Press.Release.html
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
(photos/illustrations available)
© 1997, Continental News Service
317 west 77th Street, New York, NY 10024
Fax/Phone: (212) 580-7790
Contact: LeonMaurer@aol.com
Revolutionary New, Easy Playing String/Percussion Musical
Instrument and Multi-Functional Sport-Walking Stick Grows Out of a Tree
in Central Park
Len Maurer, engineer, artist, designer, sculptor, master lithographer,
animator, film producer, and inventor of Illustereo® 3-D comic books,
Animascope® 3-D "Animation-by-Automation", Flexstone(TM)
paper plate fine art original lithography, ImagiVision(TM) "3-D movies
without glasses"--has created a unique and revolutionary new portable,
professional quality, easy playing string/percussion musical instrument
originally crafted on his thirteen year old, beautifully sculpted walking
stick made from a fallen branch of a wild scrub cherry tree once growing
in New York City's Central Park.
Besides being a first of its kind "multi-purpose" invention in
the spirit of Leonardo Da Vinci, the Walkingman(TM)--Versitar/Musicane(TM)
is "The most versatile, handiest, best sounding, easiest playing,
portable string/percussion musical instrument in the world". As
the latest and most practical concert quality musical instrument to be
invented in the 20th century, it is destined to become--in its high tech
replications (currently in production)--the "musical instrument of
choice" by young and old during the next century.
As a finely wrought work of art, the original Versitar/Musicane(TM) has
been exhibited at the Museum of American Folk Art as well as in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York--where it will eventually be on permanent display
in their Musical Instrument Gallery along with their present collection
of four "walking stick" instruments (violin, oboe, clarinet and
recorder) created in the 19th century--as the first and only 20th century-invented,
sitar / guitar-type, musical walking stick instrument.
Before becoming a musical instrument, the "Walkingman(TM) -Versitar/Musicane(TM)"
was used as an almost perfect orthopedic walking stick - which supported
and helped heal the inventor's bad back from an old WW II combat injury.
During its first seven years as an excellent walking stick, the Musicane
was also used (with various attachments) as a well-balanced practice
golf putter / chipper / driver, a field hockey stick, a stickball bat,
a canoe paddle, a fishing rod, a stand-up seat in the subway, a package
carry-all (helpful in walking up five flights of stairs in a New York City
brownstone), a tai chi martial arts practice staff, and last but not least
(using its accompanying double paradiddle "percussion stick",
or with finger taps) - a great sounding wood block and "live-skin"
bongo drum set.
This unique 3-string instrument has a "flexible reverse bridge"
mechanism--with International patents pending--that allows the Versitar(TM)
to be played, using string tension control, somewhat like an Indian "sitar"--while
sounding like the finest quality classical, folk or rock "guitar".
Its three strings--bass, baritone and tenor, equivalent in range to a cello,
viola and violin--are treated simply like vocal cords. "If you can
hum any tune or harmony", says Maurer, "you can play the Versitar
intuitively by ear--since there are no fret positions to learn. The higher
the tension on each string, the higher the pitch--controllable in perfectly
smooth transitions, or 'glissandos', similar to the human voice. Simply,
pull each string toward the shaft-neck above the bridge to the notes you
want using the fingers of the left hand--and pluck or strum the strings
on the lower side of the bridge with the other hand (or vice versa, since
the bridge can be turned around for 'lefties'). It's hard to make a mistake...
If the notes are hit off pitch, it's easy to pull them back 'on the nose'
almost instantaneously by 'bending' (tightening or relaxing) the strings
a bit. With a good 'ear' and a little practice, it's easy to play-along
with almost any music you can listen or sing to... Do that for a couple
of years, and you might be able to jam with the legendary jazz guitarist,
Les Paul--as I did one evening during one of his trio's performances at
the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC". (Sidebar page--
with photos and captions)
For private practice, the Versitar can be heard in full quality "concert-sound"
by placing the ear directly against the slight bulge at the rear side of
the handle--as if it were a headphone. There is no sound box--although
a thin, gourd-like bowl can be attached to the handle to deliver a rich,
long sustaining sound--almost as full and vibrant as a fine acoustic Guitar.
When equipped with an electric transducer pickup and a standard guitar
amplifier, the Versitar sounds like a high quality professional, solid
body electric guitar. It can be played in any key using any chord harmonies
or melody styles over a three to four octave range. Rock guitar effects
such as reverbs, sustains, edges, vibratos, etc. can be added by plugging
the pickup into a chain of standard guitar effects amplifiers, or a Zoom
box.
Since the invention of the original Walkingman(TM) -Versitar/Musicane(TM),
Maurer has made three differently shaped Versitar/Musicane(TM) walking
stick instruments, including a single string double bass staff-all sculpted
from fallen branches of hardwood trees found in Central Park.
Before mass production of the patent pending "commercial" Walkingman(TM)-Versitar/Musicane(TM)
models, a limited edition of 1,300 exact replicas of the original fine
art sculptured instrument (including an optional, elrctrical pickup and
jack) will be produced using a hi-tech wood fiber-epoxy resin composite
material molded over a hollow metal core. This core, besides adding extraordinary
strength and light weight, will allow the Musicane to be also used as an
oboe, flute, recorder or clarinet wind instrument--in addition to its string
and percussion functions. Truly, in itself, "a one man (woman) band".
Eventually, three or more Musicane's, played together, can sound like a
full string, wind and percussion band or orchestra.
The first 100 original museum quality Walkingman-Versitar/Musicane replicas
(hand signed and numbered by the artist) are to be initially "advance-sold"
to fine art collectors--in order to finance the molds and materials for
the first limited edition production. An additional 200 (signed "in
the wood") original replicas will be reserved for selected professional
musicians, friends of the artist, and other contributors. The balance of
1,000 original replicas, will be sold (unsigned) to the general public,
directly through museum stores and catalogs.
For More Information, contact Len Maurer, ENIGAMI Associates, 317 West
77th Street, New York, NY 10024, Phone/Fax: (212) 580-7790, E-Mail: LeonMaurer@aol.com
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