Prog with Unusual Instruments (such as bassoon)
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50195
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Topic: Prog with Unusual Instruments (such as bassoon)
Posted By: YesFan72
Subject: Prog with Unusual Instruments (such as bassoon)
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 22:34
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Do you think unusual instruments add to prog? I personally love the bassoon and Krumhörns in Gryphon. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 22:39
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I absolutely love that unique sound to Gryphon. It's not necessary for a band to have unusual instruments for me to like them, but I will agree that they definitely add to the uniqueness of those bands and prog as a whole. The bassoon is one of my favorite sounding instruments as well.  ------------- 
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Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 22:45
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YAYE, Gryphon fans unite ! New album scheduled soon, allegedly !
Not to many bands out there with lead bassoon! Brian Gulland rules! Amazing Blondel was cool but no bassoon in sight.
I can recommend Gian Castello's Taliesin if you like medieval dulcimer, flute, guitar with gorgeous melodies (see my review in PA)  ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 22:58
| You can also hear some excellent bassoon right in the middle of Steve Hillage's FISH RISING. Plus some of the most poignant moments on National Health's OF QUEUES AND CURES are provided by clarinet and flute. (Both played by the eminent Jimmy Hastings, if I remember it well.) |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 23:01
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Lindsay Cooper played bassoon on Fish Rising, if I am not mistaken, I was about to mention it earlier but couldn't remember the name. ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Chris H
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 23:12
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I love a good kazoo solo every now and then...Ringo Starr anyone? ------------- Beauty will save the world. 
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Posted By: Jozef
Date Posted: July 15 2008 at 23:48
| I always love when other instruments are added in. It's nice to have a departure from the usual guitar/bass/keyboard/drum setup. The more unusual the better! |
Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 03:40
I had exactly the same problem, I'm afraid. I kept thinking: "Lindsay WHO?" and as I'm not at home, I haven't got the CD with me...Anyway, she must have played bassoon on Henry Cow albums as well... |
tszirmay wrote:Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 03:43
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Sleepytime Gorilla Museum Has some unusual instruments such as the bass harmonica |
Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 08:16
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I play the bassoon, and I figured out how to play some Gryphon songs. It was definitely a good use of a few hours. -------------
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Posted By: Chicapah
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 08:33
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Iona utilizes many less-known string and wind instruments in their music, as well. ------------- "Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain |
Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 08:42
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MANEIGE. Les Porches. That is all. |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 10:48
Woah, that'd be awesome! You should upload some and put them on the site. -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 11:49
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I can't really figure out how to record my bassoon from my laptop without it sounding like someone is dying. -------------
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 12:24
And the log and the roach and the bowed spatula... and so on... I LOVE unusual intruments in prog. That´s one of the reasons I´m so attracked to Avant garde in the first place! Alamaailman Vasarat´s double cello double wind instruments line up always comes to mind when I think of unusual instruments ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 12:25
Screw that! Uploaded so I can use it with my band!  ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?"
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 17:44
Dang. But I'd assume you would need an actual microphone; the built-in recording device of your laptop must be awful. -------------
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Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 17:52
She was a key member of Henry Cow from their second album onwards - she's particularly prominent on Unrest, Concerts and Western Culture (for which she composed the whole of side 2). She was also on the first Art Bears album as a guest musician and was the principal composer in News from Babel (sort of Art Bears part 2, with Chris Cutler as lyricist/drummer). There were also several solo albums, and she plays on Egg's final album as well.
For more prog with bassoon, try Univers Zero - Michel Berckmans played on their first three albums and on everything since they reformed a few years ago.
