Musical instrument them to make zithers. The Yakuts believe that making drums from trees struck by lightning gives them a special connection to nature. Musical instrument construction is a specialized trade that requires years of training, practice, and sometimes an apprenticeship. Most makers of musical instruments specialize in one genre of instruments; for example, a luthier makes only stringed instruments. Some make only one type of instrument such as a piano. Whatever the instrument constructed, the instrument maker must consider materials, construction technique, and decoration, creating a balanced instrument that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Some builders are focused on a
Gene Allen (musician) Gene Allen (musician) Eugene Sufana Allen (born December 5, 1928, East Chicago, Indiana - February 14, 2008) was an American jazz reedist, who primarily played baritone saxophone and bass clarinet. Allen began playing clarinet and piano as a child, and was playing with Louis Prima at age 15 in 1944. He stayed in Prima's band until 1947, then worked with Claude Thornhill in 1949-1950 and Tex Beneke in 1951-1953. In 1953 he began playing with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, playing with them intermittently until 1961, and also worked with Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Hal McKusick in the 1950s. Toward the