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Re: Javanese music
Dave Trenkel,
I was following the discussion of Javanese music, and I was thrilled to
read that you were a member of Balafon! I heard Balafon play in Portland
a few times in the early 80s, and you're right:
> When you get those long 3 against 4 or 2 against 3 parts
> really locked up, it can send you to heaven.
It certainly sent me to a heaven-like place on the dance floor. We have
a Shanachie CD of Balafon, which was in HEAVY rotation at our house this
summer as the best music to dance our infant son to sleep by.
I have been fascinated with Zimbabwean music since those days in OR.
Over the past three years I have made many Mbira-type instruments, and
this summer I made my first marimba. I used maple for the keys, and had
some trouble finding even-grained pieces at our local home improvement
superstore. It was tough to tune. I love the sound though. I've kept it
simple, with no resonator tubes. I'd like to make another one. I'd like
to make one of those jumbo Basso-Profundo types. Do you have any
recommendations on appropriate woods for such a marimba? Know any good
sources for wood and/or drawn plans for marimbas?
Fast and bulbous. Yeah.
Michael Preston