And as a final recommendation, the excellent Belrussian chamber prog ensemble Rational Diet use bassoon a lot as well. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 18:19
I definitely need a mic. I wouldn't want to make the bassoon sound like a weapon. -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 18:21
You definitely should. I'd say you should be able to find a fairly good one for not too much money. I'd love to hear some of your stuff; I'm a bassoon fanatic.   Oh, and you should upload some of your "crazy dying" bassoon anyway, it might make good substance for an awesome RIO-ish album. -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:11
Now how do I upload these 26 seconds of torture? -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:13
Well, as long as it's already in a readable/uploadable format, go to http://www.rapidshare.com - www.rapidshare.com You should be able to upload your sample onto there so others can download it. -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:19
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:22
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http://rapidshare.com/files/130241973/Dying_Bassoon_-_Gryphon_Opening_Move.mp3.html
Have fun. You may be able to recognize it as around 2:04 from Opening Move by Gryphon. -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:49
YES!! That is awesome and SO RIO. Once you get a mic or a better way to record, I'd love to hear some Gryphon recorded. That's pretty cool.  -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:51
Thanks. I'm also playing on a crappy bassoon at the moment. Soon, I shall rule the world with my odd dying sounds! -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 19:56
Haha, the only better thing than a bassoon ruling the world would be a drumkit, but I may be biased.  How much of Gryphon can you play on bassoon? I always absolutely loved the bassoon and Krumhorns sounds in that band, I'm actually listening to them now; I had to after hearing your "interpretation". -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 20:40
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I guess I could figure out anything from Gryphon with a little bit of time and "interpreting."
Since it's the summer, I believe I have a lot of time, aside from college. -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 20:44
Awesome! In my "dreaming" I've always wanted to learn the bassoon parts from Gryphon, I always thought it'd be cool. However, I'm realistically a drummer, keyboardist, band founder/leader, and composer who wants to learn other instruments but hasn't started learning others yet. -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 20:56
I'm realistically a bassoon player who has too much time. I have yet to buy a Krumhorn though. -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 21:13
Nothing wrong with that. And you need to buy a Krumhorn. I would love to see one of those in person. I know, I'm a music extremist/nerd, but that's why I'm on this site, isn't it? -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 21:34
Krumhorns cost over $1500. Hmmm... I don't exactly have that much to spend right now. -------------
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Posted By: YesFan72
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 22:01
And of course I'd need to buy a lute first. -------------
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 16 2008 at 22:08
Haha, of course. -------------
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: July 17 2008 at 14:57
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To reiterate what I wrote on a similar thread earlier this year, checkout the jazz rock fusion of bassoonist Paul Hanson on his first album released earlier this year, Frolic In The Land Of Plenty (Abstract Logix Records) - Paul Hanson has done plenty of sessions for other fusionists: http://www.jazzbassoon.com/discography.php ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: July 17 2008 at 16:37
David Thomas (Pere Ubu frontman) toured in the 80s backed by Chris Cutler on drums and Lindsay Cooper on bassoon (and other wind instruments). There was a live album called Winter Comes Home, but it has never been reissued on CD - I think I still have a vinyl copy in storage somewhere, and a few are still floating around but probably very over priced. An expanded version of the line up (with Tony Maimone on bass) made the studio album More Places Forever, and that's currently available as part of the excellent Monster box set. The sound is post punk meets RIO, and if you've ever wondered what a band comprising bassoon, drums and bizarre vocaks would sound like your curiosity will be well and truly satisfied.
------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: Harry Hood
Date Posted: July 17 2008 at 18:23
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Ween have composed a song for triangle. they've also used the mandolin, theremin, and scotchguard in their recordings. And i don't even know what sort of instruments they assembled on "Mourning Glory". Yet they still won't add them to the archives. :( ------------- 
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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: July 17 2008 at 19:49
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Yes, unusual instruments add to prog. I love to hear a dobro (S. Wilson et al.) or banjo (Hackett et al.) or tuba (Nina Hagen Band et al.) or accordian (Harmonium et al.) or saw or Chapman Stick (Tony L. et al.) or dulcimer or pan flute (Los Jaivas et al.) or mandolin (Mike Oldfield et al.) or lute (Jan Akkerman et al.) or recorder or cello or oboe (Gabe et al.) or yodel (Thijs v.L.et al.) or bass pedal (Mike R. et al.) or church organ (Wakeman et al.) or harp (Jon Anderson et al.) or toy piano (Robert Smith et al.) or ... or ... or ... "enossifications" (Brian Eno et al.) or .... ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Proggg
Date Posted: July 19 2008 at 15:34
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When the time comes, I wanna start a progressive folk metal with melodeath influences, and have a bagpiper. And a violinist.
