Knock on Wood

Event Information

Accessibility: For everyone - mostly pavement walking, so wheels will be as welcome as feet- human, dog or other.

As well as being a song by Amii Stewart, the title for this walk Knock on Wood comes from a description of what people do when they're looking for suitable trees to make pianos with. They knock on them and listen to the tone to see if they're suitable. 

We will walk together, to and around trees in Granton, knock on them and record the sounds, making a collective sound walk. 

I will compile the recordings after the walk and hope we will have some material to make something of it. Walkers will be invited to collaborate on a soundwalk afterwards. They will also be welcome to bring sketch books to draw, paint or respond in other ways to the trees we visit in the urban setting.

Hopefully we will meet the types of trees that are sometimes used to make pianos – spruce (Norway and Sitka), beech, rock maple, Douglas fir, walnut, cherry, alder, ash, holly, hornbeam, oak and Pippy (cat’s paw) oak. I will plan the route with feedback from the local community.

This event is in collaboration with: the Pianodrome (piano experts and custodians of the community orchard) https://www.pianodrome.org/, the Edinburgh tree map http://edinburghtreemap.org/, the City of Edinburgh Council Forestry Service, and the Granton Community Orchard.

Contributors

Tamsin Grainger

Tamsin Grainger is a walking artist, writer, and bodyworker living in Edinburgh. She is a Paths for All trained walk leader and holds online and in-person workshops and events, including community walks, Death Cafes, practical Taoism and Zen.

Location of event

Starts and ends at the Pianodrome, Granton, with refreshments (by donation). 

Pianodrome Warehouse Granton, The Red Bus Depot, 28 West Harbour Road, Edinburgh EH5 1PN. 

Find the Pianodrome near the crossroads of Chestnut St (Granton Middle Harbour), Waterfront Avenue and West Harbour Road, 10 minutes walk westwards from Granton Square. 

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Nearest transport links: There is parking at the Pianodrome. Buses: the 9 passes very close to the venue. Granton Square: 16, 19, 22, Airport 200. Good cycle paths in and out of the area though the West Harbour Road can be busy so take care.

Blog: https://walkingwithoutadonkey.com/2024/04/17/knock-on-wood-urban-tree-festival/

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