Pitch bending Thumb Piano Part 2

Here is the latest model of the Pitch-Bending Thumb Piano! It turned out a little different from the first one. Here are some of the video highlights from a 60 minute session. Like any instrument, this thing is also capable of creating some pretty bad sounds, and I imagine that the more you practiced the better you would get. It was pretty hard to tune to an exact scale with a tuner, but at least it was easier than tuning a real piano! I think the possibilities are pretty open with this instrument, especially if we could find a good source of spring steel so I wouldn't have to go around cutting up garden rakes, and looking for random strips of spring steel!!!! Crossing the tines over each other creates a cool buzzing effect, the long tines sound like the overtones of giant bells, and I never got to try it with some effects pedals but I always thought that would be cool sounding! Stay tuned for more JAMOFLAGE pitch bending instruments like the pitch-bending frame drum, and pitch bending floor-tom!!!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• thumb piano
• kalimba
• mbira
• experimental instruments
• movie soundtrack
• sound effects
• jamoflage
• george lawler

[nin114]

did you use just standard guitar pick-ups? I was thinking of making an instrument using springs and guitar pick-ups. just wondering if it would work right.

[Jamoflage]

yeah, just regular guitar pickups....

[RottenDubify]

Wohah I would love owning one!

[dionreload]

Get a piano

[bearhedded]

Have you tried bowing it, like a musical saw?

[anysound521]

tom waits?

[RatPacKliQ]

Is it supposed to sound like shit??

[hymonom]

Do you have a site or vid to show us how to make these things?

[a0e0roberts]

I buy steel tines from Kalimba Magic. I've also had good luck with what's called electrical fishing wire -- you find that in hardware stores, NOT in sporting goods! Lol.

[krejzimicz]

beautifull instrument for new music! and has great look. be well

[UnseenOnAndOn]

Jamoflage-

I really like this. How much to make one for me?