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Post by Bartbär on Jun 4, 2009 5:25:45 GMT 2
Wow, those are very amazing! I've heard of the Gaida before, and have always loved what I've heard of it. Never seen this video though. I enjoy them all, and the Altai-Kai group I am really loving. The throat singing is truly astounding! It is sad to see a lack of traditional music luthiers and various other instrument makers. I want to learn instrument making, but here in the states there is virtually nothing in the way of European instruments (with a few exceptions). Understandable of course. If I had the connection I would travel across Europe just to learn the art of instrument making, and then use that teach others as well. It is one of my greatest passions right alongside Languages, but then again I guess it falls into that category too, after all, Music is the language of the universe. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by Bartbär on Jun 4, 2009 1:42:18 GMT 2
Good: Found a wonderful accordion for extremely cheap (105 USD including shipping) on eBay, it is in mint condition and the sellers just wanted to get rid of it after years in storage. I have 2 accordions already, but there is no such thing as too many. And for this price, I practically stole it, even though it's not top-quality, it is well worth the price. Bad: After paying for this accordion hoping to bring some joy into my days after some rough weeks, I received a letter in the mail that the license on both of my cars are due, which comes out to 75 dollars. Both cars are out of order thanks to not having money to buy the parts, so I have to find a way to pay for license on cars that I still can't really drive. Bad: Once again after buying the lovely accordion I find myself in hard times for money. I have been planning to move out and be closer to being on my own, but can't afford it. I wanted to make a trip out West or East this summer, perhaps even to Europe, but can tell now that it will never happen. I just get the feeling that I'm going to be stuck in the boring Iowa cornfields for the rest of my life.
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Post by Bartbär on Jun 3, 2009 22:35:56 GMT 2
I apologize if a similar thread has been posted before, but I could not find anything through search, and figured this would be a good discussion topic. I have a deep love for Traditional instruments and traditional playing styles all across Europe, and due to some lack of acquired information in the states, I think it would be a good idea to have a thread for sharing your countries traditional Instruments, and hopefully where they can be acquired at. Please share any videos, songs (traditional or otherwise of course), and providers of your countries instruments. Or, if you know more about the instruments of another country, do not hesitate to share. obviously this is very loose and relaxed, any and all information is welcome. I'll start with a traditional instrument that sprang from the Appalachian mountains in North America, mainly amongst Irish and Scottish immigrants that settled there. It is akin to the "epinette des vosges" in France and the German "Scheitholt". It is the "Appalachian Dulcimer" or "Mountain Dulcimer". Very simple yet beautiful sounding instrument. Here is a nice video of the instrument being played, and quite flawlessly. www.youtube.com/watch?v=INu3UQ35yVkMore to come, just want to get it started for now.
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Post by Bartbär on Jun 3, 2009 22:21:20 GMT 2
Happy Birthday you two! Sorry for the delay, but Birthday Greetings are always nice to receive, even if a little later. Here's to your Health and Happiness, of which I'm sure you both have plenty of! Cheers and hails!
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Post by Bartbär on Jun 1, 2009 5:10:14 GMT 2
Haha, wow, totally forgot about this topic and missed the last few posts. Hjalagh: Not quite, I showed a friend how to do it and he has been making gallons of it. Supposedly he has been saving it, but he's probably drank it all by now! Nordis: I couldn't imagine drinking it without honey! It would indeed be an ungodly yeasty taste, which although I don't always mind, could not deal with that intensity. Adding the honey makes it wonderful. I have yet to taste better Mead, but don't hold that against me since I have only tried this and one or two other kinds (which were really more of a lightly honeyed wine than Mead), but I find it to be absolutely perfect. Of course it does not always work out that way, some times it can taste yeasty, but usually ONLY if you do not keep it in a heated area. Keep it nice and warm and the yeast never shows. I've even just let it ferment for not even a month and it has tasted good. When we used to have our little rituals or get togethers back before my friends moved, we would mix store-bought mead with orange juice. Made it twice the amount, and I personally found it to taste delicious. In fact much better than the store bought brand. But still, naturally nothing to the homemade stuff. I can imagine honey to be expensive in Finland, but I would presume that there are places to get it online internationally for cheaper. But then shipping costs would probably outweight the savings, and even then I don't know. Honey is slowly rising in price here too. It's quite unfortunate.
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Post by Bartbär on May 31, 2009 23:41:01 GMT 2
Perhaps we are overly social. It wouldn't be such a band thing, but the problem with having social contact is the more you have of it, the less self-reliant you tend to be. Unless you have that as an unshakable core value of course. There are always some exceptions. Haha, I know that feeling all-too-well. I do wonder what has happened to romance though. It seems it has taken a turn for the worse. Then again that goes back to overly high expectations and the exploitation of romantic concepts. Just like every other paradox, only when romance once again becomes a mystery will it be had.
