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Musical Saw Players Festival
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Musical Saw Players Festival |
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Subject: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Mike Billo Date: 02 Jul 99 - 10:22 AM Just in case there are any saw players other than me, the annual Musical Saw Players Festival and picnic will be held on Sun. the 18th of this month (July) at Roaring Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains. The event is free, and although the focus is on the saw,and old-time music, all acoustic instruments, representing all styles are welcome, and there is jamming under the trees in one of the most beautiful spots on earth. This is one of my favorite annual events. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Steve Parkes Date: 02 Jul 99 - 10:37 AM Tell us the secret Mike - how do you get the saw to sound? It's never worked for me! Steve |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Mike Billo Date: 02 Jul 99 - 10:49 AM Steve; Place the handle between your knees, teeth facing you, bend the tip of the blade up with your fingers, while forcing the rest of the blade downward. This should produce an S shaped curve. Draw the bow acoss the blade to the right(assuming you're right-handed and are holding the blade in your left hand) of the second curve. This should get you started. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Cap't Bob Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:06 AM Steve ~~~ You may find the following site useful for saw selection, making a bow, and if you scroll down ~ instructions for playing the thing. GOOD LUCK: http://edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/saw.htm Cap't Bob
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: reggie miles Date: 02 Jul 99 - 12:27 PM Mike, I've been flexin' a piece of razor sharp spring steel between my knees for the better part of five years now and make no mistake about it, the pointy parts are facing something I hold very near and dear to me. Why, one slip of my wrist and I could suffer an instant appendectomy or worse, that's why they call me Daredevil Reggie Miles on the razor sharp handtool. I was surprised when I received a recent edtion of the Musical Saw News in the mail that recounted a story of how I met Tom Scribner, self proclaimed saw player, lumberjack, writer, editor, union organizer, publisher, sex symbol and statue. Though I've told this story many times I didn't remember telling it to the folks who produce the MSN. Editors, Lilian and Luther Harris, did a fine job retelling the tale. I wish I could make it to the event but I've got a gig on the 17th and I don't think the long drive from Washington state would put me there in time or in any shape to participate. Perhaps if we could organize something closer. Hmmm. Steve, saw lessons via sawber space, that sounds interesting. The first thing one must do is grip the saw properly. Grip the wood handle between your knees, pointy parts facing your torso. I know this is scary. I'm right handed so my first three fingers of my left hand are under the small end of the blade pulling upward and my thumb of the same hand is pressing downward, so what is created is a slight S shape. The blade extends (leans) to the left side of my body. The grip on the end of the blade has to be maintained (and this is not an easy thing to do) while simultaneously bending the rest of the blade to create the proper bow (notes) in the main part of the blade. Then one must bow where the note is. I use a bass bow myself but almost anything can be used. If you're serious about playing though I would suggest a fiddle, cello, viola or bass bow. The notes (tones) are established at diferent parts of the blade depending upon how far the blade is bent. For low tones very little bend in the blade is necessary. The higher the tones, the more the blade has to be bent. Then too, one must bow where the tone is on the blade. If you bow too high of a low note you will often get no sound at all. If you bow low of a high note you'll may end up with a double harmonic kind of spooky sound. A pitch pipe can help determine exact tones to emulate. Find the lowest note you can make clearly on your particular saw then practice scales and simple songs until you get comfortable. Of course you'll find a good deal of discomfort from playing for extended periods of times especially on the end of your thumb, that's where it gets me anyway. In my experience a musical saw seems to function better than a regular handsaw. Though I've seen folks playing regular saws with success, I find I can get more out of my 30" Mussehl and