Musical Saw

[Mark Wessels]

Ok, so I'm a juggler unicyclist etc. in case you weren't paying attention. I recently started playing the musical saw. I love to play it and to perform with it but I also like to perform my circusy show. I see that there's a picture on Taxi Trix (Karl?)'s web page of him playing the Musical Saw and i thought you might have some ideas to incorporate it into the show without a feeling of slowing down. Just a thought.

Mark

PS- I'm not in love but I am happy. (a first)

[Stretch]

Karen Bell plays the saw. She is a former RBBB clown and top notch. ;&gt [img]wink.gif[/img]
She will be at Circus Circus for the Great Clown Adventure next week. (Right after Motionfest West) Stop in and meet here, she's terrific.
Happy to learn you are hitting the high notes, musically and in life!

Walking tall and stretching imaginations!

Bill "Stretch" Coleman

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

The musical saw is a dark mistress: she wants diamonds, and refuses to perform oral. Stay far away.

Other than that, go ahead. You are right about the pacing, it brings the show to a screeching halt. That and the unusual nature of it make it perfect for crowd gathering. I've also made 25 an hour steady practicing in Central Park, with about 7 saw puns and a sign. On cruise ships, because of its tempo, I do it as an "intermission piece". I announce intermission, and tell them that if they want, I'll show 'em what I used to do back in the day, complete with a story or 2 before I do it. Like everything else, its a means to communicate with them, not an end in itself.


G'luck.

[ 02-17-2003: Message edited by: Mr.Taxi Trix ]</p>

[Mark Wessels]

Thanks,

For the record, I love my Craftsman, she sings beautifully. You just don't here it because she's shy and only performs for me alone. I have like three saw puns so I better keep working eh? I like the idea of gathering a crowd but still long to bring her up on my giraffe. Ah, the fanciful dreams of youth. I'll be sawing my legs off six feet in the air if you need me.

Mark

[jugglermatt1]

I like the musical saw too , but dont have one .Would a violin bow and a good hunt round ,testing random saws with a tuning fork suffice ?
Or do they have to be specially musical musical saws ?Voltige (I think ) sell them , but they are wanting an arm and a leg for it , and as I dont have a saw to cut off my leg , I cant afford to pay .

[le pire]

Unicycle/Voltige makes a very nice musical saw that does not have teeth on it. In Paris and some other places, performers have had trouble with the police who say that a normal saw is "dangerous."

www.unicycle.fr


étienne

[Mark Wessels]

I use a Craftsman that was my Dad's only saw and I stole it from the basement. It plays great (I think.) Although there are probably real "Musical Saws" with better tone or something I am happy with the tone of mine and I feel like most of the charm of it is in the fact that you are playing a saw, which was intended as a tool and not a musical instrument. When you play a piece of metal shaped like a saw but without teeth and designed as an instrument it just isn't as cool. In my opinion. I use a cello bow and I have heard that it is better because it has more hair on it so it can produce a better sound. Also pick up some rosin for your bow because it helps immensly. I would offer to teach you what I know but you are far away. If you go hunting for a saw check out one of the many websites that tells you the basics, and learn how to make an S curve so that it will resonate then just smack it. Look for a nice tone and a big range. Also remember that you might be playing it for hours at a time so get one that doesn't require too much strength to bend. Good to see the saw spreading about.

Mark

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

I play a Blacklock Special, with a cello bow, and bass rosin, when I can find it. (Black hair is better than white for your bow, cheapest bow is wise, and you can't have too much rosin.) They do have teeth.

http://www.vsuccess.com/musical_saws/saws.htm

[ 03-04-2003: Message edited by: Mr.Taxi Trix ]</p>

[Mark Wessels]

Taxi,
(Kinda weird to refer to someone as Taxi, but not as wierd as calling someone I've never actually spoken to by their first name.)
Would you say that it is worth it to upgrade to a real musical saw? I have my Craftsman but I do play a lot and it would definately be worth the investment if it gave a better tone and/or significantly bigger range. I like the rustic look of my saw now, however. Since, it comes down to a judgement call, I guess I am asking how the tone is on your saw and if it is significantly better than other saws. If you have had the opportunity to compare. My saw has a two octave range, aprox. How's about that Blacklock? It doesn't look like it had teeth in the pictures, sorry about that. Also, does the longer saw have a bigger range or is it just lower?

Mark

PS- Extreme Skills Productions? I refrain from comment though I begin to see the allure in being Martin.

[Butterfly Man]

So bizzare ... a "Blacklock" special ... it rang a bell in the back of my brain ... way back, 25 years ago, "Charlie the Sawplayer" was performing on Stage 1 ... Stage 1 was directly underneath the offices of Warren Simmons, the millionaire developer of Pier 39 ... I was the entertainment coordinator ... I get an early morning wakeup call I'll never forget!

"Sunshine! Get That Goddamn Sawplayer Off My Pier ... NOW!"

Sorry, Charlie ... I had to do it.

[GlassHarper]

The beauty of a "real" musical saw (as opposed to a Craftsman or a Diston [my favorite]) is although they have the teeth cut in them the teeth are not "set." Setting the teeth means they are twisted alternately left and right to make the "kerf" that it cuts in the wood a little wider than the metal of the saw itself thus keeping the saw from binding. However the set teeth are MUCH more dangerous to the saw player. [img]frown.gif[/img]