This page gives a convenient listing of links to all the videos on the site, or at least a good selection of them, if that is your specific interest. I've divided them into the same general categories that divide the website,
"The Music", "The Hammered Dulcimer", "The Life", and "The Man".
My Web Log, "A Folksinger's Journal, is the best primary source for all the video now, either as video tour and studio journals, or as videos associated with a journal entry I use to introduce them. The Journal has flash video files that you download and save to play on whatever player you use, whatever speed your internet connection, though some systems will "play" the file as if it was streamed, though it is actually downloading and playing simultaineously. Best results though are gotten by specifically downloading then playing the video, rather than just clicking on it. The sidebar has links to the older AK 2000 video tour journals as well, which are already part of the website in their own section, and the normal set of catagories the videos are seperated into, along with audio files and text entries.
While the videos show the real scenes, they can't tell the whole story. In the Web Journal, the videos each have their own page with a description, sometimes refering to other parts of the website where I have more detailed information that the video relates to. Many videos are referenced within the main website in the appropriate places, with links to the webjournal, and also sometimes embedded youtube players or playlists, or just a link to my youtube channel.
Many videos are mirrored on my
YouTube Channel, at a smaller screen size. There are seperate playlists for Performance Videos, The Electric Hammered dulcimer, Building Pickups for the Hammered Dulcimer, a series of Instrumental Demonstrations of various playing styles and effects, and episodes 1 to 18 of the AK2K video tour journals, and more. For slow internet connections, I provide many video files on their pages of my webjournal to download and play without having to stream, while the youtube videos are playable as streaming files.
Though I have tried to provide this list, it may not be complete and up to date. Checking the web journal and my youtube channel are the best way to find the latest videos and complete listings
I am limited here to only originals and traditionals due to copyright laws, though as a modern folksinger, that is usually just a small part of a typical show. I am often playing the same original and traditional songs at different shows, because they are going strong and I like them, and I only keep so many polished up at one time. Finally, it all comes down to what songs got captured on the video well, without the camera getting bumped, or someone talking or standing in front of the camera, or some other outside noise interupting, or whatever. Most often, I had to just set up the camera and let it run while I was busy playing and take whatever I got.
I have been documenting my travels with photos and video for many years, and in 2000 moved to TV quality digital video. That story is described in the in "The Video Tour Journals". I have just begun producing new video tour journals and studio journals for the Web Journal, the first time I've done so since I made the first Video Tour Journals in 2000, "AK2K". Though my focus is moving forward, I also want to produce some videos from my archived VHS and digital footage. The concept of a video tour journal on the internet was a dream back in 2000 that the internet wasn't ready for, now it is. I am still trying to do what I wanted to do then, open a "window on my world". I live a very different life, and though I have taken many photos and written a lot aboout it, there are so many scenes that just cannot be described, only experienced. Video can do that. Though it is difficult for me to live the life and video it as well, I will do what I can, and hopefully capture even some small part of this life I live as a Folksinger.
The Man
I plan to produce a few "meet the artist" interviews to talk about my life and music
The Life
"A Folksinger's Journal" - Studio Journals: In the summer of 2009, I have quit performing to work in the studio and other music projects. I change from a "Tour Journal" to a "Studio Journal", and start the series as video, though later I revert to text and pictures, while introducing seperate included videos or audio files.
VSJ One 7-1-09 "In The Beginning Was The Video"
VSJ 7-15-09 "Video Studio"
VSJ 8-15-09 "Up And Rolling"
"A Folksinger's Journal"-Tour Journals: When I arrive at the Studio, I do both a final tour journal, and one from the 2009 Florida tour. The final one is an introduction to the Studio Journals, the Florida Tour Journal, "Lou's Ponderosa", is a platform for several performance videos.
VTJ 5-1-09 "Lou's Ponderosa"
VTJ 6-15-09 "Watershed Divide"
Video Tour Journals from July through November of 2000, "AK2K": 18 episodes of three minutes each, following my tour Alaska, and continuing through Montana to Seattle, available with full documentation at the links below, or on my channels on YouTube and Google Video.
Introduction, Episodes 1 to 18 of the AK2K tour journals, and associated live performances on a YouTube Playlist
The Music
"A Folksinger's Journal" - The Music Category
The YouTube Playlist - Live Performance Videos
There are live performance videos associated with both the tour journals and studio journals. One of the specific projects in the studio was producing video from past performances for use on the internet. When I was editing the performances down, I also got interested in the stage talk I was editing out, and collected it into special videos of "Stage Talk". These are live performances, often outside, with an unmonitored though professional camera, and conditions are hardly optimal, but that is reality. Here's an individual listing of just some of the performance videos available in the music category of the web journal, many of which are also on the YouTube playlist.
Solstice 2009, Raising the Tree 2000
Not a performance video, but the soundtrack of this holiday video is one of the latest songs coming out of the studio, with voice, guitar, dulcimer and flute, and one from an early CD, just voice and guitar. Since it isn't on the playlist, I'm including the separate youtube link as well.
Solstice 2000 - Raising the Tree, on the Web Journal
Solstice 2009 - Raising the Tree 2000, on You Tube
The Potter's House, Washington, DC, 11-27-2009:
I make the rounds of the local music scene, meeting people, making connections, playing for people. This place has deep roots in the DC movement scene, the coffeehouse-bookstore, one of the many similiar places that have played an integral part of the progressive art and activism scene here in America, and historically.. ah the smell of coffee, books, and social ferment!
