Manualism (hand music)

Just as a trumpeter makes sound by blowing air between the lips, a manualist makes sound by squeezing air between two hands.

The hands are held together, trapping a pocket of air between the two palms.[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5579711 R. A. Wilson radio interview], "Hand Music: No Manual Needed", NPR: Morning Edition, July 25, 2006 (text and audio) Using the fingers of one hand, the air is squeezed out the top, between the base of the thumb and the opposite hand, to form a musical note. The pitch is determined by the force used to hold the hands together. The tighter the grip, the higher the note.[http://www.tvland.com/video/index.jhtml?bcpid=192878568&bclid=207371517&bctid=207371516 R. A. Wilson video interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506065149/http://www.tvland.com/video/index.jhtml?bcpid=192878568&bclid=207371517&bctid=207371516 |date=May 6, 2008 }}, "An Interview with R. A. Wilson, Manualist", TVLand (video)

Bass notes may be produced by squeezing the air pocket out the opposite side, near the pinky finger.

Even with years of practice, manualism is very difficult to control. It may be one of the hardest "instruments" in the world to play, and live stage performances are extremely rare.

Records of manualists performing the art prior to the 20th century have yet to be discovered, though it seems likely that someone must have attempted to make music in this fashion from the earliest days of musical parody.

A Universal Studios newsreel from 1933[https://archive.org/details/1933-10-11_Farmer_Plays_Tune_With_Hands Cecil Dill performing Yankee Doodle], Universal Studios Newsreel, 1933 (video) may be the oldest filmed record of a manualist performing the art. The footage documents a farmer named Cecil Dill from Traverse City, Michigan, who claims that he first learned to play "Yankee Doodle" in 1914.

In 1974, John Twomey, a successful Grand Rapids, Michigan attorney, performed "Stars and Stripes Forever" on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. This performance was seen by several million people in the United States, not only in 1974, but annually for many years thereafter, as the segment was repeated many times on the annual Best of Carson shows. It is also included in the Best of Johnny Carson collection.The Best of Johnny Carson Collection, Volume 1, Title 2, Chapter 23 (DVD)

Twomey introduced himself as "a manualist", the first known use of the term in a musical context. He appeared on several other programs including The Mike Douglas Show where he performed the "Colonel Bogey March," made famous in the film The Bridge Over the River Kwai, and The Merv Griffin Show where he performed "When the Saints Go Marching In." He provided audio for the Barney Miller episode "The Dentist," first aired December 27, 1979, in which a manualist musician is hauled in for disturbing the peace.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0519114/ Barney Miller – "The Dentist"], IMDb

John Twomey's last public performance was on November 21, 1998, on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, where he performed "Stardust".[http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/19981121 John Twomey performing Stardust], National Public Radio, "A Prairie Home Companion", November 21, 1998 (audio)

Musical Mike appeared on the Dr. Demento show and has collaborated with "Weird Al" Yankovic. He has performed on a number of Yankovic's songs, and appeared in the music videos for "I Love Rocky Road" in 1983, and "Headline News" in 1994.{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0452401/|title=Mike Kieffer|website=IMDb}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.weirdal.com/archives/miscellaneous/players/|title=Players|first=Weird Al|last=Yankovic|website="Weird Al" Yankovic}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beTsDOBRs8I |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/beTsDOBRs8I |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title="Weird Al" Yankovic – I Love Rocky Road|date=March 23, 2011 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU95v23MQ4c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/dU95v23MQ4c |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title="Weird Al" Yankovic – Headline News (Parody of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm")|date=October 3, 2009 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}