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Post by Bartbär on May 31, 2009 7:21:01 GMT 2
Ahhhh! I see now! But hey, great news in regards to Korpiklaani on ones birthday is just as good! Happy Birthday to you then friend!
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Post by Bartbär on May 31, 2009 6:31:52 GMT 2
That is awesome Croc! The only thing better than seeing Korpiklaani live is seeing them live on your birthday. Best birthday party EVER! Early cheers to you, only a good half a year to go!
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Post by Bartbär on May 31, 2009 6:29:24 GMT 2
Amorphis is one of those bands that I will never get tired of. I may not particularly love their new stuff as much as their earlier Death/Doom stuff, but I still am moved by the mood. And my Kantele is certainly a masterpiece! Never heard any Prokofiev, I will have to check it out. I don't find much in the way of modern classical, simply because I have not yet looked. THat is the downfall of loving so many vastly different styles of music is that it can be hard to delve wholeheartedly into one over another, so you just have to hope you come across all the good ones in a lifetime. But then again, with friends it makes it even more possible! Hehe! On my end, I've been listening to this wonderful song quite a bit by Lumsk. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nDcSX0wW0oI haven't listened to much in the way of Norwegian music lately, but everytime I get back into it I am taken back to that same beautiful emotion and yearning to be in that beautiful land. Needless to say this is sparking a need for me to listen to some Triakel and Garmarna again. That never gets old!
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Post by Bartbär on May 31, 2009 6:25:30 GMT 2
crystiannia, thanks by the way for reminding me of Black Rose. Been listening to it again, and forgot how epically bad ass it is. One of my favorite songs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y86m7Iha8soHow can you not love it? THANK YOU!! I did not know the recordings even existed! I checked and they are available, so now I am definately going to pick up a copy! You are absolutely welcome! Very glad you enjoy. I Love the 70's atmosphere it has, only with more interesting lyrics. But then again, of course, it is King Diamond!
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Post by Bartbär on May 30, 2009 1:56:05 GMT 2
Yes, German is sadly being slowly destroyed in most american schools. I don't know what to blame it on, the lack of education or the lack of good teachers. My high school teacher couldn't even pronounce it correctly and frequently had to be corrected by us. I would like to see it pick up, but I don't know if it will. I've been dedicated to reviving it but it has always fell on deaf ears. My German club idea in college last semester fell through thanks to a totally unsupportive administration. I just hope that by the time I get a degree in German and Philosophy that I will still have an oppurtunity to teach the language... I know there will be, but just much harder to find and acquire. Byki is good, great program indeed and quite fun. Livemocha I recommend simply for getting to talk to and ask questions to natives from these countries. They are very very helpful and extremely kind. And Hjalagh, my apologies, I should not type up those elaborative subjects when I do not have time to completely delve into them. (Your commentary makes up for it though. )
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Post by Bartbär on May 29, 2009 0:31:05 GMT 2
Check out these websites Crystiannia: www.livemocha.com - Great website for communicating with people all over the world no matter what the language. They offer courses, very general but still fun, for about a dozen languages, including Icelandic, Russian, and freshly up: Estonian. Anyone can add programs to my knowledge once they are approved, so there is bound to be more springing up in the future. If not it will give you a chance to brush up on the German. Also check out Byki, search for it on Google, it is a free language program that you can download, along with free language packs. You can choose to purchse full programs for a pretty fair price (I don't remember how much, but compared to Rosetta Stone it is cheap!). If you would like some help finding a program, let me know, I try to look around and see what courses work and which ones are difficult to understand. Although it is subjective, some people, like myself, learn great with just a book and lists of vocab and grammar. Others learn better with the fancy programs like RS. But if you end up being a better learner with one program over a more expensive one, then it defeats the purpose spending so much money on something that may not be worth it in the end. I'll end here, haha. Danish may be a step easier for you since you have a previous knowledge of German. German is a great place to start since it afterall is closest to the Proto-Germanic root language from which many languages stem from, although in it's modern form it is a little more different. Still, close enough to make it easier in the long run. I'll quit babbling now.
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Post by Bartbär on May 29, 2009 0:08:36 GMT 2
Not geeky at all, I have packaging still from orders I've made in Russia, Germany, and Finland. Plus since this one is with Korpiklaani merch and straight from the source, it is that much more special. Still saving up money so I can put out an order myself. Getting there, slowly but surely.
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Post by Bartbär on May 28, 2009 17:02:00 GMT 2
The past three days here it has been cloudy and with rain off and on. Just the type of weather I love after a series of overly hot days. The problem is I have been waiting to be contacted about work that I haven't gone outside to enjoy it... I need to go on a walk again, perhaps I should do that today.
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Post by Bartbär on May 28, 2009 7:04:51 GMT 2
crystiannia, thanks by the way for reminding me of Black Rose. Been listening to it again, and forgot how epically bad ass it is. One of my favorite songs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y86m7Iha8soHow can you not love it?
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