One Of The Most Creative People You'll Ever Meet
Michael Masley is a very inventive and talented musician, and a warm and engaging person. He's pictured here with bowhammers on his fingers, used for the technique he created to play his cymbalom, a relative of the hammer dulcimer. With the addition of picks on his thumbs, he is able to bow, strike, or pluck the strings, getting mesmerizing results that can be heard in his music, available on iTunes and Amazon(see below).
He's also created a menagerie of other unusual instruments, including the gobeon, the cave cell, the reed slide, and the dulcilimba-a mountain dulcimer with a kalimba attached.
Not only has he invented new ways to play old instruments, but in his determination to make a difference in the direction our country is heading, he invented a new persona, the Artist General, who posts warnings as does the Surgeon General.
Look for Michael in ART OFFICIALLY FAVORED,
a documentary by Martin Yernazian - coming soon.
Three reasons Michael Masley deserves more recognition
♩Michael's musical creativity and inventiveness has been lauded by Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Jack Douglas- producer of John Lennon, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, and many others. He's pictured here with some of his inventions. For applause from fans, see the YouTube Videos below.♫His creation of the Artist General's Warnings as a means to promote his cause of getting people to think for themselves, and to demand more of the media and of the politicians that serve us, is a sample of his wide-ranging creative genius.
♬Michael is a very thoughtful and generous person. I've known him for many years, and he has always been more than willing to share his musical inspiration with others. Whenever he's around he's always playing some wild instrument he's invented, or beating out a rhythm on a traditional drum of some sort. His creations may look bizarre, but some of the sounds he gets from them have never been heard from an acoustical instrument.
A Taste Of Michael Masley's Music
Ringtones from Michael Masley
Michael Masley: Accolades and Press Appearances
- Best Street Musician 2007
- Voted Best Street Musician in Best of the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
- Michael's Music on NPR
- Michael Masley was featured on NPR's All Things Considered on August 15, 1995, and later appeared on All Songs Considered: July 1, 2001
- Michael Masley's Instruments
- Of Bowhammers and Palmharps, Conundrums and Kabalis: Mike Masley's Urboriginal Innovations
- Baker's Biographical Dictionary
- Baker's Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians
- Beethoven On The Street
- A Profile Of Michael Masley
- Musikalischer Zauberer mit den "Dingern an den Fingern"
- And In International Media...
- Street musician has a sound that's out of this world
- From Jesse Hamlin of the San Francisco Chronicle
Some Background
Michael Masley (born September 22, 1952 in Trenton, Michigan, USA) is known for his musical work on the Hungarian cymbalom. His unique method of playing the instrument comes from his invention of the bowhammer, a cross between a fiddle bow and a dulcimer hammer, attached to the finger with a ring. The bowhammers, one worn on each finger except thumbs, allow Masley to bow, strike, and pick the cymbalom's strings. These bowhammers, along with a pick on each thumb, allow for the creation of unique musical effects and highly complicated music.
Cymbaloms are most commonly played with two dulcimer h...
Michael Masley will be featured in the upcoming film Art Officially Favored, Directed by Martin Yernazian
Links
- Art Officially Favored: official website
- Find out more about the documentary, Art Officially Favored, featuring Michael Masley. Produced by Martin Yernazian.
If you are able to give financial support for completion of the film, it would be greatly appreciated! Select the Donate Link from the navigation bar. - Facebook Group: Art Officially Favored
- Please join the official Facebook group for the Film: Art Officially Favored, and help us get the word out!
- Who Is The Artist General?
- Find out more about Michael's alter-ego, the Artist General.
- Michael Masley's website
- Hold onto your hat!
- Artist General Store
- Support Michael's efforts by purchasing a T-Shirt, mug, bumpersticker, totebag, or one of many other items.
Don't Miss This Video!
Have you met Michael Masley?
Share your stories, sightings, thoughts, raves...
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Reply
- rauspitz rauspitz Jan 25, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
- Very good lens. Very nicely done. Definitely 5 Stars.
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Reply
- Oct 20, 2008 @ 11:14 pm
- Really informative. I think you have a done a wonderful job, *****!
I'd like to ask you to visit my lens and say hi when you get a chance.
http://www.squidoo.com/phpBB3styles
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Help back the efforts of Michael and the Artist General
Get a T-shirt, mug, totebag, bumpersticker
When Dissent Blinks... Organic Cotton Tee
Price: 25.99 
Truth Is Willing Tote Bag
Price: 14.99
Conformity Is Addictive Sticker (Bumper)
Price: 4.99
Spare The Truth Mug
Price: 14.99
P.S. If you buy something from this page...
... you'll automatically be making a donation to The Acumen Fund, working to solve global poverty. 
by PattB
I've created this lens, and the Artist General... (more)
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