Westphal. The closest avaiable musical saw to mine, (Mussehl and Westphal haven't made a 30" blade since before the seventies, now they sell only 28" blades), is the 30" Sandvik Stradivarius which can be purchased through Mussehl and Westphal for about $60. (They don't pay me to say that.) The lowest note I can produce clearly on my saw is a "G". I still don't have a great deal of speed for fast melodies but then again I'm still kind of a hack at the saw. Sawry 'bout that pun but it seems to come with the job. Saw ya later. Daredevil Reggie Miles |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Mike Billo Date: 02 Jul 99 - 12:57 PM Reggie; First the washboard, then the harmonica, then the jew's harp, now the saw. Were we seperated at birth? I don't get the Musical Saw News,but I probably should. I knew Tom Scribner too, and I'd like to read about you're experience with Tom. I have a copy of the Arlene's Serenaders album(Tom's only recorded work), and every year we meet at the statue of Tom( I assume that you know a statue of him was erected in downtown Santa Cruz)and jam to pay our respects. My first meeting with Tom was circa 1969-70 when I attended a lecture he gave on why and how to dodge the draft. He was a great man. How's chances of your giving me a re-telling of your Tom Scribner story? Contact at mbillo@earthlink.net if you like. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Art Thieme Date: 02 Jul 99 - 01:35 PM tkinson the NEXT WEEKEND. And that's how I got my saw from Clarence Mussehl. I used it as part of my shows until 1995 when I could no longer bend the blade well enough due to physical limitations. Mussehl & Westphal are at:
Mary Kay and Steve Dawson Art Thieme |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Art Thieme Date: 02 Jul 99 - 02:15 PM STRANGE!!!! Two thirds of my previous post disapeared. Anyhow, what I was saying when we were so rudely interrupted was: I got my 28 in. Mussehl & Westphal saw from the man himself, 81 year old Clarence Mussehl, about 1974 in the basement workshop of his home on Elm Street in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. He passed away in 1975 at age 84. As far as I know there was never a 30 incher from Clarence; there was a 26 inch one, but that wasn't much good. The first saw I ever saw played as a musical instrument was just a week before I found Clarence Mussehl. It was played by Tom Scribner late one night at Chicago's Earl Of Old Town folk club/bar. Tom was just hanging out. He was in town for an I.W.W. convention. He told me he'd been getting saws through the mail from Clarence in Fort Atkinson since 1922. When he said, "Fort Atkinson", his eyes got clouded over like he had just mentioned Mecca. As luck would have it, I was doing a gig in Fort Atkinson the very next weekend, so the first thing I did was to search out Clarence Mussehl with the help of the Fort Police Department. All I had to tell'em was that I was looking for an old fellow who played the saw. They knew right away I meant Clarence. I DID use that same saw in my shows until '95. It now hangs on the wall right in front o' me---along with the bow I used all that time made from an old Chicago STICK and a piece of well-rosined nylon clothesline. The address and phone number for the current incarnation of Mussehl & Westphal (the 3rd) are as posted in the part of my previous thread (above) that did make it through when the transporter malfunctioned. One more thing: As previously stated by Reggie, the sharp teeth of the instrument (saw) are toward you when you play it. A small piece of duct tape over the few teeth that might come in contact with you will take care of any problems. Always stroke the flat side of the saw---not the side with teeth. The side with teeth plays sharp!!! A friend of mine used work for SEARS. He used to give saw lessons there and he'd toss in a cut-rate (as it were) vasectomy very inexpensively. A friend of mine got one there! Now, when he's sexually arroused, his garage door goes up!! Art Thieme
