notes on a piano; sharps & flats are on the left
The keyboard at the front of the picture is an old Korg Trinity, which I purchased in about 1999. I use several other Roland keyboards. They still pack a punch and are my go to synths, though nowadays so much is available via software
This was inherited from a family member and has been well used by my own family
I like to play spoons to accompany fast Irish dance music. They provide some high frequency percussion alongside the bass sound of the Bodrhan.
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