Don Rickert Musical Instruments

Cool Instruments for Hep Cats Podcast: First episode to post week of March 19, 2023

Yeah, I know that I said that it would launch on March 17. What with some instrument completion deadlines and St. Patrick's Day stuff, it is going to be delayed by a few days. My bad! Stay tuned. Happy St. Patrick's Day 2023! Read more →

Our New Podcast and YouTube Channel: Cool Instruments for Hep Cats

I am launching a new podcast and YouTube show, “Cool Instruments for Hep Cats”. It will be available, both as an audio podcast, as well as a video version on YouTube. Initially, the audio podcast will be available on Spotify, with the other usual channels to follow. Interviews with guests and recording has been going on since early February. The first episode is scheduled to air on Spotify and YouTube on March 17, 2023. In “Cool Instruments for Hep Cats”, we delve into the fascinating realm of unusual and intriguing musical instruments. From the depths of history to the cutting edge of innovation, we'll explore the instruments that push the boundaries of what we consider music. Join us on a journey of discovery as we uncover the secrets of the world's most fascinating instruments, the people who make them, the people who play them, and the music they create. The bar for music-related podcasts and shows is high; for example, Rick Beato’s “Everything Music” YouTube channel, and the "Voices from the Vernacular Music Center Podcast", hosted by Dr. Chris Smith and Dr. Roger Landes of Texas Tech University. As far as I know, "Cool Instruments for Hep Cats" is the only podcast focused exclusively on unusual musical instruments, the people who play them and the people who make them. If there are others, we are honored to be part of the same club. I have received an incredible response from some very Hep Cats, who have generously agreed to be... Read more →

Donald Rickert is In the March/April 2023 Issue of Strings Magazine

I (Don Rickert) am in the March/April issue of Strings Magazine! I am honored to have been one of several experts interviewed for the article, A Pocket Full of Sound, by Karen Peterson in the March/April 2023 issue of Strings Magazine (No. 311, March/April 2023). I wish I could share the entire article here, but I am pretty sure that that would be a copyright violation. That being said, I feel pretty good about how my comments about the 18th Century pochette were incorporated into the article. Hats off to the author Karen Peterson for an excellent piece. Unless you are a Strings Magazine subscriber, or chose to spend $10 to download the March/April 2023 issue, you won’t be able to see it, at least now here. I can, however, summarize the key points: The pochette was a tiny violin-like bowed instrument that was usually tuned to a higher pitch than a regular violin. Note: Many pochettes, especially later ones, while still having a very small body, had disproportionately long necks, which made possible the same vibrating string length of a full-size violin, and thus, enabling them to be tuned to regular violin pitch. The tuning pitch of the Baroque period was a bit lower than modern pitch. The pochette dates back to the 1500s, when, in its primitive form, was often played by street musicians. During the reign of Louis XIV (the Sun King) beginning in the late 17th Century, the pochette came into its own among the aristocratic... Read more →

Celebrating 10 Years of Gangnam Style - Way to Go, Psy!

Originally known in Korea, not as a K-pop artist, but as a controversial and satirical hip-hop artist, Psy (slang for “psycho” – real name, Park Jae-sang) achieved international fame in 2012 with the music video to his humorous pop song “Gangnam Style”. Psy is considered to be the first K-pop artist to make a breakthrough in the Western music industry. He now runs a record company and management agency for up-and-coming K-pop artists. His office is located in the Gangnam neighborhood of Seul, where it all started. If you are unfamiliar with Psy, "Gangnam Style", or even K-pop, you might need to come out of your cave for some air. Anyway, congratulations Psy for producing the first video EVER to have more than one billion views on YouTube! Read more →

Offbeat Songs for Cool Cats: New Podcast From D. Rickert Musical Instruments

We just launched our new podcast, Offbeat Songs for Cool Cats, just in time for Christmas 2022. Below are links to play Episode 1, Parts 1 and 2 via Spotify. We aim to post an episode every 2 weeks. The next is scheduled for on or about January 5, 2023. I'll be telling you more about this podcast in the coming days. We will also be launching yet another Podcast show in the near future. For now its name is Badass Instruments for Cool Cats. There will be a corresponding video version on YouTube. Episode 1, Part 1 Episode 1, Part 2 (Ska, Ska Punk and Reggae) Read more →

Almost Half of a Violin: What is That???

We have introduced a new violin design, which we are calling the “Quasi-Mezzo Violin”, at least until we decide to call it something else. Taken literally, “Quasi-Mezzo Violin” would indeed refer to “almost half of a violin” in Italian. That would be pretty funny. In reality, the colloquial meaning of “mezzo” (literally “middle”) in the realm of musical instruments is more like “between one thing and the other”. A “Mezzo Violin” is called such because it is between a violin and a viola, at least size-wise. A Mezzo Violin has the body similar to a small viola but is tuned exactly the same as a conventional violin; that is generally G3 D4 A4 E5. Similarly, a “mezzo soprano” refers to a woman whose vocal range is between (and overlaps) both the alto and soprano ranges. In other words, a soprano who can also sing lower notes in the alto range. How much of a range overlap depends on the individual singer. Not familiar with the Mezzo Violin: Click here. Our Quasi-Mezzo Violin is a lot like a Mezzo Violin. Indeed, it is designed to accomplish similar goals; specifically, a deeper tone and really impressive projection. Both instruments are somewhat larger than a conventional violin; but the Mezzo Violin has a longer body and the Quasi-Mezzo Violin has deeper ribs. So, we use the prefix “quasi”, which is Italian (and Latin) for “nearly” or “almost”. There you have it—Quasi-Mezzo Violin! Should you want to learn more about this exciting new violin,... Read more →