• Bruce Gaston, AKA "Mr. Handman", is best known for his pitch accuracy and the use of vibrato, which he pioneered. The "Gaston & Purcell" musical duo has performed together since 1992, with Ken Purcell supplying instrumental and vocal accompaniment. Gaston appeared with Jim Rotondo and Ben Brenner on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on February 15, 2001, as part of an act billed as "The Three Tendons". His radio interview on NPR's All Things Considered aired on April 25, 2000.[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1073354 Bruce Gaston radio interview], "Mr. Handman", NPR: All Things Considered, April 25, 2000 (text and audio) Gaston began playing his hands in 1967.
• Jim Rotondo, AKA "Jimi Handtrix", performs not only with his hands, but also with a tire pump. Also a member of "The Three Tendons" musical act, he has performed on dozens of TV and radio shows in the United States, on everything from CBS's Return of The Gong Show (October 22, 1988) to NBC's America's Got Talent (June 26, 2007).{{Cite web|url=http://www.handmadewebsites.com/tvbio.html|title=Jim Rotondo's TVography|website=www.handmadewebsites.com}} Jimi Handtrix, adorned in afro & tie-dye, performed at HBO's Annual Comedy Festival in Aspen, CO in March 2007 and was on Comcast ON DEMAND from April 17, 2007 – May 28, 2007.
• Sean Hulings was a guest on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in a segment called "The Tonight Show Side Show," August 14, 2004, performing the theme from Indiana Jones.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
• R. A. Wilson is a Silicon Valley software engineer. Inspired by John Twomey's 1974 performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Wilson's hands (and only his hands) first appeared in public on the Internet via Google Video on January 24, 2006. His video of The Flintstones Theme[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2213874040766551699 The Flintstones Theme], performed by R. A. Wilson April 15, 2006 (video) was chosen as a "Google Pick" on May 2, 2006. He performed "Hail to the Chief" during a radio interview that aired on NPR: Morning Edition on July 25, 2006. The TV Land U.S. cable channel hired Wilson to record a series of promotional music videos of TV theme songs called "Hand Tunes",{{Cite web |url=http://www.tvland.com/video/index.jhtml?bcpid=192878568 |title=TV Land Video Player : Video Clips of Classic Television and Original Series – TV Land |access-date=2008-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080429142033/http://www.tvland.com/video/index.jhtml?bcpid=192878568 |archive-date=2008-04-29 |url-status=dead }} which premiered August 28, 2006.
• Maher A. Haddad, also known as "Handini", appeared on 5 episodes of season 2 of Country Fried Home Videos on CMT, and on Talkshow with Spike Feresten on Fox on February 14, 2009.
• Mika Castaldo, also known as "HandFartMaster", is a Canadian businessman and manualist made famous by his 2017 appearance on PewDiePie's video "The Funniest Thing in the Universe" as well as a 2013 tweet by Hank Green. His videos have achieved over 300,000 views on YouTube although the account has been inactive since 2011. He has been featured in articles by the Huffington Post and Glide Magazine,{{Cite web|url=https://glidemagazine.com/97961/videos-handfartmaster-covers-pink-floyd-mumford-and-sons-beach-boys-leonard-cohen-simon-and-garfunkel-and-more/|title=HandFartMaster Covers Pink Floyd, Mumford and Sons, Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Simon and Garfunkel and More|website=Gilde Magazine|date=December 18, 2012 }} often lampooning his stonefaced expression.
• Shane Bertrand's "Squirt Gun" CD was reviewed on the syndicated Lex and Terry radio show, February 22, 2007. Bertrand's music is also being used to introduce the "Scotch and DUI" radio show on "Rock 102" in Fargo, North Dakota, as of March 5, 2007.
• Bruce Gaston and Jim Rotondo accompanied by tooth player Larry Schwarz (dressed as a giant hand) appeared on America's Got Talent, on June 26, 2007, as "The Pennsylvania Hand Band".
• Gerry Phillips performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! in a segment titled "Internet Talent Showcase" on August 31, 2007. He later performed in three television commercials for Australia's Dunlop Volley shoes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VobOB8-j-YI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/VobOB8-j-YI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=dunlop volleys ad – the mexican hat dance|date=January 7, 2008 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTDR5pyr1mo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ZTDR5pyr1mo |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=dunlop volleys ad – pachelbel's canon in d|date=January 7, 2008 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHa-dkeGRYQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/WHa-dkeGRYQ |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=dunlop volleys ad – the can can|date=January 7, 2008 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}} Phillips has also been featured on Channel 4 show "Rude Tube".{{Cite web|url=http://www.successcircuit.com/discussion/the-life-of-a-manualist/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203044626/http://www.successcircuit.com/discussion/the-life-of-a-manualist/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 3, 2013|title=The Life Of A Manualist}}
