[K-Wave]

Hi. New here, so pardons if this has been done to death....

I think I know the basics, i.e. piano strings, pick-up, etc. The GD Gear Book, currently loaned out, doesn't have that much more I don't think.

So does anyone have any good insights to share on the thing? Who "invented" it? Did it have any precursors, Dead or otherwise? (Did it grow out of that Kesey machine on Closing of Winterland DVD?)

Is it tuned? If so, how so? Was it a hassle to maintain? In later videos, Mickey is always talking with someone back stage while using it. I gather he's asking for effects patches such as delay and panning. But why not just control with a MIDI master foot board?

[willmusic]

First off, it's good to make your acquaintance! The beam instrument is thought to have been designed by John Lazell and Mickey's original version was made from a piece of driftwood, used a transducer pickup, and was modeled after the ones owned/played by beam "virtuoso" Francisco Lupica. He was a Bay area percussionist who'd performed with Zakir Hussein and other notables. It went through many changes before evolving into the one he uses now. It's a long aluminum I-beam strung with the 12 lowest strings of a concert grand piano and tuned to a monochord. It now uses active pickups and volume/feedback are pedal-controlled. I hope this helps some. PEACE!

[K-Wave]

Great info. I'm off to look up the originator you mentioned.

I wonder if any of the gear heads here know the evolution of the sound processing. The beam just kept getting better and betting, IMO, even if perhaps overused. But I can't blame Mickey. If I had a set up like that in my house, I'd be be wiling on it a lot, I betcha.