Sorry, I just Trump'd

[Darren Smith]

I'm glad I found this community after surfing around looking at some of Tran quang hai's videos on youtube I found his site here. I was hoping to go to Tuva a couple of years for the World of music festival in 2006, but ended up spending more time in India. The overtone throat singing has remained for the most part a mystery and only after seeing Tran Quang did I delve deeper.

I have been playing the Jews Harp 'Trump' for about 20 years, although there have been breaks I have always carried one (or two) and have played more as a personal escape, although over the last couple of years I have found that others have been excited after hearing the Trump played. This has given me more confidence to play for people as I found it was never really appreciated. I always thought the Trump was an instrument that you loved or hated, a little like marmite. I loved it from the moment I could make it sing.

I'm trying to get some equipment together now so that I can make some recordings, it will be nice for me to get some constructive critisism. I've been looking out for an old 60's Shure 'Bullet' 520 mic for quite some time now and finally bit the proverbial 'bullet' and bought a 520 DX which I can safely say is wonderful. I could imagine it being tricky with some harps but with my favourite 'J R Smith' harp it plays like a dream. I've never needed it amplified when I've played although after hearing it, through an old Marshall 45 Watt amp it sounds great.

My aim is to compile some tunes using various harps, the didgeridoo, the djembe and the harmonica, I'm not a master of any of them by any means although I can get the sounds that I know I want from them. I don't even know what style I would call the music, we'll just have to wait and see.

I'll be going to Munnharpa festival in Norway this September so hopefully will meet up with some like minded people there, I would love to be able to go to this years 2nd 'Ancient Trance' festival in Germany but I don't think I will be back in time from India, I'll just have to watch the clips.

With regard to my overtone singing, I can do it. That's as far as it goes for the moment, funnily enough it clicked in the shower.. just happened, I swear the neighbours must think I'm crazy :D obviously I'll be practising, I really find it helps me just watching and listening first to somebody else. I thought Jens video was great because the undertone is more subtle and at the moment I can't force the deeper tones out.

Well I suppose this is hello from me, I've had a brief look round and already I've been so impressed with some of the artwork and music posted by everybody. I'm sure I'll meet a few along the way.

Keep on trump'n ~ Harpy

[Danibal]

Looking forward to your music! And may we will bump into eachother during a jew's harp festival. Greetings!
Danibal