• Adam Deibert, also known as Prince Adam, is an American multi-instrumentalist whose skills include manualism. As a former member of the Californian rock band The Aquabats, he provided "hand wind" accompaniment for several of the band's early tracks, and often performed such at their live shows, doing covers of popular songs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLMqjPMJ878|title=- YouTube|website=www.youtube.com}} In 2007, he was featured in a segment on the children's television program Yo Gabba Gabba! playing a rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfub0l-WGYw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/Sfub0l-WGYw |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Cool Tricks – Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – Yo Gabba Gabba!|date=March 2010 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}
• Jem Stride, from Bristol, appeared on Britain's Got Talent on April 22, 2009.[http://talent.itv.com/videos/video/item_200109.htm More Talent: Jem], "Britain's Got Talent", ITV, April 22, 2009
• Bruce Thomas, handyman, performed "Yankee Doodle" on NBC's America's Got Talent July 8, 2009[http://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent/video/episodes/?vid=1133784#vid=1133784 Bruce Thomas performing Yankee Doodle], "America's Got Talent", NBC, July 8, 2009 (video at 8:40)
• Alex Fletcher, from Staffordshire, performed "The Imperial March" on ITV's Britain's Got Talent on April 17, 2011. Judge and former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff considered it "Wrong on so many levels."[http://talent.itv.com/2011/videos/video/watch_more-talent-week-1-manualism_item_201368.htm Alex Fletcher], "Britain's Got Talent", ITV, April 22, 2011
• Glenn Herdling, an American comic book writer and author, performs a variety of popular songs on his YouTube channel, "Handmaster Herdling." He is perhaps best known for his repertoire of Christmas carols.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQOXqvusZfhZSdcVqX4_x6g|title=Handmaster Herdling|website=YouTube|access-date=2016-12-03}}
• Jack Mansager performed a segment of "Gee, Officer Krupke" in the Broadway show Blast! from 1999 to 2001.
• Mike McGowan, AKA "Super Famous Mike", performed "America the Beautiful" on MTV's gameshow "Amazingness" in 2017.{{Citation|last=MTV|title='The Art of Hand Farting' Official Sneak Peek {{!}} Amazingness w/ Rob Dyrdek {{!}} MTV|date=December 6, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15-_Y7COWas|accessdate=2018-01-04}}. Performance by Mike McGowan
• Guy First, recently appeared on "Britain's Got Talent" (S13E2),{{Citation|last=Anthony Ying|title=Britain's Got Talent 2019 Guy First Full Audition S13E02|date=April 13, 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TpWOknNWqA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/4TpWOknNWqA |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|access-date=2019-05-09}}{{cbignore}} where he passed through to the Semi-finals. In 2020 appeared on Germany's Das-Supertalent and received the golden buzzer. He has also been featured in recent articles by online magazine Metalinjection.{{Cite news|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/video/enjoy-iron-maidens-aces-high-performed-with-hand-farts|title=Enjoy IRON MAIDEN's "Aces High" Performed With Hand Farts|work=Metal Injection|access-date=2018-07-08|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/video/the-hand-fart-version-of-dragonforces-through-the-fire-and-flames-is-an-instant-classic|title=The Hand Fart Version Of DRAGONFORCE's "Through The Fire And Flames" Is An Instant Classic|work=Metal Injection|access-date=2018-07-08|language=en-US}} The magazine mentions his latest manualist music covers, which have reached over 150.000 views on social media.
• Richard Cross appeared on the Claim To Fame segment of Noel Edmonds' Late Late Breakfast Show in the late 1980s. Introduced by Steve Ryder he performed the Match of the Day theme tune, and also the theme tune for Eastenders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHoMtlb6MbI&list=FLZSP7a-tgBSf4T11AwnwPbg&index=4&t=1s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/XHoMtlb6MbI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=The Late Late Breakfast Show – Claim To Fame – Manualist|website=Youtube|date=December 20, 2013 }}{{cbignore}}

• Hand jive
• Armpit fart

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Category:Musical techniques

Category:Humour

Category:Musical parodies

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