Hey folks!

Does anybody know what kind of organ Harry plays on that pic?
Looks like you can fold it up a hundred times to put it in your pocket...

Nice one - I must have this!

I think it's a harmonium (or "Pump organ", although in terms of how it works it's a lot different to a normal organ.) If you watch the video fo "Walking The Cow" I made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8n3OCwpuqc

You can see Harry working the bellows on it. You have to keep doing that to make a sound, I think. It's a very distinctive sound that they produce though, which makes them worth the hassle. Bowie's "Memory of a Free Festival" has a very distinctive use of one. And I've a feeling Neil Young played one on his MTV Unplugged thing.

Ooooh, thanks, drykid!
I read about the harmonium before but didn't know that it is so tiny! Have to watch the video later on 'cause I'm at work.

And may I call you the "answering machine" from now on...? Do you play all the instruments you know things about, if I may ask?

quote:

Originally posted by Mik:
Ooooh, thanks, drykid!
I read about the harmonium before but didn't know that it is so tiny!

They're not all like that though. Some are much larger and look more like an upright piano than anything else.

Wikipedia is a good starting point if you want to know more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonium

quote:

And may I call you the "answering machine" from now on...? Do you play all the instruments you know things about, if I may ask?

Hah maybe I should give other people a chance to answer sometimes *blushes* I guess musical instruments interest me. I'm always curious about what gets played on records I like. For instance I remember buying Bowie's Space Oddity album when I was a kid, and it had Bowie credited as playing "12 string". I didn't even know what that meant - I didn't realise it was actually a type of guitar. So of course I had to find out, and ended up buying a 12-string acoustic guitar.

As far as keyboards are concerned I play piano, synth, organ (although if you can play one you can play them all really.) Never played a harmonium, but it would be interesting to try. I'm curious as to the relationship between how you work the bellows and the sound you get back; e.g. do you have to keep the pumping rhythm constant or doesn't that matter? Maybe I'll find out some day.

quote:

Originally posted by drykid:
I'm curious as to the relationship between how you work the bellows and the sound you get back; e.g. do you have to keep the pumping rhythm constant or doesn't that matter? Maybe I'll find out some day.

I've played on a big up-right one at a studio I went to and that one had two pedals/pumps. So when you press one pedal down, the other one should be up so you can keep a constant flow of air going through it. Others might be different though.

quote:

Hah maybe I should give other people a chance to answer sometimes *blushes* I guess musical instruments interest me.

No, that's really alright! I just think it's astonishing - and always helpful ;-)

Instruments, yeah , I know what you mean. When I'm in a music shop I always end up owning a new one, well mostly small ones of course (for the money ...). Just trying new things is so much fun!! I guess soon I can open up my own studio - there will be everything you need.

Cheers!