November 2007
128 posts
The Walkumentary →
A documentary of a 2006 CDT Southbound Thru-Hike
WatchGREEN TEAM!
Very Good! 15/20 →
The continuing adventures of Joe and Rachel.
WatchMake your own solar heater.
WatchMy god, Rollie, that is a beautiful fish t-shirt you have there.
WatchCrank this shit up to medium.
The Continued Adventures of Joe and Rachel →
Non-Standard Ways to Make Money
Advertising (Amazon, AdSense, Busted Tees, etc.)
Sell stock photos online
Donations with gifts by donation amount
Sell books of photos / DVDs of movies
Write for Lonely Planet
Sell MP3s/CDs and play shows
Other ideas?
Purchasing an Mbira
Me: Hello MBIRA Organization Folks, After spending the past few days with Thomas Mapfumo and Blacks Unlimited -- including Mbira players Eric Miller and Chaka Mhembere –- it's become clear to me that I need to learn to play this amazing instrument. The first step in that process is having an instrument to play. I'm interested in a tuning and pitch that would be most useful and versatile for a beginner. Can you help me, please?
Erica Azim: Hi Miles, You should start with nyamaropa tuning. We should pick a pitch based on where you are located, so you can play together with people near you. Where are you? Mbiras played with Western instruments, as in Mapfumo's band, are in G pitch. Various pitches are more common in different parts of the US - one that is used at all MBIRA workshops around the country; one common in Eugene, OR; one common in New Mexico. In Zimbabwe, almost every group uses a different pitch or different tuning. Let me know where you are and we can get you started!
Me: Hi Erica, Thank you for your quick response! Location is a tricky issue for me. Currently, I'm living in Danville, KY; it's near Lexington and Louisville, KY, and Cincinnati and Nashville are about a 2.5-3 hour drive. However, I'm only going to be here until April or May, at which point I'm planning on being a park ranger in one of Alaska's national parks (I've lived in Yellowstone, WY the past two summers). After that, I'm really not sure where I'll be living, although an English-teaching program in Austria is a strong possibility right now. All this is to say that I'm everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Erica Azim: Hi Miles, There are not many mbira players in your region. Closest might be southern Illinois - how far are you from Carbondale? Anyway, I'd recommend that you get my "workshop pitch" nyamaropa tuning, as you could play it together with various people around the world (in Alaska, the mbira players are in Homer, south of Anchorage). Now I need to know if your hands are large, medium or small. Also, do you like lots of "buzz" or less buzz? Including shipping, the mbiras range from $185 to $245 (different makers have different prices). I'll also put you on my email list so you hear about workshops, CDs etc.
Me: Hi Erica, I didn't think there were many mbira players in Kentucky. I'm about a five-hour drive from Carbondale; too far for regular trips but close enough for the occasional journey. I think that I have medium-large hands, but I'm not sure what you consider medium and large. I can comfortably play 10ths on the piano, so maybe you can use that to gauge my hand size. I like lots of buzz. The prices sound more than reasonable, so that will be no problem. Does that price include a resonator? Lastly, I look forward to being on your mailing list and beginning to learn more about the community.
Erica: Hi Miles, It sounds like you have large hands. Of the ones I have in stock right now, I'd recommend one made by Murawo Tembedza, for big hands and buzz (I'm out of several other makers that would also fit that description). Its $235 including shipping. I'd suggest that you also get some of the "Student Series" (http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=cds#student) and "Mbira Piece Intensive" CDs (http://www.mbira.org/catalog.asp?cat=cds#intensives) - take a look at the website to see these, if you want to pick some. I could include about 4 in the box with the mbira and not charge you shipping on them. The CDs are all $20 each. A deze is not included - too much space to store them (that I don't have). You can order one from Zimbabwe, fiberglass that was molded on a gourd one, and the info is at http://www.mbira.org/gettingmbira.html
WatchHow to Turn a Sphere Inside Out
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Films by Gordon Matta-Clark →
Climbing a tree. Destroying a truck. Cutting a pier. Cutting a building.
Useful Quicklook Tips →
My personal addition to this list:
4. Cmd+Opt+Y takes you straight to Fullscreen view.
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