March 7, 2015
(This is part
of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on
each day's gift.)
 |
| Balancing sounds with plugs. |
Volume
is the motivation but when did acoustic instruments become capable of plugging
in? Until several innovations took place, the guitar, for instance, was
limited to small venues. Musicians wanted to be heard in larger places. Spanish
guitar maker Antonio Torres increased the guitar size and created a “fan” top
bracing design around 1850. Guitars became louder but musicians were still not
satisfied. Then around 1900, German immigrant Christian Martin invented the X
brace, which allowed the use of steel strings with increased sound. However,
this still wasn’t loud enough. Lloyd Loar of Gibson guitars developed the first
pickup and then George Beauchamp and Aldoph Rickenbacker created a better
pickup, which then revolutionized the music industry and allowed acoustic
instruments to be plugged in and heard in larger venues. Loud is here.
Tonight
I watched the plug in preparations for a performance at Georgie Jessup’s Edith
May’s Paradise house concert with Crying Fridays. With the myriad of
wire and plug puzzles, it seemed to me that only a musical technology genius
could set the stage for the great performances we heard. At some point in the
sound checks, my husband David looked at the plugged in bass and mentioned the “big violin with the
catheter” House laughter ensued. His wit and astute observance of a metaphor made me think
about other ways of being plugged in.
David has always been
plugged into humor and my relationship with him has made all the difference.
Although all my life I’ve loved to play practical jokes and laugh, I tend to be
serious. But it is David’s influence in plugging me into humor that sets my
stage with equilibrium, a life that is balanced.
My gift today is being plugged in.
You
can read my other posts on this project here:
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