From Aria To Dulcimer
A beautiful 6-string acoustic "Aria" guitar was my first guitar, purchased
at "Steve's Music" in
Montreal by my
dad ( a professional
Montreal
show-drummer) for one of my birthdays. If they even make that particular model
today, the closest is the Aria, Prodigy Series, AFN-15. It was a special
experience, as a teen, to go with my dad to his favourite music store, and the
great care he took in making sure they included a strap, pitch-pipes, and books
of instruction. I learned many Cat Stevens songs on it, as well as my own
original tunes. In those days, I also played Supertramp, Jim Croce, Meat Loaf,
and many more. One day I went to the closet to play it, and to my horror, the
entire bridge had lifted up, cracking (permanently) the fine wood finish and
top of this guitar, which was ultimately ruined; I was heart-broken! I moved to
Winnipeg from
Toronto
in 1981, bringing my nylon-string classical guitar with me; I forget who made
it...my dad bought it for me from "Pascal", a
Montreal hardware store when I was in my late
teens! I was a big Cat Stevens fan, and his style had been a major influence in
my burgeoning music career both onstage as well as in my song-writing style. I
was obsessed with Cat's "Ovation" acoustic guitars, which I had seen
him play in one of his
Montreal
concert tours. One day I walked into a music shop in a Winnipeg Mall, and 'lo
and behold, there hung a very affordable (and previously owned)
"Ovation"! Feverishly I snapped down my credit card to purchase one
of the greatest loves and investments in my professional career: I still own
and occasionally play this 6-string wonder, which along with my
"Yamaha" keyboards were..."instrumental" in my song-writing
career!
The Ovation
I played my Ovation guitar for every one of my live concert and television
appearances in Winnipeg
and environs
where I wasn't dressed up in my period costume from 1981 to 1994, for a total
of well over 2,000 shows. I continued this tradition in my
Vancouver appearances, (from 1994 until the
present) alternating with my blond 6-string acoustic "Epiphone" as
well, again, without my period garb. For the shows where I was in full period
garb, I played my 12-string Cittern.
The Fisher Cittern
Larry Fisher is a gifted folk musician and instrument builder that I was
fortunate to perform with in
Winnipeg
at hundreds of medieval feasts. Larry exclusively builds custom harps nowadays,
(including one that Loreena McKinnet used in a tour) though in my time in
Winnipeg he built a wide
assortment of instruments. I loved the 7-string flat-back lute-like instrument
that he constantly used in his shows; it looked so "folky",
"celticy" and "period"...perfect for my medieval-themed
TV-show and live appearances! Since I only played 6 and 12-stringed guitars, in
1989 I asked Larry if he would build me a 12-string "Cittern", (which
is the proper word for that lute-like wonder) or "English Guitar".
Larry agreed. I was over the moon with excitement and anticipation; I knew that
this treasured instrument would be with me always and everywhere
"period" Magic Mike Likey would appear. The year before (1988) I had
built a 6-string flat-backed lute from a kit I purchased from "Lark In The
Morning", but I felt that the finished product wasn't professional enough
for me, hence I asked Larry about a Cittern. Darrell Scarrett, the voice-talent
on my television show, suggested that we bring a mobile camera-crew out to
video-record the making of the instrument at Larry's home workshop; both Larry
and VPW agreed. It made for an educational and entertaining insert on my
television show. By the time the instrument was finished, the public would have
been exposed to, and expecting to see, this instrument in my live shows. It
still to this days elicits "oooh's" when I lift it out of it's case.
The Epiphone
Another guitar besides the Ovation that I love which Cat Stevens (a.k.a.
"Yusuf") plays, is a beautiful blond "Gibson" 6-string
guitar. I was excited when my wife bought me for my birthday it's nearest
relative, a 6-string acoustic "Epiphone", manufactured by Gibson. I
love the look and deep sound of this guitar, since previously I was used to the
sounds of the cittern and the Ovation, one shallower sounding, the other more
"tinny". In non-period concerts, I alternate playing the Epiphone
with my Ovation. I've had the Epiphone since 2012.
The Dulcimer
Around 2009, I saw two videos: one of Joni Mitchell and the other of Cyndi
Lauper each playing their songs using a folk-instrument known as a Dulcimer.
Although this instrument has 3, sometimes 4 strings, a full-range of notes and
chords can be produced from it. This elongated, narrow-violin-shaped beauty has
a Celtic/Maritimes sound/feel to it, and is traditionally played while you're
seated with it sitting on your lap; for my concerts, I wear it like a guitar
using a guitar-strap. This makes fingering the notes more difficult, but well
worth it. It is also traditionally strummed using a pick (plectrum), while
holding down the notes using a popsicle-stick-like flat piece of wood. I prefer
using a pick, and using my fingers for the notes. I purchased this instrument
online, along with a separate case for it, since local music-shops (at least in
Vancouver)
didn't even know what a Dulcimer is, let alone carrying a case for it!
Sometimes I really miss
Montreal or
Toronto; I'm positive the
Winnipeg Folk Festival store would also carry one. However, I digress. After
receiving the instrument in the mail, I was anxious to learn how to play it,
and as I did with guitar and electric keyboard, I taught myself. Note: my
father sat me down at age three at his drum-kit, showing me the proper way to
hold drumsticks, and even doing "rolls". He then had me play on the
snare, tom-tom and cymbals; what a thrill that was! Regardless, in a short time
I became relatively proficient with the Dulcimer, but I've only started playing
it very recently in my live shows. Every time I remove it from it's case, it's
exotic look elicits an "oooh" (as does the Cittern) from the
audience. So far, I've only used it to play my still-trending song "The
Bat", but I intend to play more songs with it in the future.
I intend to alternate between the Cittern and the Dulcimer for my
period-shows, and the Ovation with the Epiphone for non-period concerts. After
all, isn't variety "instrumental" for enjoying life?