Traveling on the Way
The Soundry, Vienna, Virginia, 11-23-09:
A cool alternative multi-art venue-gallery, the real "garage band sound", because the stage is in a converted garage.
So Fine
The Florida State Folk Festival, 4-23-2009:
In the Plaza, St Augustine, Florida, May, 2009:
A quiet late evening in the Plaza as the people stroll by, stop to listen, talk, drop a bill in my hat. It is the life of a folksinger.
Wild Mountain Thyme
Think Of Me
This Road I'm On
Lou's Ponderosa, Pomona Park, Florida, May 1, 2009:
I usually performing solo with the dulcimer, but at the end, I did a couple with the guitar. In one video ("A Gypsy Lullabye") I later added a flute part I recorded in the studio.
A Gypsy Lullabye
The Water Is Wide
Shenandoah
The Star Of The County Down
Think Of Me
This Road I'm On
A Sound Like A train
Stage Talk
The Tanana Valley State Fair, Fairbanks, Alaska, August,2007 and 2008:
Live performances from the main stage at the State Fair, all dulcimer of course.
I've been Workin' On The Railroad (2007)
Stage Talk
She'll Always Be Beautiful To Me
I've been Workin' On The Railroad (2008)
A Sound Like A Train
Origins
I began producing a series of videos where I captured myself in the act of writing a new song, or playing it for the first time. Here, it was late one night with the power out.
Me Watching You Watching Me
The AK2K Music videos: Associated with the AK2K tour journals, three complete songs in various places, the state fair, Mead's Coffeehouse in Wasilla, and a friend's cabin north of the Arctic Circle in Wiseman. Hosted on google video.
She'll Always Be Beautiful To Me at Mead's Coffeehouse
Greenland Away at the Tanana Valley State Fair Gazebo
Smile For Me, Jenny at the Reakof Cabin, Wiseman
The Electric Hammered Dulcimer
The Electric Hammered Dulcimer category of the Journal contains a special "Introduction to the Elctric Hammered Dulcimer", in longer and shorter versions, both for general viewing and specifically fpr promoters and venues. Since I've introduced the dulcimer thousands of times to audiences, I've included a live version of that introduction from the show at Lou's Ponderosa. I also produced an ongoing series of videos about building pickups for the electric hammered dulcimer, following all the steps in building wound coil pickups (like an electric guitar), from building the winding machine, designing and experimenting with coils, to practical use on the road. I plan to produce more dulcimer-specific videos, covering tuning and playing basics, and the history behind the dulcimer.
Introducing the Electric Hammered Dulcimer
I made this video as an general introduction to the electric hammered dulcimer, from the history of the hammered dulcimer in general to how and why I changed the traditional dulcimer and developed my style of playing, culminating in the electric hammered dulcimer. Then I cut the original from 10 minute, first to 7.5 minutes, then finally to 5 minutes. I have als included a live version of introducing the electric hammered dulcimer from the stage, something I have done countless times.
Full Length: The original 10 minute (9 min 45 sec) version:
Web Journal
YouTube
First Cut: The first cut to 7.5 minutes, I remove a short bit of dulcimer background history at the beginning and 45 seconds of performing at the end
Web Journal
YouTube
Short Cut: The final cut to 5 minutes, I cut everything else I can, keep the actual demonstrations to a minimum, and get the shortest version.
Web Journal
YouTube
All three versions on a You Tube Playlist
YouTube Playlist
The live version presented in the web journal, done at Lou's Ponderosa, Pomona Park, Florida, May 5, 2009
Web Journal - Live Stage Introduction
Demonstration: Sounds and playing styles on the Electric Hammered Dulcimer
This series of 14 videos briefly demonstrates both some of the sounds of the electric hammered dulcimer, its audio pallete, and some of the styles I have developed for playing different rhythmic styles, and some of the effects I use, both physical and electric, from general sounds to the actual dulcimer parts I play behind specific songs.
The Web Journal page introducing the series, giving an overview of what did and what I was trying to do:
Web Journal
The entire series on a You Tube Playlist:
YouTube Playlist
Instrumental Demonstrations Series One: Sounds and Rhythmic Styles on the Electric Hammered Dulcimer:
| Rhythms for Ballads Web Journal YouTube |
Syncopated Rhythms Web Journal YouTube |
Blues Rhythms Web Journal YouTube |
Folk-Rock Rhythms Web Journal YouTube |
| A Gypsy Tune Web Journal YouTube |
Reggae Jam Web Journal YouTube |
Darksound Web Journal YouTube |
|
| Sailor's Daughter and So Fine Web Journal YouTube |
Beautiful to me 4-6 Web Journal YouTube |
Beautiful to Me 4-8 Web Journal YouTube |
|
| White Felt Demo Web Journal YouTube |
Black Felt: Beautiful To Me Web Journal YouTube |
Black Felt: Em-D Jam Web Journal YouTube |
Full Metal Dulcimer Web Journal YouTube |
Building Pickups For the Electric Hammered Dulcimer
A series of 8 videos covering the development of my first set of machine-wound magnetic coil pickups for the Electric Hammered Dulcimer, from building the coil winding machine to taking the first working set out on the road for real-world testing. I provide a link to the ou Tube playlist, and individual links are to the individual videos introduced on my web journal. The videos alone can't cover all the background information behind what you see, while the web journal provides more information, as well as links to more extensive information in the pickup building sectin of my website.
The Web Journal
The First Coil Winding Machine
The Pickup Coil Winding Machine
Bobbins For Winding Pickup Coils
The First Pickup Coils
The First Pickups
Testing The First Pickups
Pickups: The First Working Set
Pickups: The Step Coil
