Speaking of dangerous instruments, I picked up a Sheng in China many years ago. Shengs are a curious mating of 1974 water bong, reject pipe drones, and harmonica, and they are more-or-less a mouth-blown concertina. Yes, you can play a ripping reel on it.
Danger came when clearing customs in Vancouver. I, in my bleary jet-lagged state, could not adequetely explain to the officers (senses of humour surgically removed at birth) either what the Sheng was, or how to take it apart. The next three hours were not fun.
On that trip I had tromped through areas of war and famine, but I didn’t experience poor hospitality 'til I got back to my own country.
Ninja, thanks to your pub post a while back, my curiousity about harps has been growing insatiably.
If you want to hear a great deal of “boring adult music,” go to any download service and type in “Celtic Harp.” There are some wonderful, fantastic harp players out there - Harriet Earis for starters. But there is also a tremendous amount of Seltic New-Age pfaff more suited to the weather channel or an elevator than a sentient person’s stereo.
Oh, and I’m jonesin’ hard for a Gothic 26-string harp tuned to G. Good going, Ninjaaron. :roll:
Well, you know. (end of thought. There is no punchline).
My mom has about a million Celtic Harp CD’s, and other realated things… Like a hammer dulcimer christmas carol CD. That’s mom’s for you.
I stopped the harp GAS after I realized:
a) I couldn’t afford one.
b) I would rather scrimp and save for an M&E Keyed flute.
c) I have a very nice nylon string guitar that I inherited from pops when he passed on, which can be made to sound rather harpy if i adopt the correct tequniqes. DADGAD is good.
