Tutorial: How to play the musical saw for beginners
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
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Musical Saw product recommendations here: www.amazon.com... (it's an Amazon affiliate link, but i own everything in the list!)And join for exclusive content / brigidkaelin
I've played the musical saw since I was 8. I've played with Elvis Costello, Garrison Keillor, Jim James, and countless others. I have recorded saw in Nashville, Los Angeles, London, New York, and my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. I'm planning on many future saw tutorials for you, but wanted to give you a quick basic lesson.
I meant to do this ten years ago, but hesitated to give away the secrets :) I don't care about that now: spread the #singingsaw #musicalsaw ! I recorded this quickly the day before I had surgery to repair my rotator cuff (that damage was caused by the accordion, not the saw ha ha ha ha!) and needed to record a bunch of content just for my awesome PATREON members so you have something fun to watch and learn from while I'm recovering from surgery.
more info: linktr.ee/brig...
Nice! I've been wanting to experiment with using the saw ever since I heard Julian play it on In An Aeroplane Over The Sea.. thanks!
Kat Daniel that was the first time I’d seen it in pop culture, other than Delicatessan! I had played the saw for 10 years at that point but was so shy about talking about it because it felt so nerdy 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@brigidkaelin Hahhaha, I feel that! I've personally been experimenting with making ambient atmospheres for a next project of mine and I thought the saw could be a very nice way to fill out headspace/soundstage (is that the word??).
@@closedupshop4172 Yes! Let me know - i'd be happy to lay down a track for you sometime.
Go back to reddit with that hipster bullshit
@@sunnyztmoney it's neutral milk hotel it's not even hipster it's pretty popular
I am truely amazed!!! Never new such an instrument exists!! Thanks a lot madam. Love from India 🇮🇳.
In addition to being able to play banjo, violin, mandolin,harmonica, guitar, and spoons, I want to learn this as well. Great video!
Brigid this tutorial was amazing. Thanks so much! I have a sandvik saw going to buy a cello bow soon. I am a guitar player, banjo player but a few years back I was at a fair and saw an old guy play "amazing grace" like you are there. I almost went it was so surreal and beautiful! tom in Maine.
this is the coolest thing i've ever seen
I love that - thank you for saying as much. I never thought of it as “cool” haha so extra nice to hear 💜
This is super helpful! I started a band and the musical saw sounds super daunting when you listen to the pros, but this video helped our saw player feel confident to get started.
Oh I’m so glad! Yes- I’ve played saw all over the world and so a long time there was an unspoken rule among the pros that we don’t share the secrets - like a magician 🙃🙃🙃. I no longer believe that though and want everyone to enjoy the saw! I have been ill, but plan on posting a lot more saw tutorials. Let me know if you have any requests💜
You're just so happy teaching us how to play a SAW that's just awesome and cute like it's the best thing I've seen in a long time!
Since you asked so nicely, I'm now a subscriber 😂 really caught me off guard how informal and welcoming this felt.. thank you x
Oh my goodness, thank you!! This made my day. :)
Today I learnt something new! I didn’t even know a musical saw was a thing.
Awesome, I was just listening to the black heart procession to figure out this technique but now I hear the soundtrack to “one flew o we the cookoo nest” this sound effect has been used for years ! Awesome 👏 thanks for sharing
It's such a wild sound! Totally forgot about how it's in Cuckoo's Nest. Thanks for the reminder.
I was whistling Amazing Grace today with a little vibrato and thought “hey, I’ll bet that would sound cool on a singing saw” and there you are. Thank you. Subbed in, notified and liked. The RUclips trifecta.
Thank you!!
I watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest the other day. The theme is played on a musical saw. I used to mess around with one a little, and the movie got me back into it.
Thank you, this video was super informative despite being super short! Beautifully done.
So glad you found it helpful! I've made a playlist of videos where i'm trying to answer everyone's saw questions. Let me know if you've got any & i'm happy to answer. Have fun!