New Quasi-Mezzo Violins by Don Rickert: 4-String, 5-String and Octave Violin Versions

Many players of violins, especially fiddlers, spend much effort seeking instruments that, while tuned the same (for a fiddler, this is often something different than the standard G3 D4 A4 E5) but with a less shrill, indeed darker, timbre, with excellent sonority. The Quasi-Mezzo Violin by Don Rickert is an acoustic violin designed to deliver an especially full-bodied and powerful acoustic sound output (See: Introducing the Quasi-Mezzo Violin by Luthier Donald Rickert: Details). It is inspired by the Mezzo Violin (See: The Mezzo Violin: One Way to Achieve Deeper Timbre with Outstanding Projection), invented by Carleen Hutchins, and the groundbreaking experiments by Joseph Curtin with his Ultralight Violin. When configured as a 5-string violin, it solves the well-known problem of an acoustically week C-string. It also makes possible an octave violin that can hold its own when played alongside other instruments. In its basic 4-string configuration, it is the dark and sonorous instrument sought by many fiddlers. Availability I am able to discuss commissions right now. The base price is 1/2 to 1/3 the price of one of my Violoncellos da Spalla. I will soon be posting updates on a current build of a Quasi-Mezzo Violin configured as a purpose-built Octave Violin. A 30-day trial is available to qualified potential buyers. This means that I will have satisfied myself that you are serious about acquiring the instrument and you simply need to confirm its excellence and that it meets your needs. I am open to barter. This could take the... Read more →

Introducing the Quasi-Mezzo Violin by Luthier Donald Rickert: Details

Here are some details about the new Quasi-Mezzo Violins by Don Rickert. The instrument is available in 4-string, 5-string or Octave Violin configurations. Email: [email protected] Phone: 706-896-0909; 706-400-1481 (mobile) What Is It? I will get in to the specifics, including its name, forthwith. But first, I will tell you what it is. It is violin designed to deliver an especially full-bodied and powerful acoustic sound output. It is inspired by the Mezzo Violin invented by Carleen Hutchins and the groundbreaking experiments by Joseph Curtin. When configured as a 5-string violin, it solves the well-known problem of an acoustically week C-string. It also makes possible an octave violin that can hold its own when played alongside other instruments. In its basic 4-string configuration, it is the dark and sonorous instrument sought by many fiddlers. A draft rendering of my new Quasi-Mezzo Violin appears to the right. An image of one of my earlier Quasi-Mezzo Violins appears below. The Need Many players of violins, especially fiddlers, spend much effort seeking instruments that, while tuned the same (for a fiddler, this is often something different than the standard G3 D4 A4 E5) but with a less shrill, Maggini Violin indeed darker, timbre, with excellent sonority. This is one of the reasons that well-made true Maggini copies are quite popular with Old-Time and some Bluegrass players. Note: Many players in the Bluegrass genre favor a bright-sounding, even strident, timbre that “cuts through” when soloing. Maggini pattern violins, being somewhat larger than the “Strad standard”... Read more →

Back in the Saddle Again! (And the Economics of Attention)

First, thank you for your valuable attention. This will make sense if I can hold on to your attention for a few more minutes. In the words of Aerosmith: I'm back I'm back in the saddle again I'm back I'm back in the saddle again Man, nobody can screech our lyrics like the great Steven Tyler! Gene Autry expressed the same sentiment in his song of the same title, written in 1939 and recorded numerous times by him and widely covered. If you have to ask, it means doing something that you stopped doing for a period of time. I stopped building instruments for a while. Here is why. After the passing of my Partner and Soulmate Alycen in August of 2021, I took a long hiatus from seeking new instrument build commissions. During a period of several months after her death I caught up on a distressing backlog of instrument builds, all of them violoncellos da spalla and a custom leather case for a violoncello da spalla. I also pretty much ignored doing frequent updates to my blogs and other social media, and boy, am I paying for that now! I have been posting lots of articles the past few weeks. I have regained “first page” status on Google searches for anything remotely related to “Violoncello da Spalla.” We have a long way to go with getting the word out on my octave violins, travel violins and such. And the market for mandolins is so large, that it could... Read more →

D. Rickert Musical Instruments Will Be a Vendor at Hoppin' John 2022.

D. Rickert Musical Instruments will be showing one of its Violoncellos da Spalla at an upcoming festival in the Southeastern US. D. Rickert Musical Instruments (bowed strings), together with its partner, Rickert and Hale, Luthiers (mandolin family and guitars), will once again be showing finished and in progress instruments at the 2022 Hoppin’ John Old Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention. The festival happens September 15-17, 2022 at the Shakori Hill Community Arts Center near Pittsboro, North Carolina. That is central North Carolina. People come from throughout the Southeastern US, including Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and, of course, North Carolina. We will have at least one of our in-progress violoncellos da spalla to show. As surprising as it might seem, a large number of American traditional fiddle players and enthusiasts are also baroque music enthusiasts. We have actually sold more violoncellos da spalla at (or shortly following) the Hoppin’ John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention than ANY other instrument. The in-progress violoncello da spalla that we will be showing is actually available for purchase right now. It is the same model played by several renowned violoncello da spalla players. If you are interested, feel free to contact me to discuss. Later today or tomorrow at the latest, I will post about other instruments that we will have to show at Hoppin' John. Read more →