20 replies to this topic

[tallship]

Playing for morris is a pain! I have a 56 key tenor treble English and it's pretty heavy to hold out in front of you while standing so I use a guitar foot stool in order to rest the 'tina on my knee which works well enough bit it looks a bit daft. Added to that you are expected to process (route march with dancing ) from one dancing site to another on occasion . There is no way I am strapping a footstool on and marching hippity-hop down the street .

So, I've cobbled together a shoulder harness from off the shelf bits and pieces and I'm giving it a trial run tomorrow. I'm hoping it will do the trick and I will post photos if at all possible. Making it the way I have would be expensive and I've only done it this way because I already own everything that's been used because they have another purpose. If it works well I'll approach a friend of mine who works with all of the materials required to see if it can be made in small quantities at reasonable cost. Watch this space!

[JimLucas]

Watch this space!

I'm watching it for photos.

[tallship]

How about this then Jim. The shoulder harness is made for binoculars to save you from hanging them around your neck. In the UK they are sold by the RSPB for £15.99. The webbing around the ends is a pair trouser belts from Craghopper pants. I'll see what my skydiving friend can come up with as the belts around the ends would be better fastened with velcro and with D rings built in. The little loops at the end of the harness are part of it and these are the bits you leave attached to the binoculars all of the time. This rig worked well for over four hours today and made plying while marching very comfortable indeed :-). The picture is posed and the position of the whole thing changed in use and I shortened the straps after the first tune, but I'm happy with the result.

[shelly0312]

I'm likin' the harness. The only effort is pushing instrument away from body, not really holding it up. I would think this would be pretty stable for playing standing up. I've experimented a little with standing using a neckstrap--but my play with no little finger attachment makes it seem pretty precarious. Its one of those "good habit" "bad habit" deals....

[Dirge]

I think I recognise the splendid pattern of your 'weskit' Pete. I grew up with a lounge suit of the same design.

[tallship]

I think I recognise the splendid pattern of your 'weskit' Pete. I grew up with a lounge suit of the same design.

Had you have grown up with a lounge suite of the same design I would have thought it a bizarre coincidence. The fact that I'm currently wearing part of your three piece suit is a tad unnerving. The pattern seems to be barely worn, so perhaps it was cut on the cross from the back of your jacket?

[tallship]

The harness now has an official decoration!

[Womble]

How is that attached to the concertina, please? I'm finding that playing the English whilst standing is absolutely killing my hands. I thought about using a camera strap and somehow attaching it to the thumb loops. I don't want to start screwing things into the box itself.

Edited by Womble, 30 May 2012 - 03:36 AM.

[Dirge]

I think I recognise the splendid pattern of your 'weskit' Pete. I grew up with a lounge suit of the same design.

Had you have grown up with a lounge suite of the same design I would have thought it a bizarre coincidence. The fact that I'm currently wearing part of your three piece suit is a tad unnerving. The pattern seems to be barely worn, so perhaps it was cut on the cross from the back of your jacket?

I did grow up with a lounge suite of the same design. Spelling error. Sorry. So bizarre coincidence but not unnerving! (hopefully)

[Rod]

I think I recognise the splendid pattern of your 'weskit' Pete. I grew up with a lounge suit of the same design.

Had you have grown up with a lounge suite of the same design I would have thought it a bizarre coincidence. The fact that I'm currently wearing part of your three piece suit is a tad unnerving. The pattern seems to be barely worn, so perhaps it was cut on the cross from the back of your jacket?

I did grow up with a lounge suite of the same design. Spelling error. Sorry. So bizarre coincidence but not unnerving! (hopefully)

Only those in dire need of camouflage would opt for a lounge suit and a lounge suite in matching fabric, or have I misunderstood ?!

[Dirge]

I think I recognise the splendid pattern of your 'weskit' Pete. I grew up with a lounge suit of the same design.

Had you have grown up with a lounge suite of the same design I would have thought it a bizarre coincidence. The fact that I'm currently wearing part of your three piece suit is a tad unnerving. The pattern seems to be barely worn, so perhaps it was cut on the cross from the back of your jacket?

I did grow up with a lounge suite of the same design. Spelling error. Sorry. So bizarre coincidence but not unnerving! (hopefully)

Only those in dire need of camouflage would opt for a lounge suit and a lounge suite in matching fabric, or have I misunderstood ?!

