[pct-l] Musical instruments on the trail

[atjulliard at yahoo.com (Alan Julliard)]

>Anybody ever try carrying a Native American type
flute >on the trail?
>
>I play guitar, but find the idea of packing even the
>lighter "backpacking" guitars to be the equivalent of
>a mouse carrying a grand piano - one or the other is
>bound to get hurt at some point.
>
>Harmonicas are lightweight, but oh so tricky to play
>with any sense of dignity. (I was hoping I'd end up
>the next Howard Levy, but it just ain't so.)
>
>That leaves the kazoo, the juice harp, and of course
>the hand flute. A hand flute musician - technically
>called a manualist (seriously! there's a guy from PA
>who plays an amazing set of hands) - has the ultimate
>in lightweight, packable entertainment. But most
>amateur hand-fluters have trouble with pitch and
>possess a notable lack of range.
>
>So we're back to the Native American flute. The
higher 
>pitched models are relatively small, and hollowed
>cedar or mahogany keeps them light. Again,
deceptively >tricky to play with any degree of
integrity, and >pretty squirrely on tone without "the
right stuff." >But beautiful if you happen to know
what you're doing. >And perfect, I would think, for
the wilderness.
>
>Anyone?

  One of the guys I hiked with picked up an ordinary
guitar in Oregon at a pawn shop and carried it the
rest of the way.  He would play every night in camp. 
Now there are a variety of guitars meant to be packed.
 My favorite place is http://larkinthemorning.com. 
Lark in the Morning has hundreds of wind instruments
that are easy to take along in addition to packable
guitars.
  I took up the mandolin long ago because it was so
easy to pack anywhere.  I also play saxophone, hand
drums and penny whistle.  I started the whistle for a
hike of England's Thames Path, a 200 mile easy stroll
through English countryside and history.  The whistle
was very appropriate for that trip but it is also very
lightweight and easy to learn.  I was able to walk and
play at the same time with no problem.  I also have a
low whistle (think Riverdance) which is simply a
bigger version of the the penny whistle.  I will be
carrying it in the spring plus a small book of Irish
tunes.  I also have a very cool instument called the
Maui Xaphoon which is a reed instrument billed as a
pocket sax though it sounds more like a clarinet. 
Most hand drummers practice their craft by simply
slapping their legs or whatever is available; this is
also easy to do while walking.  I have not tried any
native flutes though I used to play flute a long time
ago.
  It was not long ago in America that musicians
traveled across the country by foot, wagon, horse,
train, etc. carrying their instruments with them. 
Woody Guthrie was my hero when I hiked the PCT and a
fine example of someone who always had his music with
him.  We should do it more ourselves.  Someday I want
to walk from Atlantic to Pacific, carrying my sax with
me (5 - 6 pounds) , marching along while playing the
blues or Souza or Ellington or whatever pops into my
head.

Alan


		
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