Instruments by Erik Martens

Handmade in our EMS w orkshop by our expert technician Barry Holder , this Bass Racket in F is made from Castello Boxwood with imitation ivory tetines . The Rackett is loosely based on an original ivory instrument in the Leipzig Museum . The wood is oiled inside and out, and the exterior finished with a hard wax. It uses the same fingerings as the old EMS racket t s but has a more compact body due to the slightly narrower bore, repositioned finger holes and longer pirou e tte. The instrument is supplied with plastic and cane s reed s, a fingering chart and a hard case. T he Rackett is a Renaissance-period double-reed instrument comprising a small column drilled with nine parallel passages from top to bottom , which are connected in series by recesses in the cap at each end of the column. By this means a relatively short height can contain a much longer narrow cylindrical tube . Eleven holes around the column are fingered by both hands, thumbs included, the eleventh hole being covered by the middle joint of one of the fingers.

Erik Martens has been playing the tenor shawm since 2008 as a member of the Colchester Waits. Our good friend John Hanchet generously offered him the opportunity to take over some of his shawm designs and being an engineer by profession, Erik now continues production of these fine instruments. With John’s many years of experience and some of his tooling, John expertly taught Erik the skills of wood turning and instrument making and there the story begins with many new models planned for the future. Erik Martens Spanish Shawms - tuned A440 – robust, uncomplicated instruments with a strong clear tone are perfect for outdoor performances and in all weathers! Available: Sopranino in F, Soprano in C or D and Alto in F or G All shawms are made from English Sycamore which has been stained and oil finished. Supplied with one reed made by Lizzie Gutteridge and a cloth bag. Lizzie Gutteridge is an established supplier of reeds for shawms and curtals. Sound Files f or Spanish Shawms: Sopranino in F Soprano in C Soprano in D Alto in F Alto in G Fingering Charts for Spanish Shawms: Sopranino Spanish Shawm Soprano Spanish Shawm Alto Spanish Shawms