Never thought i would see someone playing a saw like an instrument
Thank you. I bought one AWHILE ago, haven't had much luck with it. Don't know why I didn't check RUclips sooner..... (Btw, you're very attractive)
Enjoy the day,
-Mark-
Thanks! Good luck. Let me know if I can answer questions in another tutorial.
Yes she IS very attractive! God bless her 😌😍
I'm learning to play the saw right now, this video had a lot of tips that I haven't come across anywhere else. Fancy being able to play like Brigid, huh?
Perfect lockdown activity! Let me know if i can help :)
@@brigidkaelin would you be willing to set up a zoom call to help me?
What the? Didn't know this was a thing til learning of the theremin and now I find out a saw does it too!
Ha!! Yep .. and the saw cam hundreds of years before the Theremin :) I love them both. Lost my Theremin in a breakup many years ago ... perhaps time to get another one! I sometimes call my saw my "acoustic Theremin," although i think really the Theremin is the "electric saw" hahahahha.
@@brigidkaelin Thats very cool, sorry to hear about the Breakup! The sound a saw can make just blows my mind. i did not realize theyve been doing this for so long.
Cool. In my youth in Belfast Ireland there was a man who used to play the saw as a street busker. I was looking for a saw player for an event and couldn't find one. Maybe I'll try it myself. Enjoyed you video.
Love you, Brigid, ever since I saw you play with Tim Krekel at the old BBC in St Matthews. Love, Louisville Girl, CG.
Thank you so much, Constance!!! Oh, those were the days, weren't they??? I loved sitting in with Tim. He never talked down to me when SO many others did :) Loved him.
Beautiful. Thank you for this. Making my first notes on the saw!
i was cringing so hard because of the first few sounds for some reason they make me get a shiver down my spine
it's a really wild sound!
I saw this in home improvement just now and had to stop the episode to see if it’s real and I have to say I am more satisfied than I thought I would be xD
Took till towards the end but I did subscribe. Thanks for posting.
Thank you so much!
Thanks you for this!
Good luck!
Does a harmony too. Amazing.
I love this, thank you!
She's just a super sweet tutor
I was given this exact saw but it's older and from the 60s I was given it but an older blue grass man (I also like bluegrass) I was confused why he gave me an old saw but i mean Olay and I let it set for a while and wondered why he never bought a new saw just learned he used to play it
That's so cool! Good luck :)
Hi Brigid! If you don’t mind, I have a couple questions.
1) Will a vintage 30” work just as well as a fresh one?
2) Could you recommend any ways to dull the blade of a saw so that it’s less scary?
Like probably many others, I was inspired by Neutral Milk Hotel to look into the saw and really enjoyed this video. Thank you!
I love vintage saws! I often will scoop one up on one of my tours and play that instead. Occasionally i run across one that is difficult to play, but most play even better than a fresh one, in my opinion.
A lot of people will use sandpaper to dull the blades. I don't bother :)
You do this with impressive ease and skill.
It still sounds crap, but it's still impressive that people can do it so skillfully.
LOL - love this comment!
listen to in the aeroplane over the sea by neutral milk hotel and tell me it sounds crap
Cool.
First saw this with the Bahamaians.
When I was in my teen years I figured out how to play a saw. I didn't use a bow (I did play the violin) I just used a hammer. It was an interesting sound to make. That was about 55 or so years ago.
Hey! Awesome video. I recently saw someone play it in person, and was wondering if you need an ‘official’ musical saw or will any wood saw work?
I actually prefer a regular old handsaw :) And often when I'm on tour, I find a rusty old one in someone's garage that sounds better than any "musical saw." The steel is a little thinner on the musical saws, but I find i have more control on a thicker blade. I only use a musical saw when I need more notes, like when I'm performing The Star Spangled Banner or other songs with a two-octave range:) Long answer for: any wood saw will do! 20" or longer for best sound. Good luck!
If I'm reincarnated after I die, I want to come back as a musical saw and be played by you!
