Pin-Barrel Harp with Chris Wood singing Mad John

The Pin-Barrel Harp is now close to completion and is shown being put through some trial performances by Henry Dagg and Chris Wood. The Pin-Barrel Harp is a sound-sculpture designed as a public-access acoustic composing machine in honour of Cecil Sharp, it has been commissioned by the English Folk Dance & Song Society and funded by the Big Lottery fund. Vocals: Chris Wood; arranging/programming: Henry Dagg, who has to wind the machine manually until the motor is fitted. Mad John was written by Chris WQood and is featured on his current album 'Trespasser'

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Pin-barrel Harp
• Henry Dagg
• Chris Wood
• Mad John
• Trespasser

[keithtkarns]

That is one of the coolest instruments I've ever seen. It must be absolute hell to program though.

[GabrielHawkPot]

@jayratch ever heard of counterpoint? you idiot.

[OmenieSoftware]

Deeply excellent.

[fingal42]

@jayratch His timing is flawless. You don't understand music... but you think you do don't you?

[inaband]

@jayratch - bleh. I don't think you understand.

[garantuan]

All of it is great!!

[moorejem]

Now *that* is very cool! I love the harp sound, and Chris Wood has been a favorite since I first starting listening to the album he and Andy Cutting did, many years ago...great stuff!

[mauritzemauratze]

this is beauty

[mauritzemauratze]

in cre di ble beauty

[jayratch]

I disagree, the vocals are terrible. To be quite clear, the guy has a great voice, but the timing is atrocious. Mind you, it's hard enough to sing to a mechanical instrument such as a CD or MP3 (versus a live performance) but this hand-wound device combines the disadvantages of both live and recorded accompaniment: unpredictable tempo, and unforgiving precision.

Honestly I would really like to hear just the instrument by itself. Where is that video??