| Project by JonJ | posted 453 days ago | 628 views | 0 times favorited | 11 comments | ![]() |
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This is more of a prototype than anything, made from 2×4’s and plywood. This is another attempt to produce sound by mechanically bowing something (in this case tuned brass rods) and selecting notes with a keyboard. This instrument only has 24 notes, the reason so few is, it produces vibrations using the length of the brass rods. More notes would have quickly made this thing 20 ft or more long to get low notes. I may someday build something that uses rods mounted in the rafters of a building, but for now this “scratched my itch” to build something that sounds a bit like bowed glass. This photo was taken at a folk music festival my hometown is trying to get rolling. This was it’s second year, and I had my wheelharp (see my other projects for it) and a few other things on display. It went pretty well, and I hope to build something new to put on display every year and help breathe a little life back into our old town.
I was going to paint this instrument to hide the pine, but just couldn’t bring myself to do it…
I’ll try and figure out how to post a recording of it soon- I think it sounds pretty neat, but most people tend to lean a little more towards “creepy” when they descibe what it sounds like.
-- Jon






























11 comments so far
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 582 days
posted 453 days ago
Cool!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
brianinpa
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1363 posts in 602 days
posted 453 days ago
Those legs look great. I’m glad you didn’t paint it.
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
Karson
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25279 posts in 1279 days
posted 453 days ago
John another unique instrument.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Lee A. Jesberger
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3709 posts in 858 days
posted 453 days ago
Hi Jon;
Very Creative!
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
griff
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901 posts in 641 days
posted 453 days ago
Very nice, I like the legs Very good build
-- Mike, Bruce Mississippi = Jack of many trades master of none
jeanmarc
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1750 posts in 595 days
posted 452 days ago
very nice.good job
-- jeanmarc manosque france
Thor
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64 posts in 1155 days
posted 452 days ago
I’ll look forward to hearing the sound.
It sure is a pretty instument. I’m also impressed with the materials used. Very clever.
Christina
jm82435
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502 posts in 621 days
posted 452 days ago
Looks great, can we hear it maybe an MP3 or video?
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
JonJ
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105 posts in 719 days
posted 452 days ago
Looks great, can we hear it maybe an MP3 or video?
That will be my next project- figuring out how to post a sound/video sample.
Now, If I could only remember my photobucket password…
-- Jon
scottishrose
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80 posts in 44 days
posted 25 days ago
Bowed glass sounds a bit close to a glass harmonica to me. You are just using very clean fingers instead of a bow on the glass to get the vibration as the glasses spin. You can play many at a time that way.
a1Jim
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15557 posts in 456 days
posted 25 days ago
cool
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon