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Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?

07 Feb 22 - 10:10 AM (#4135699)
Subject: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST

I like muchly drones of the musical kind and want to know the name of the single handed squeezie, single handed playing thingy keyboard used on the Unthanks' Magpie. Thank you and hooray for Unthanks.


07 Feb 22 - 10:44 AM (#4135705)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Helen

The video is here:
The Unthanks - Magpie

The instrument is a
Harmonium


07 Feb 22 - 11:03 AM (#4135710)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST

A shruti box would do the trick, too, and much easier to play than a harmonium.


07 Feb 22 - 12:43 PM (#4135732)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Helen

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan performing Mustt Mustt and playing harmonium (Live at WOMAD Yokohama 1992)


07 Feb 22 - 02:47 PM (#4135741)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Helen

Sorry, my mistake. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in that particular video is not playing the harmonium but two other people are playing them.


08 Feb 22 - 02:57 AM (#4135797)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Piers Plowman

Not the same thing, but a drone and possibly an alternative if you have an electric guitar is Electro Harmonix' Ravish Sitar effect pedal. I have one and I'm very happy with it. It has two outputs, one for lead and the other for the drone. In order to switch back and forth between lead alone and lead and drone, I had to buy an AB/Y pedal (from another manufacturer), which cost about 10-15€. I think this is a design flaw, but I can live with it. Of course, you can also turn off the lead and have the drone alone. The Ravish Sitar pedal currently costs 219 € at Thomann.

(I don't have any financial arrangement with EHX, Thomann or any other store or manufacturer.)

Thomann also has Shruti boxes from 220 to 350 € in price. They come in male and female varieties. You can save some money by buying one of each and leaving them in a room alone together.


08 Feb 22 - 05:31 AM (#4135811)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST,Harry

Youtube has a selection of recorded shruti drones.


This one in G - 5 kattai and 15 minutes long.


09 Feb 22 - 04:50 AM (#4135955)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST,patriot

the Unthanks have a built in drone 100pc of the time, so no need for this thread