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I just learned tonight that a nice "shruti" costs about $700, $800 in
Berkeley, Calif. I forgot the name she called it. A friend also travels
to
India on seminars and finances her trips by bringing these giant and other
beautiful looping instruments. I saw two of them together in action. The
droning comes in part because the giant strings vibrate against the bridge
which curves down into the hole of the instrument, if I may call it that.
The bridge is not sharp like a guitar's, but flat and curved. The
vibration
is not unlike a fretless bass or guitar, or a National steel guitar, except
that it's really amplified somehow acoustically. The harder you pluck the
more it vibrates. I think the strings are tuned alike or in fifths, and
all
you do is pluck each in turn and incessantly. The result is totally
amazing, especially when you're in the room and you get the room
reverberations. Gizmo is not a kind word for it. I felt I was in the
presence of a very old and wise instrument, something that, like the
current
conversation on Loop Religion is reminding us, resonates with something
deeply spiritual in us, something that transcends culture and other
trappings...
I saw them tonight at a class with Terry Riley of all people. But
more on
this on Sunday or Monday. I'm busy with this now.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Myers [mailto:dmgraph@pulsewidth.com]
Sent: Friday 09 April 1999 1:22 PM
To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com
Subject: Re: electronic
>One of my friends, a bansuri player - is always appearing with new
>electronic gadjets that he picks up in India - he must have at least 8
>different shruti boxes ( drone makers) and 3 or 4 electronic tabla
>machines
>- one of them even has a tv style remote control! They're all *really*
>funky/clunky.
>
>So I guess that some players are using electronics but I'm sure you wont
see
>Ravi Shankar w/ an Boomerang anytime soon.
>
>jmw
Would love to hear more about these gizmos, particularly the "shruti
boxes"!
David Myers