One-Man-Band

[Rod]

There are plenty of 'strict-tempo' players for whom the tapping of the foot, both audible and inaudible, is an integral part of their performance. How many of these players ever take this technique a stage further and venture into the rudimentary realms of the traditional 'One-Man-Band' ?

[Hooves]

There are plenty of 'strict-tempo' players for whom the tapping of the foot, both audible and inaudible, is an integral part of their performance. How many of these players ever take this technique a stage further and venture into the rudimentary realms of the traditional 'One-Man-Band' ?

 

One man bands tend to be novelty acts, so, they are often sidewalk or open mic performers. There are various types of Foot Drum available, ranging from an electronic wedge you just tap your heal/toe on, to a full blown portable drum kit which folds up

 

http://www.farmerfootdrums.com/

 

http://www.shadow-electronics.com/start.html?lang_id=2

 

also there are pedal basses which either use MIDI or actaul reeds to make sound. You can find on Ebay a MIDI controller for about $60 US which has 13 inputs to amke your own pedal bass/drums.

 

However I think most people who would watch a one-man-band would rather hear/see acoustic instruments than electronic. Not always though, as I believe Jimmy Page would use his electric guitar with an old pedal bass (possibly Moog).

[catty]

I have performed with "implements"--foot operated bass drum and high-hat cymbals festooned with tambourine--whilst playing banjo/guitar and harmonica. I've always had a mild fascination for the full-on "one man band" apparatuses I've seen people operate..fun looking machines.

[pastlifeasakite]

jeremy barnes of "a hawk and a hacksaw" comes to mind. He plays a piano accordian, not a concertina, but has an extensive drumset rigged up with foot pedals and varius bells and shakers attached to him.the kicker is how complex/fluently he manages to play all the stuff at the same time.

[pastlifeasakite]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70fwBun8slM...feature=related he starts gettin down to business around the 1.30 second mark.

[Alan Day]

The French Pipers of the Auvergne region play with bells on their leg to beat out the rhythm (One Two Three- One Two three etc), normally playing alongside a Hurdy Gurdy gives a very jangly sound to the music. Two tunes from that region I play on Utube (French 2).Tunes played with very strong chords with a traditional ending.

The dancers are very energetic - for the A part facing each other they go sideways in opposite directions and back,for the B part doing a circular dance, but at the same time spinning around.

Every Year at Ardingly Show Ground there is held the County Show and walking around the show you will see my old friend playing his one man band in the same fashion as Peter Trimming's Dad did around the streets of London.

Al

[Rod]

The French Pipers of the Auvergne region play with bells on their leg to beat out the rhythm (One Two Three- One Two three etc), normally playing alongside a Hurdy Gurdy gives a very jangly sound to the music. Two tunes from that region I play on Utube (French 2).Tunes played with very strong chords with a traditional ending.

The dancers are very energetic - for the A part facing each other they go sideways in opposite directions and back,for the B part doing a circular dance, but at the same time spinning around.

Every Year at Ardingly Show Ground there is held the County Show and walking around the show you will see my old friend playing his one man band in the same fashion as Peter Trimming's Dad did around the streets of London.

Al

 

I have a distant memory of a genuine old One-Man-Band performing on the forecourt opposite the West Door of Westminster Abbey in the early 1950's. Not a common sight....probably never was. Other delights in those far off days were the occasional Barrel Organ entertainers in London's theatre-land and also that splendid little band called, I believe, 'The Happy Wanderers' who would shuffle along West End gutters producing delightful music to lift the spirits of one and all. I could happily have followed their procession for the rest of the day ( or even the rest of my life ). I believe the modern equivalent of these sort of entertainers might still be found at Covent Garden. I wonder !

[PeterT]

Every Year at Ardingly Show Ground there is held the County Show and walking around the show you will see my old friend playing his one man band in the same fashion as Peter Trimming's Dad did around the streets of London.

Sorry, Alan; grandfather. Arthur Griffiths, of "Passport to Pimlico" fame. He played all over England.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[Jewish Leprechaun]

Here's a one man band I found. Unfortunately he doesn't play the concertina, but in one of the videos it looks like he has a small accordion, though he doesn't play it.

http://www.onemanband.org/omb-video/omb-video.htm

[catty]

Fun to watch--tedious from a musical aesthetic.