Topic: Foot Operated Percussion.

[smilnJackB]

I saw a Kansas City blues man last summer who tapped rhythm with one foot on a low platform box that, I think, was ampified. It looked home made.  Any one know where I could find info on such a device?    Jack

[Slack]

These are known as "porch boards" or "stomp boxes" (and other names I'm sure) - here are a few links. 

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/PPBB-DARK.htm

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/UCLPBB.htm

http://www.porchboard.com/

...looking at the prices will be an inspiration to make your own. 

[waxwing]

There is an amplified stomp board called, I think, the Porch Board. Google that and you'll probably find them for sale at Elderly and such. You also might find several threads about the Porch Board and also some home made versions over on the IGS forum.

[Edit - Looks like Slack already did the search for you.]

As fate would have it I am currently trying to come up with a low wooden box to stomp on that will sound good thru a mic, i.e. I don't want the sound of 'effects', just the natural sound, whatever it is, the closer to a porch the better. Fortunately I work in a cabinet shop and have lots of wood, planed to whatever thickness I want, to experiment with.

All for now.
John C.

[chipmonk doug]

Here is mine.  I'm not satisfied with the pickup yet.  Right now it has a cheap broken headset mic.  Planning to change that for a soundboard transducer of some type.





I sometimes change the tambourine, for a hollowed out piece of 2x4 and sometimes just the bare box.

[smilnJackB]

Thanks guys.  Doug's home made box is similar to what I was thinking of.  I made a home made cigar box guitar last week and it came out pretty good.  Next step is to electrify it and then I may try the stomp box.    Jack

[Bunker Hill]

I sometimes change the tambourine, for a hollowed out piece of 2x4 and sometimes just the bare box.

Flora Molton appeared at London's 100 Club in the mid-1980s and her "percussion" comprised one of her feet jammed inside a tambourine rim which, from a seated position, she energetically stamped up and down on the stage whilst singing and playing guitar.

[smilnJackB]

Blues People,  amplifying a stomp box is CHEAP and EASY!!  I went by Radio Shack tonight and bought a piezo transducer (part #273-073A) for $1.79 and a jack like for an electric guitar (#274-052 - two to a package) and temporarily installed them in my cigar box guitar.  It worked great. 
   Then I taped the transducer to the inside of a wooden box, hooked up to an amp and had an amplified stomp box.  I will later make a smaller comfortable box and install permanently. 
    Credit to where the idea came from:  cigarboxguitar.com  Check out this great site.  Cigar box guitars are fun.  Listen to some here on Weenie in the first forum.
   Jack

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

Is It At All Similar To Jesse Fuller's Invention, The Footdella?

[chipmonk doug]

I've tried a sound board pickup.  Ok but doesn't pick up the tambourine.  Gonna try a different mic or some blend of a mic and the pickup.

[opencee]

Chris Smither does a lot of foot tapping. It really adds to his performance.

I saw him last year at Fur Peace Ranch. He sat while he played and tapped his feet on what I think was just a piece of plywood with a microphone aimed at it.

My wife told him that she loved "that foot thing." He chuckled, said "Thanks. I have to do it. If I can't hear it, I get all messed up."

Here's a rather rough video from YouTube that shows his performing technique.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8xSOODkGJ64

[Rivers]

It can be overdone that stomping business. I can't listen to a whole set with that amplified leaden thump thing happening on every song. It's good for a couple of numbers but becomes a crutch if you can't do without it. Just my opinion after being subjected to it in excess a couple of times.

[Parlor Picker]

In reply to Calvin's query: Jesse 'Lone Cat' Fuller's 'fotdella' was a kind of home-made, foot-operated bass instrument.  From memory I seem to think it was a box that had a series of bass piano strings (you can relate to that Calvin) that were struck by hammers when you trod on the relevant pedal.

On the stomp-box theme, Rag Mama Rag's Ashley Dow has a bass-drum pedal fixed to a small aluminium (aluminum to you colonial types) instrument case and gets a passable bass-drum sound.

[Norfolk Slim]

Similarly, Eddie Martin uses an old suitcase with a mic zipped into it, with a drum pedal.

[Richard]

I think I still a have 20's pre-hi-hat foot operated sock cymbal thingy somewhere, maybe bit advanced for blues, but interesting historically (well to drummers anyway  ) I'll have look 

[Bunker Hill]

In reply to Calvin's query: Jesse 'Lone Cat' Fuller's 'fotdella' was a kind of home-made, foot-operated bass instrument.  From memory I seem to think it was a box that had a series of bass piano strings (you can relate to that Calvin) that were struck by hammers when you trod on the relevant pedal.

See start and end of Stefan's Jesse Fuller page http://www.wirz.de/music/fullefrm.htm for photos of the contraption.

[Bunker Hill]

Here's a close-up photo taken by Terry Cryer in May 1965 whilst Jesse was performing at Cecil Sharp House in North London. (click on the image to magnify it)

[Pan]

Here's Jesse Fuller performing with what I believe is the "Fotdella". You can see a glimpse of it in the beginning. The picture posted by Bunker Hill in the previous post will tell you more, but here you can hear it as well.



Pan