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: reggie miles Date: 02 Jul 99 - 03:13 PM Mike, the story begins with me and the boys hitchin' down the west coast on our way to New Orleans to play on the streets for Mardi Gras. We only made it as far as Santa Cruz that first year. As I walked down the street with my washboard under my arm and my grandpa's derby on my head I spied two older gents on a bench, one had a saw across his lap, Tom's friend elbowed him in the ribs and said, "Hey Tom, he's got your hat on." Tom was known to always were a derby too as you know. My first words were something to effect of, "Can you play that thing, I'll jam with ya?" Tom began to play a beautiful melody, nothing I could accompany on my washboard and I was so taken by his ability that all I could do was stand there in amazement. We spoke at length about his life and deeds. I later included a sketch of him in a book of caricatures I was keeping at the time. The following three years our band of merry musicants made the trek down the west coast and all the way to Mardi Gras and yes Mike we did see the statue of Tom. The only statue I'm aware of that has ever been erected to a street musician. I love the fact that because Tom always wore red socks, they painted the socks on the statue red as well. It would be years later before I would eventually find my Mussehl and Westphal 30" at a local swapmeet and years more before I would end up running across a bass bow at a garage sale which I thought would be good for learning how to play it. Now my saw tends to get the best applause at my performances. Had I known how well it would be received I would've made a more concerted effort to figure out how to make thing work sooner. Saw ya, Reggie |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: reggie miles Date: 02 Jul 99 - 03:17 PM Make "THE" thing work sooner. sawry 'bout the typo. I thought I'd proofread it but I guess not good enough. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: DWDitty Date: 02 Jul 99 - 03:55 PM My fellow tenor in the church choir is a second generation saw player - he learned from his Dad and has been playing most of his life. He can sit in and play along with anybody playing anything. One Christmas Eve, he performed a selection from Handel's Messiah accompanied by organ, cello, and two violins. It was one of the most remarkable performances I have heard ever. I'll be sure to put him in touch with you sawyers. I've been trying to get him to check out the Mudcat for a couple of years - but as most of us know, people usually feign interest when you tell them about this community. Occasionally, one bites, and this thread may do it for my friend Ken. Thanks to Mike Brillo for bringing the subject up. DW |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Mike Billo Date: 02 Jul 99 - 04:05 PM Great stories from both Reggie and Art.It never ceases to amaze me that as time passes, I continue to come across more and more people who were influenced by Tom Scribner. This year, when we play in front of his statue and the dedications and toasts are being made, I'll say one to old Tom from both of you guys. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: dulcimer Date: 02 Jul 99 - 07:49 PM Jim Curley hosts a saw festival and picnic the second week in August in the Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri area. Usually have about 40-50 people with about 10 saw players who are bold enough to perform. (Others can play as well.) There have been people from Texas and California. Will get more information if anyone is interested. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Mike Billo Date: 02 Jul 99 - 08:24 PM Many thanks dulcimer. I'm sure interseted. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Steve Parkes Date: 05 Jul 99 - 08:00 AM Reggie, if you've still got three of your left-hand fingers, I'll follow your advice! Steve |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: dulcimer Date: 10 Jul 99 - 07:31 AM 7th Annual Mid-West Gathering of the Saws will be Aug 15 at Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa, Ks (suburb of Kansas City Kansas). Food is free. 10 to 5. Open stage. You can find out more and directions from JCurley171@aol.com or Jim Curley at 913-962-9711 or Tom Bogardus 913-749-1125. Hope to see you there. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Mike Billo Date: 10 Jul 99 - 10:07 AM Thanks dulcimer. I'll try to get there, and I'll tell other saw players too. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Art Thieme Date: 24 Sep 00 - 02:07 PM Malcolm, Thanks. This is the thread I was searching for. Art Thieme |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Geoff the Duck Date: 06 Sep 01 - 08:35 PM saw a circus musical saw in an exhibition in a Brittanny Chateau. It made no attempt to look like something you might cut trees down with. A mirror image of the back blade. |
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Subject: RE: Musical Saw Players Festival From: Deckman Date: 07 Sep 01 - 12:54 AM Speaking of the great Tom Scribner. I knew him when I lived in Santa Cruz in the early 60's. My friends owned "The Catalyst" where Tom often played. I washed dishes, sang, washed dishes, sang, swept the floor. Tom was quite a guy, lived up the coast in Davenport. I still have a copy of his "Whipsaw News." Bob Nelson |
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