Err YES...Grief this is getting complicated.

Pete could have partially vanished if he sat on our old sofa in his morris gear. Camouflage

[tallship]

How is that attached to the concertina, please? I'm finding that playing the English whilst standing is absolutely killing my hands. I thought about using a camera strap and somehow attaching it to the thumb loops. I don't want to start screwing things into the box itself.

This may require more detailed pictures to make the idea more obvious but I will have a go at explaining the principle. Two webbing trouser belts are fastened tightly around the ends of the concertina, tucked under these are two very short straps with 'D' rings on the end which clip onto the (ready made) shoulder harness with snap hooks.

Does that help or do I need to make a video? (Gulp!)

[Kautilya]

Playing for morris is a pain!
I use a guitar foot stool in order to rest the 'tina on my knee which works well enough
There is no way I am strapping a footstool on and marching hippity-hop down the street .

For a strapping (geddit!!??) lad like yourself you need an assistante who can carry it and mop your fevered brow, bring cool refreshment etc
Cheap at the price:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=milkmaid+print&_sacat=0&_odkw=milking+stool&_fspt=1&_sop=12&_osacat=0&_mPrRngCbx=1

That said, would it not be worth deliberately drawing attention away from the dancers and focusing on the dynamo which makes em all twist and turn - the tina player. (See also alternate lyrics by Dave Ball for this concept, below")
You can keep your belt on just in case a bobby appears on the scene while dancing Ring a Ring o' Roses and they all fall down (the Morris Men with the plague, not your britches silly !):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSsBwO2PTVE

Note the copyright: Dave Ball
WS Gilbert is of course well dead (100 years ago last year)


There is a full orchestral concertina score by Dave too but you would have to ask him about putting up here. Dirge would enjoy playing it for sure.
There was a full hall of singalongers (not drunk even)at the World Première of this at Swaledale 2012 so they gave themselves a big applause!

Edited by Kautilya, 21 September 2012 - 06:29 AM.

[tallship]

Err YES...Grief this is getting complicated.

Pete could have partially vanished if he sat on our old sofa in his morris gear. Camouflage

Not really complicated mate but you do need to sort your suite out from your suit! A suite is a collection of furniture and a suit is an ensemble of clothing. If, as a child, you lived in a house with a suite of furniture made of a similar fabric to my waistcoat you deserve our sympathy. If, as an adult, you decided to wear a suit of clothing of a similar fabric to my waistcoat, quite frankly you need therapy!

*blows raspberry*

[Kautilya]

I'm currently wearing part of your three piece suit is a tad unnerving. The pattern seems to be barely worn, so perhaps it was cut on the cross from the back of your jacket?

When Maria flees from Captain Von Trapp back to the convent and the Reverend Mother tries to find out what 'caused' her departure, suspecting some hokey bellowsing had occurred, and said
MOTHER ABBESS Why did they send you back to us?

MARIA They didn't send me back, Mother, I-I left.

MOTHER ABBESS Sit down, Maria. Tell me what happened.

MARIA (sits) Well, I -- I was frightened.

MOTHER ABBESS Frightened? Were they unkind to you?

A Scouse wag (for it was one of those Northwest, mass singalong, dress up for the part, reruns of the film)


shouted out:

"She robbed de kairtens!!": ["She stole the curtains" for those who do not speak s\Scouse]

The curtains she made for the kids' clothes (they're on youtube somewhere) were, of course, predominantly green whereas the weskit glows ruby red!

Edited by Kautilya, 30 May 2012 - 05:52 PM.

[Womble]

This may require more detailed pictures to make the idea more obvious but I will have a go at explaining the principle. Two webbing trouser belts are fastened tightly around the ends of the concertina, tucked under these are two very short straps with 'D' rings on the end which clip onto the (ready made) shoulder harness with snap hooks.

Does that help or do I need to make a video? (Gulp!)

Yes, that helps, thanks. I've been sent a link to a video where a guy uses braces as shoulder straps and that looks very interesting too.

[tallship]

Yet another picture that may make the idea more apparent.

Attached Thumbnails

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[Spectacled Warbler]

I just wanted to thank Tallship for posting the harness idea on Cnet, I didn't know these harnesses existed. You've made my hours spent playing a large duet standing up much more comfortable!

Thanks again,

Joy