Three more instrumentals

[valdae]

Here are three new tracks that I recorded within days of each other.

First up is "The Lonely Death of Cynthia Ann Parker". I recorded an earlier version of this piece but decided to go with this new version, which I find more interesting than the first take. The ruan sounds great on this piece.

soundcloud.com/e-282/the-lonely-death-of-cynthia

Next is "Two Men Talking". This piece is quite personal as it concerns a conversation I had with another family member about the imminent death of another family member to cancer. Not long after it was recorded that person passed away. I played this piece daily up to the funeral.

soundcloud.com/e-282/twomentalking

Last, is the piece "Loved Ones". After the above "song" I wanted to record something more life affirming and came up with this. I love the contrast between the beginning and middle of the piece, which speaks well of the dynamic range of my ruan.

soundcloud.com/e-282/loved-ones

These will be the last pieces I'll post for a bit. I hope you enjoy them. As a means of self expression the ruan moves and surprises me constantly. I'm not going to use some cliche like, "I was born to play the ruan", but I have to say, when I discovered it I'd wondered where it had been all my life? And of course the answer to that question is - China.

~ Eric

[edcat7]

'Loved -one' has captured my moods exactly. Sitting with the back door open on this warm, muggy night, trying to make sense of this world.

[valdae]

Thanks Ed, I know the feeling. And I'm not saying playing the ruan helps me make sense of the world, but it does manage to calm me in walking through the funhouse mirror we call life. "Loved Ones", IMO, is a shining example of that; as insane as the world may get or appear, we have people in our lives that take the edge off of edgy reality. Still, as much as I love the other two pieces, my fav is "...Lonely Death..." That one took off with a life of its own! I play it every day, every day!

[edcat7]

At this time of the night here there isn't any opportunities to play any instrument except the erhu with the mute on. I think I'd rather listen to your compositions and look at the stars.

[xindi]

Interesting textures from the ruan. I don't understand this kind of music much - is this why it is termed 'primitive American music', in that it is more gutteral or emotionally connecting>?

The bending of the ruan strings makes me smile in the first two pieces. The clacking of the plectrum makes me cringe a bit though - it reminds me of my terrible pipa lun zhi technique. After moving on to my computer to watch youtube clips, I can see clearer, that the pipa players are doing the lun zhi differently from how I self-taught myself. Now, it's going to take me another 2 months to correct my technique :/

One thing I discovered this week, was that the fret action of the pipa and the ruan, terrifies skilled guitarists! Whereas the closeness of their frets with the strings terrifies me. I find it too limited for bending techniques. I was watching a kid pluck and play a guitar recently - his fingers were really tiny and he was incredible at plucking - so accurate and deft.

Wish I had taken up guitar playing as a kid instead of typing. What use is 120 words per minute, other than being verbose?

[valdae]

xindi~

"American Primitive" was the name given to music composed by the likes of John Fahey, Robbie Basho, Peter Lang, and Leo Kottkke. Mostly, it's a mixture of folk music, with elements of the blues, jazz, and other musical strains. So, I'm in good company, to say the least.

Yes the frets of the pipa and ruan do scare guitarists. I was a bit intimidated myself early on, and wondered if I haven't bitten off more than I could chew. But after a few days it was no problem at all.

The pick noise can be annoying. It's all in the angle you use to strike the string. I'm still learning that. I do love the gutteral sounds the ruan can produce. Its dynamic range is striking!! Thanks for your impressions. As well as I do play, I know I have a long way to go, but wow, what a journey!