One of the many things I learned from spending a lot of time with Martin Simpson is to learn new instruments. This trend started with a National dobro, a mandola, a walking bass dulcimer and now an entirely non fret board instrument that I will reveal in due course.
There is usually a learning curve with new learning and once I can past the “I hate this” phase, some semblance of acceptable sound begins to emerge. One of secrets is to keep practicing and to ensure that each instrument is used in creating new material. On The Small Change Diaries “Protest Songs” EP, I used the mandola on “Commons Sense” and on the next album “Lullabies for Cynics” I use the walking bass dulcimer on a new track “Lullaby” With the dobro, it took me six months to get any kind of reasonable sound, but once that started to appear, it was an absolute joy. Of course within the whole ukulele family there is a massive range of sonic possibilities. I currently have 23 ukuleles, ranging from a 1920s Martin to a 5 string baritone, an 8 string baritone, a 5 string tenor and a range of sopranos, concerts and tenors, all very different.
There is something wonderfully liberating about a new instrument when you have little or no idea about how to play it. Of course in time its essential to know what you are doing, BUT a lack of any initial musical awareness can produce all manner of fascinating possibilities. These days I am listening for new sounds which then inspire new compositions. Each instrument provokes a new way of playing and new sonic territory and its fascinating to start to combine instruments in new ways, always of course creating ORIGINAL songs.
