(Note: Use your browser's "Back" button to return to this page from other links.)
English Northern Counties Wait Shawm, double reed, in the key of G. Made of boxwood with ivory and water buffalo horn mounts.
Note: Alan builds this instrument for sale. See Instruments Alan Builds for details
and price.
click on image
to enlarge-22k
Musette Hautbois (Paris) - double reed, in the key of G with 3 keys. Made of Ebony with German siver keys and rings by uknown maker.
click on image
to enlarge-9k
Eth Aboès du Couserans or Le Hautbois du Couserans (Gascogne) - double reed, in the key of D. Made of olive wood by
Casey Burns of Kingston, WA after a copy by Charles Alexandre and Claude Romréo of
the Conservatoire Occitan, Toulouse, France.
click on image
to enlarge-11k
Welsh Pibgorn or pibcorn - single reed, in the key of D. Made of cherry and cowhorn by Alan. Alan also
builds this instrument for sale. See Instruments Alan Builds.
click on image
to enlarge-10k
Italian turnabout or crumhorn - double reed, in the key of G with 2 keys. Made of maple wood with brass keys by Lyn Elder of San Rafael, CA.
click on image
to enlarge-12k
Ton-ton (toun-toun), also known as a tambourin de Béarn, or commonly (in France) as a tambourin à cordes. Traditionally
used to accompany the melody played by the same person on the three-holed pipe, this "string drum" has six strings tuned to the pipe's
tonic and dominate notes). Made by Alan, the body back and sides are of luan mahogany, the top is of spruce, and the ends including the "horns"
are of maple. I use wire-wrapped cello strings in place of traditionally used plain gut. Each string is "bridged" by a brass-wire hoop which causes it to
"buzz" as it vibrates against the wire. Traditionally all six strings are sounded together when struck with the stick. My ton-ton is tuned so that I can
alternately hit three tonic-tuned strings or three dominate-tuned strings. The "three-holed" pipe pictured here is actually a (six-holed) tin whistle with
the four top holes taped-over, and with a thumb hole drilled through the back of the pipe. Alan also builds this instrument for sale.
See Instruments Alan Builds.
Afro/Brazilian Cuica - This stick friction-drum is traditionally used with great effect in the samba bands of Brazil. The shell of this drum is stoneware
pottery, especially made to Alan's design. The goatskin head is tuned by sliding the leather "buffs" along the rope. The bamboo stick is tied to the head,
and protrudes down inside the shell. You can see this feature and the inside of the cuica by clicking here.
Alan also builds this instrument for sale. See Instruments Alan Builds.
Irish bodran or frame drum (like a large tambourine). Made by Alan, this drum is 18 inches in diameter. It has a laminated hardwood shell with hardwood
crossbraces and a goatskin head. The head is glued onto the frame.| About Alan | Alan's Performing Groups | Services | Products | General Interest | Home |