Michael Masley

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Michael Masley September 22, 1952 Trenton, Michigan, 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 violin bow and dulcimer hammer. The bowhammers, worn one on each finger, except thumb, allows Masley to bow, strike, and pick the cymbalom's strings. These bowhammers, along with a pick on each thumb, allows for unique musical effects and highly complicated music.

[edit] Life

Masley studied creative writing at Northwestern Michigan College in the early 1970s. Starting in 1973 he studied hammer dulcimer with Robert Spinner. He played traditional two-hammer dulcimer until 1979, when he developed a ten-hammer technique, presumably by attaching one hammer to each finger. In 1983 he developed the bowhammer, and in 1985 moved to Berkeley, California where he began to record his albums. He currently lives and performs in Berkeley, and can often be seen playing on Telegraph Avenue. He has taken on the self-appointed title Artist General (along the lines of a Surgeon General) and claims to represent the interests of artists.

A movie is being made about michael and will be out 2007