I'm the same, and a drummer also My favored bobbins that are for me the pinnacle of practicality, resonant tone, feel and visual appeal are unlacquered Ebony Flanders bobbins
On 3 Oct 2011, at 15:01, Susan Reishus <[email protected]> wrote: > "...relationship between lace and music...discovered > another...Belgian...Binche...Bayeux...bobbins...musical sound (Belgian not as > clear, Binch higher pitched/clickety..." Nancy > > > As a percussionist favoring > drums, one becomes quite aware of wooden sticks. I loved a conversation with > owner of "Lacemaker USA" where she too talked about how she loved the > sound/music that bobbins make. I remember acknowledging the pleasant click of > the needles when one knits, and several people wrote to say their needles > don't make a sound when they knit...that joy had escaped them, as they do. > The sound and tons vary with wood content (densities vary), length and > thickness, and perhaps to a lesser degree, shape. The latter is too much > physics oriented and more subtle for me to comment on at length. Of course > the way you throw them, how they hit each other, and the load of the thread > and even it's type (content/thickness) also factors, as it is a "damper" which > we also use to change tone in drumming. That can range from actually adding > cloth or batt to the inside of a drum and all the various relations from > placement, to degree of contact, and would be similar to the "thread factor." > A hard wood will bring a clearer tone than a less dense one. I suppose you > could compare it to wine glasses filled with water and running your finger > over the rim (or when we tap a glass with a utensil or our fingernail). The > volume of the water factors into it, but even more so, the content of the > glass itself, as lead crystal provides a clearer sound that an inexpensive > glass. Here too the shape can affect but one typically stays with similar > shape as you control the sound with the liquid...adding other factors like > glass shape and what composes the glass tends to make it all too complicated > and more trial and error. > > It is one of the reasons that I love bobbin lace, > and one can use the rhythm to help one relax and begin listening to the sound > pattern as much or more than the process. A bit like knitting where one > begins to get into the clicking of the needles and the pattern/rhythm of the > lace pattern and when the sound is off, you know you have to go back and check > for a mistake. > > Complicated subject, but one of the perhaps unconscious > rewards of bobbin lace. Since I don't work with spangled bobbins, I am > curious if the metal and beads tend to dampen the experience of the wood > sounds. I would guess that would be true to a larger degree, as the wood > doesn't get its full chance for a resonant tone. Working the same or similar > piece of stitch with an ebony wood and another with jaspe or another, would > still bring subtle differences. To many it wouldn't matter, but to some > brings the ultimate refinement of the experience. > > Then one begins to consider > if they are choosing bobbins not only for price, but for looks (preferring > those with a certain look) verses the sound they make. I think we tend to > choose things for visual reasons as most of us dominate in visual, but some > are auditory and it is often secondary for most, which could help bring this > awareness to the forefront. > > > When I choose new drum sticks in the store, I > choose certain types of woods as I know they will provide better sound and > control (and some are stronger woods). I also roll them across a glass > counter to see if they are straight, which nowadays amuses the the sales > person as they have no idea what I am doing. Then I have to explain it all > and they suddenly stop laughing as it is harder to execute what one wants with > a stick that isn't completely straight, and the sound is clearer or more > resonant. You can also hear the wood sing as it rolls, which indicates even > if it has a defect (which isn't good near the neck close to the tip). Of > course I don't go into that as they would probably think I was crazy, but > these are all things that we unconsciously note, and some choose to bring to > the conscious mind for insight and fulfillment, so we can better execute or > express our gift. > > Happy lacing! > > Susan Reishus > > - > To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: > unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to > [email protected]. Photo site: > http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