Thank you for that great video! There's a scene in Babylon Berlin with a saw being played. It made me want to look into how to do this to maybe do a duet with my didgeridoo! Great tutorial! I'm going to subscribe to support your channel, but I have one question. Does this harm the bow? I only have one bow for my fiddle, so I am worried I might harm it by doing this? Do I need a separate bow? Thank again and Happy Spring! : )
Hi Brigid, just found out that a musical saw is an actual saw, so now I really want to buy a bow and try it out! I was just wandering if there is a minimum length required for the saw. Mine is about 17 inches. Also, is there a reason you make the s-shape with your thumb? I tried it out on my saw but it started to hurt after a few minutes, and it seems that it's also possible to make the shape with the base of your thumb.
Kind regards,
Lennard
Hi Lennard! So it's possible to play a 17" saw, but it's much more difficult than even one that's 20". The minimum size that I tour with is a 22".
Thumb-pain is part of the gig, alas :) I am double-jointed, so my thumb bends twice as far as most people's -- not great, but it's how my body works. I find that using the base of the thumb doesn't allow for me to get to notes quickly - i have a lot more control using the grip you see here. But never fear: you want to try a "cheat." It's a wood block -- you can make one easily -- that holds the saw for you. Then once you figure out the S-curve, you can bend and adjust as needed. I prefer to use my hands because I play fast and complex tunes often, and being able to feel the curve directly is helpful. To me, using a cheat feels like playing piano with gloves: it's possible, but makes it harder for me to feel where I am.
Re: the thumb pain though if you don't have a cheat ... focusing on the muscles and not the joints can ease that pain, but mostly, you get better and better and are able to play longer without pain with practice.
Here's a link to a fancy cheat:) musicalsawshop.com/musical-saw-store/ols/products/musical-saw-cheat-ergonomic-special-edition
@@brigidkaelin Thanks so much for the thorough reply!
Is there a guideline on where to position the thumb? You seem to adjust it from where you placed it at 0:36 when you add the fingers.
Also, are you adjusting the thumb grip at all as you push down for the higher pitches? Or does that part of the s-curve stay the same?
Thanks!
Hi, thanks for the video! I kept playing it in a very low volume and I don’t know why, the sound of the saw is even quieter than my back ground noise, do you know how to fix it? Is it the bow or is just I’m not playing it right? Thanks
wow cool
Do you give online classes or do you have more material?🙂
Hi Jose! I used to give online classes, but they were live, rather than pre-packaged. Honestly i have been trying to figure out what the best way to teach others -- like, which platform would be most helpful to people. I love teaching the saw, and would be happy to make more material. Are you looking to learn anything specific about the saw?
@@brigidkaelin thank you for the response. Well, this is my first approach to music so ive been struggling with everything, I know how to make the sound but not music. Do you have any tip on how to do some easy notes or how to learn to create a complete track? I am interested in play fawn by Tom Waits but I cant do the correct moves with the hand :(
So cool!
Thank you!
Does it help to use a longer saw that’s more bendy? My poor lil thumb was workin over time on a smaller saw blade that I had. Thanks so much for this amazing video!❤
Does the thickness of the saw matter? I have a rather thick one, it seems less bendy than this one and I'm finding it hard to get a strong note
It’ll hurt your joints a bit more. But it shouldn’t matter on making a sound. I’d borrow another one just to see if it’s excessively thick but it could just be trial and error.
@@brigidkaelin Hey thanks so much for the reply. I managed to get a sound out of it - needed more roisin. Although I have the cheat, I find it much easier to play with just the hand, but it also hurts lmao
Can you please help me with how to get this tone in keyboards? Any vst ?
Ooooh i haven't found a good one yet! I do a lot of recording work for film scores and such because there's not a great synth sound to emulate the saw. Let me know if you need overdubs:)
Have You Played Blue Side Of Lonesom By Jim Reeves?
