the Dude who Played Colours

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duh Padma
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the Dude who Played Colours

Post by duh Padma » Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:10 am

First I have a story to share and a question or two, followed with a thought to ponder.

The story is true. The first part is how it was told to me. The second part is my personal experience.

I call it


THE DUDE WHO PLAYED COLOURS



He could only play "Dasie Dasie" give me your answer true......on his flute. That plus his constant verbal babble was driving the house full of musicians up the wall.

One night he came home to find all his stuff, stuffed into his huge back pack and his flute sitting on top.

He took the hint and wandered of in the direction of Mt. Everest.

Two years later he reappeared. No back pack. Just a flute and a blanket. No one said a word.

That evening was blessed with a spectacular sunset. A new member of the house commented on the beautiful colours and how peaceful they sounded to her.

To which he replied.

"Would you like to hear it again.?”

"Yes!" She said. The rest of the house remained silent.

Later that evening he played back the sunset. The whole house sat in disbelief and total astonishment to what their ears had just heard, and their inner eye just saw. When finished playing he picked up his blanket, bowed in gratitude and left in silence.


End of Part one.

Part Two.


So there we were discussing how to change the key of the carpet that we wanted to weave in the carpet factory. The carpet was designed in reds.... we were out of red dies but had plenty of other colours.
We had to change key.

It was at this point that the story of the man who played colors was shared with me.

A few days later, the carpet weaving master said "He is back.”

"Who?" me asks.

"The dude who plays colours. The quiet guy you served supper to last night”

Hmmmm me thinks to me self.

The following morning I find myself walking up the road to the carpet factory. The monastery was on my right, on the up hill side of the road and the left side drop down into terraced steps. Steps freshly carved into the steep walls going deep into the Kathmandu valley and up the other sides of the mountains.

Coming down the road ahead of me is the dude playing his flute.

As he approaches he stops playing and we come together like smoke rising form incense as it blends into the air. We greet each other by bowing.

I spoke first.

"I hear you play colours”

"Why, yes I do" he replied. "Would you like to hear a colour?”

"Why, yes I would”

"What colour would you like to hear?”

Now the monsoons were just finished and everything up and down the terraced slops was in full spring green.

"Green" me reply.

He bowed, lifted his flute as if to catch the wind flowing down from the monastery and then moved his mouth into the flute.

At first I could barley hear him. Then as if the sound were an offering it floated out and touched the needle tips of the Buddha Pine tree above us, and I witnessed them starting to glow....and flow until the whole tree was a swaying an' a glowing as if in a trance dance with the sounds emanating from the flute.

I then looked about as the sound seemed to travel in all directions, touching and caressing all that was green. I witnessed the grass glow and sway to and fro. The up hill side to the monastery started to breath, heave and sigh in time to his flute. The terraced steps became alive, breathing and heaving while flowing like rivers, down into the valley and up the sides of the far mountains.

Everything green was alive, iridescent and glowing, illuminated from within.

I was mesmerized.

Slowly as he played he withdrew the sounds reach and I watched the distant hillsides return to "normal" slowly the terraces came to rest, and the grasses stopped swaying.

On his last note, the Buddhist pine needles were sitting still although the tips were glowing.

I bowed in deep respect.

He bowed and we both went on our individual ways in silence.

After we had parted I looked around in wonderment at all that was alive for it seemed to be happy and at peace and harmony, as if blessed by the unseen sound of green.




There you have it. True story of The Man Who Played Colours.




Now my questions to you.


If everything is vibrating ....what is the key of nature ?

Were do your builds like to naturally resonate at? What's their pitch? What’s your pitch? What are you pitchin?.......I do know to stay away from pitchy wood....sticky stuff...good for burning.

When you tune her up, does she have a range? Or is E it? Are you still tuning to A440? ever try another Hz?

What are the unheard harmonics of the boxes you build and string up ...the ones above and below our physical years of hearing and leaning and living? Can she stand her ground in hell and sing in sympathetic harmony with the celestial choir ? Does she resonate with your voice, when you sing, speaking back to you while sitting untouched on her stand?

Yes dudes....

What is the key of nature?


Finally ... a thought to ponder.

They say we are in the Golden Age of building sound boxes...guitars.

I disagree. Yes we have come a long way in the 100 or so years of builds in the west.

However.....
I believe we have just stepped upon the threshold of mastering the skills that will open the doors to that Golden Age of sound and vibration in our instruments.

Or as Hermes said....

"He who understand the law of vibration holds the scepter of power in his hands.”

I believe that scepter is now within our grasp. When it is finally realized, then and only then will we enter the True Golden Age of Guitar building that is being ushered in.

With that thought I will close this thread and return to my shop, I have a few thousand board feet of lumber to turn into sawdust. It may take a while, but with any luck, and divine intervention, one of them boards will end up singing the clear rainbow sounds of white light.

Thank you for taking duh time to read me babblings.


blessing
duh Padma

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DarwinStrings
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Re: the Dude who Played Colours

Post by DarwinStrings » Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:57 pm

duh Padma wrote: What’s your pitch?


I reckon I am a G, a little sharp or flat of that and it doesn't really matter.

I need to get out of this shed now though as the flow of this water is making my feet to cold and wrinkly.

Jim

Life is good when you are amongst the wood (right now I could do with a ark)
Life is good when you are amongst the wood.
Jim Schofield

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sebastiaan56
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Re: the Dude who Played Colours

Post by sebastiaan56 » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:52 pm

My pitch usually starts with "Hi Honey, I make mandolins, can I buy you a drink"

Hasnt worked yet....
make mine fifths........

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