BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!

Subject: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: GUEST,Dazbo
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 06:03 AM

Well, we all thought the banjo was of African descent. Here, is proof positive in photographic form that the banjo is the invention of the devil Devil's Banjo (hope that made a blue clicky!

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Tam the man
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 07:13 AM

Yes it is, along with the fiddle

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: GUEST,muppitz at work
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 07:59 AM

It's only the devil's instrument if it's played badly!

muppitz x

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 09:07 AM

It's only the Devil's instrument if it's played.

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Tam the man
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 09:10 AM

How can you tell if its in tune

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Torctgyd
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 09:52 AM

it's burnt to a crisp

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 12:04 PM

Tam the Man asked how you could tell if it's (banjo's) in tune.

The answer, as every banjo player knows, is that it's impossible to tune a banjo!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: kirstenanderberg
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 12:58 PM

I personally LOVE the banjo but there is an old joke...

What is perfect pitch?
When the banjo hits the side of the dumpster without hitting the sides.

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Les B
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 02:44 PM

Acutally that looks more like an Aussie "Lagerphone" (with parts of a banjo incorporated)!

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Cluin
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 04:05 PM

Sorry, Kristen, but it's "when the banjo lands squarely on the accordion in the dumpster without hitting the sides".

Another old one is...

I went down to the mall the other day and just after walking in the main door, I suddenly remembered that my back door was left unlocked and my banjo was on the back seat. I turned right around and ran back to my car, but it was already too late. There were now three more banjos left there.

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 05:21 PM

I used to play the five string banjo about ten years ago, and everyone laughed at me...I guess it was an 'uncool' instrument for someone relatively young to play (and for a woman too). Now the Dixie Chicks have made it cool...too late though, I've now moved on to that other instrument of Beelzebub, the fiddle.

Still love the banjo, though I sold mine when I was skint (likewise my accordian).

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 02:56 AM

You sold an accordion ? how ?

eric

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 06:54 AM

Eric - There are fools everywhere , if you look hard enough

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Kaleea
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 06:59 AM

Such a sweetly carved face on a lovely instrument! Now all you guys have to do is include the Bodhran & half of a Ceili band will run in shame. Yes, sometimes banjo pickers haunt a Ceili band.

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 07:19 AM

G'day all,

These are "Stumpf Fiddles" ... traditional to some groups of German miners ... ? (I'm sure Lark in the Morning sell them!).

Les B: They do indeed share some anscestry with the Aussie Lagerphone ... both derive from the "Jingling Johnnie" of 19th c. British (and other) military bands ... from the Asian "Turkish Crescent" and "Chinese Pavillion" shaker/jingle sticks that go back centuries.

The Aussie input was to make them cheaply from discarded beer caps instead of brass bells and jingles ... add a notched stick to get a variety of beating sounds ... add a rubber 'crutch tip' to introduce a bounced rhythm (Interestingly, adopted by thes Stumpf fiddles ...). The "Stumpf" idea of a sort of banjo uke being included is strictly theirs!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 07:33 AM

Errrk!

Well, that's what comes of trusting what I laughingly call my memory ...

A: They're really called Stumph Fiddles,

B: They're really Czech!

This is the speil from the Lark in the Morning site:

Stumph Fiddles

Used traditionally in Czech drinking music, the Stumph Fiddle consists of a tambourine body, bells, jingles, cymbals and carved head, all mounted on a central staff, plus a tunable string or strings, using the tambourine as the resonator. Strike the end pin on the floor to create percussion sound while hitting the tambourine head, cymbals, bells or strings with the included stick for a wonderful rhythmic variation. Traditionally made by coal miners as a nighttime occupation.

See the one's they have for sale: Stumph Fiddle.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 08:40 AM

Nuthin' wrong with banjos but somethin' seriously evil 'bout lotta banjo players when it comes to jam ediquette...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 05:39 AM

The Devil is surely at work here. Since finding this 'instrument' I've had a growing desire to make one...








help meeeee......!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 06:11 AM

Stick to the lagerphone if you want to make something. Much simpler. This is how:

1. Obtain 200 beer bottle caps.

2. Start again. Obtain 200 beer bottle caps, attached to full bottles.

3. Drink Beer. You may find willing helpers at this point.

4. Start again. This time remember to keep the caps.

5. Repeat until you master step 4.

6. Flattern caps.

Ahh, I can't be bothered to describe this bit. See here

Do not let partner find out this is what you're doing. You'll be in trouble. Or more trouble. Those are the normal options aren't they.....

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 08:36 AM

Whatever one's view of the banjo as musical - perhaps this thread is more music related than 'non-music related'?

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 11:56 AM

I had an inspiration this morning.

Why not put strings across a bodhran?

You could pluck them or strum them for different sounds. In fact, you could probably get a wider range of sounds if you made the strings longer, like on a guitar neck.

Since I thought of it, it will play in C, or the sung note "do". I'm going to call it a "bodhran-do".

I think that everyone will want one, and that it will be the next big thing in music.

Subject: RE: BS: Banjo: The Devil's Instrument!!
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 19 Aug 05 - 02:04 PM

With apologies to music in general.


Can you hear the drums bodhran-do?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight bodhran-do
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar

They were closer now Bodhran-do.......