------------- A windstorm dropped a bird from the sky It fell to the ground and it's wings broke and died But when the time got by, back to sky it flied cause the wings healed in time and the bird was I-Wintersun |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: July 19 2008 at 17:01
Ooooh!!  That sounds really interesting! I just might have to somehow acquire that.... -------------
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: July 19 2008 at 17:15
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to reroute this thread from the bassoon (Gryphon) appreciation thread.... and go from some instruments that are unusual.. and quite prog... lets go with the calimba used by a musical genius to far too few of you know. Franco Battaito.. used to perfection on Sequenze e Frequenze. The church organ.. not for one frickin solo.. but the basis of an album on M.elle Le Gladiator (also note Jacula if you dig the church organ). though I must say.. one of my favorite uses of an 'unusual' instrument was the vibraphone solo on GG's Schooldays... fantastic..... ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: Utah Man
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 11:40
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Got a song I did earlier this year using an instrument called a Mbira. People ask, "What the heck is THAT ?" . |
Posted By: popeyethecat
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 17:40
The dulcimer has been used in prog? I play the Hammered Dulcimer! How fantastic :D I will check this out. Thank you ------------- 
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Posted By: popeyethecat
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 17:46
Any space for a Dulcimer player? -------------
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Posted By: CaincelaOreinim
Date Posted: July 20 2008 at 19:04
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Some bands I can think of with interesting "other" sounding musical instrumentation outside of the standard rock band flair off the top of my head: The Grand Silent System (clarinetist I believe...more for fans of dredg-esque bands) Lazuli (although not too different these guys sound exotic and sapidly strange to me) SGM (already mentioned; self-made instruments) Jaga Jazzist (kind of electronic, again, like Lazuli, I find the music to be new enough to me) The Residents Dengue Fever (Indonesia - I believe...if someone can clarify? - pop music, like it, relatively different sounding...) Alamaailman Vasarat (already mentioned) Naftule's Dream (from the little I've heard relatively intense Klezmer music) |
Posted By: Prog-Brazil
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 18:16
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A Barca do Sol (Brazil) had a viola and cello player ------------- Let the sunshine in |
Posted By: Chunga's Moustache
Date Posted: July 21 2008 at 18:40
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I'm a big fan of bassoon in just about anything. For great bassoon in prog, you can't go wrong with Von Zamla. I especially like the way the bassoon compliments Lars Hollmer's accordian. Michel Berckmans also played bassoon in Art Zoyd. I'm also a big fan of Roy Wood's various reed work on The Move's album "Message from the Country", ELO's first album, and his solo albums (especially "Mustard"). While many criticize his skill and proficency, I personally find his multi-intrumentalist performances to be quite enjoyable. He also throws in some banjo to sweeten the pot. |
Posted By: thought-house
Date Posted: July 22 2008 at 12:23
That sounds like Eluveitie... only they're not progressive. |
Posted By: Fitzcarraldo
Date Posted: July 23 2008 at 07:33
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Have to say that I enjoy the celeste on ELP's Tarkus, and the Tunisian zourka on their Trilogy album. Is recorder considered unusual in Prog? If so, another vote for GRYPHON: Richard Harvey's recorder playing is the business. And what about the bagpipes used by Fernando of those Spanish rockers MAGO DE OZ, the Ondes Martinet on HARMONIUM's Si On Avait Besoin D'Une Cinquième Saison, the spinet used by Vittorio De Scalzi of NEW TROLLS ATOMIC SYSTEM, or the dulcimer, virginal and hurdy gurdy used by Marie Yacoub of MALICORNE? ------------- http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=326" rel="nofollow - Read reviews by Fitzcarraldo |
Posted By: Nowhere Man
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 18:54
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Yes, I LOVE unusual instruments. They are one of the things that drew me to prog originally. Robby Steinhardt's violin and Ian Anderson's flute were two huge influences that inspired my love of prog. While those two instruments are pretty common in prog (especially flute) they are very rare for rock. Most people would never think have having flute in a rock band, or even having a flute/electric guitar solo like early in TAAB. Speaking of examples of unusual instruments, I don't think anyone has mentioned Gentle Giant's Acquiring The Taste. There are something like 46 different instruments on that album (only three of which are played by guest musicians, incredibly). ------------- 
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Posted By: artguyken
Date Posted: July 30 2008 at 19:59
Absolutely! When I saw this thread, the very first band I thought of was Gryphon --- "Red Queen to Gryphon Three" is an absolute masterpiece in my book. They did a fantastic job of weaving woodwinds of modern and ancient types into a very contemporary music. The other albums by Gryphon pale by comparison, but yes, I would say that bringing unusual elements to the music is part of what sets it apart from mainstream stuff. |