Saw

[wayne]

I'm over in Sydney doing a theatre show - and i get to play the saw!

I just wanted to register here on Z what an awesome axe is the saw - i'm hooked. Real nice with a double bass bow. Can't wait to try it with Spacef echo and Warp69 verbs when i get back to the Scope rig in 7 weeks

[chriskorff]

Dope!

Saw-playing sounds awesome. How did you learn? Is it just something you can pick up? ie. by varying the amount of bend in the saw, and getting used to bowing it, you can get all the pitch variations and modulation you need?

[Shroomz~>]

You mean like a saw for cutting wood Wayne?

[dawman]

Wayne it is better sounding than a Theramin.
My Uncle Tony was a Shriner and marched around with with those silly hats playing music in parades, etc. He carried a Saw and a bow and that sound cut through all of the drums and brass.
As kids we made him play Good Vibrartions by the Beach Boys, and Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek theme.
It's a great sound, he claimed the Bi-Metal Blades ( tiny teeth ) had a brighter sound.

Share a snippet with us, hook a Brotha Up.
Try it with Spinner or a Leslie too...............

[wayne]

These are a big saw built to be an instrument.

In the show i only need to play sfx on it, not flight of the bumble bee

I'm just learning, and my bowing is rough, but it doesn't seem to have that steep a learning curve yet. Wish i'd given it a crack years ago.

A little s-bend is made in the end of the saw by the non-bow hand, and you bow where nodes might be, which move with pitchbend. Getting a good, relaxed little bend at the tip of the saw seems to be the crux of it so far.

JV, Uncle Tony sounds like he was a fun bloke I can't record for a while as i'm away from my gear, but i'll practise a bit first i reckon. Early days.

Chris - have a go mate - beats cutting wood with the buggers

Very synthy instrument in many ways.

[braincell]

Look at these saws:

http://www.sciemusicale.fr/

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV4qka8qmbM

[dawman]

Great natural Portamento effect....

[braincell]

It's like a theremin but less expensive and probably easier to play.