On
his recordings Edward plays a wide range of instruments; some are traditional
from various countries, and others are unique, original, and self-constructed.
Here is a brief list...
"The triple-neck fretless guitar" is essentially a RAGA and MAKAM machine... Designed and self-built by Edward perhaps to fulfill his duty/destiny to return to the guitar and inspire a new generation by being a "bridge" between the West and the East. This 33 string 'guitar' with 2 fretless necks (one for nylon - one for steel), and a third "semi-neck" for sitar type sympathetic strings, is ideal equally for Indian music, Arab/Turkish music, and anything Western... in fact it is great for any kind of music.
...building this instrument - photos
"Fretless
guitars" fall into three basic categories: electric, acoustic
nylon string, and acoustic steel string. Electric fretless guitars are
what most people are playing today. Nylon string fretless guitars are
very common in Turkey. Steel string acoustic fretless guitars are rare
because (unlike electric and nylon) they do not sound good played normally
with the tips of the fingers contacting the strings. An acoustic steel-string
fretless guitar requires the "sarod technique" of using the
fingernails of the left hand to 'stop' the strings...
...read more about fretless guitars
The "sitar" is the most famous musical instrument of India. It's sound tends to immediately trigger thoughts and feelings of the sub-continent. It's exact origin is unknown but it is believed to have evolved into something like it's present form in the 1700's, as a marriage between the Persian setar, the South Indian vina, and with the characteristically resonant bridge of the tanpura...
...read more about the sitar
The "oud" is the ancient form of the "fretless lute" which is in common use in the Middle East, Turkey, and North Africa. Although virtually unknown to Westerners the oud is as common in the Middle East as the guitar is in Europe and America. The oud originated centuries ago in Asia Minor and eventually made it's way, along with Islamic rulers, across North Africa to Morocco. Subsequent Muslim conquerors brought it into southern Spain where it evolved into the medieval lute. In fact, the name "lute" is Spanish for "the oud", = "l'oud", = "lude", = "lute". The lute then, of course, slowly evolved into today's Spanish nylon string guitar...
HOW TO BUILD AN OUD (by E. Powell) publish by GuitarSession.com
...read
more about the oud
"Building original instruments": Edward has been designing, and building unique, original acoustic stringed instruments now for quite some time. This fetish which occasionally becomes an obsession began with various courageous experiments on sitars... the experiments eventually became full instrument construction projects...
...read more about building
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