How do you deal with the noise from the bow? Mine makes a lot of friction noise. Thanks!
nice one
oO subscribed.. you cool.. couldn't say no
Is that a normal saw or a specific type only for music?
Thanks for watching! It is a normal saw, purchased at the hardware store. My favorite is the 26" Stanley, but I also have it in 20", 22" and 24". Sometimes i have to travel more compact. This video shows the pitch range in various saws ruclips.net/video/OwNUuXmVf_k/видео.html -- the Wentworth is a "musical saw" but it is not my favorite type to play. I only use it when I need 2.5 octaves of range (for most songs I don't need that). Good luck!
I owned a musical cat. She'd growl when I picked her up, and by gently squeezing here and there, I could get tunes out of her. Something like a feline bagpipe ..
740am what about using left hand camps some saw players use?
Harmonic like Theremin
guys dont look at thumb
É esse aço que pessoas usam para fazer harpa de mandíbola,harpa de boca?
are there any saws you would recommend to start off with as i have tried to look in hardware stores for saws but they arent flexible enough
Hey! How thick should the saw's blade be?
Doesn't matter much - but i like some heft on mine. Thicker blades are harder to bend though, so try to find what works for you. I prefer Stanleys.
Can I use my old 1897 54 inch lumber double handle saw?
It's difficult to use a double-handle saw if you are a beginner. I have played one a few times and found it better to stand up and put your foot on one side. Getting the "S-curve" is really difficult with a saw that size though. I would use a spoon instead of a bow and see what tones you get. A regular handsaw is much easier to make music with though. Let me know how it goes!
I cannot find a saw bigger than 60 cm
Can you get a wooden thing to bend the end of the saw?? My wrist is absolutely knackered and I wouldn’t be able to do that …
Yes! They are called "cheats," and lots of players use them. I don't like it because i can't feel my way around as easily - like playing piano with gloves on :) But no shame in using one! It's a terrible name. i'm double-jointed, which i think is part of why i can play longer than most people.
@@brigidkaelin Cheats!! Lol … Well I’d need one as I simply wouldn’t be able to do that with my hands! I’m a drummer originally but I have always found this fascinating … Have you seen the film ‘Delicatessen’? The violin & saw clips in that are brilliant!!!
@@Sauron191 Yes! I saw it not long after it came out and was blown away because i didn't know any other saw players :) It doesn't hurt my wrist at all - it's more about the thumb and finger strength. But no shame in getting a cheat :) I need to sell them on my website bc so many people ask and they are hard to find! But i can make them.
@@brigidkaelin I have no thumb or finger strength at all … Wrist bones are totally f**ked!! 8 bone crunching Ops on them has its costs!! …
@@Sauron191 OUCH!!!! I had 7 surgeries in the past 18 months (not on my wrist), so yowza i know how hard that recovery is.
Casually came here for Slime Boy
Who's here from David Pazmino's short?
Tnku mam.. Pls listen part by part...
Good night love the office and
Hey, your t-shirt is very similar to Ukrainian vyshyvanka. :)
Cool!
I'm fall in love of you
1.35 and She hasn't started to play! - goodbye - This is why You should watch the video before subscribing!
Who else is here from that short?
Honey
Great music for Qanon folks. They should play this before, during, and after their rallies.
Why does it sound like a theremin? Lol
Hahah you mean “why does a theremin sound like a saw” :)
@@brigidkaelin exactly my point lol
@@SweetHershii905 lol -- it's just that the saw has been played for hundreds of years, and most people don't realize that. The amount of times i'm told "hey it's like an acoustic theremin" hahahah when truly ... the theremin is an electric saw! (i play the theremin too, so no hate haha!)
@@brigidkaelin It’s ok I get it XD
Check your thumb ithink it's broken
lol! I'm hypermobile :)
Wird bestimmt gut erklärt,aber leider nicht in deutsch ,schsde
thanks... can you, please, ad my name in your saw
💛💙🌻💖👍