Long String Instrument

The Long String Instrument at the Raven Hill Discovery Center's new Earth Tones Music Garden built by Tom Kaufmann. This instrument is based on one created and developed by Ellen Fullman.

The seventy five foot wires are tied on one end to the harp from an old upright piano, and are played by rubbing them with rosined fingers. The sound is generated by longitudinal vibrations, rather than transverse, so tightening the wire does not alter the pitch. The pitch is determined by the length of the wire, which can be adjusted by placing c-clamps at different intervals. This instrument is also an Aeolian Harp.... the wind generates vibrations in the wire which make the resonating piano harp sing sympathetically.

For more information about Tom go to http://www.tinkertunes.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• outdoor
• science garden
• Raven Hill
• harp

[netarg77]

hi. what is the name of the strings. how do i ask for to buy them...

[tcmiguy]

@netarg77  Just about any wire will work. I initially used aluminum welding wire, but had trouble with breakage since the instrument is in a public museum, with a lot of kids who can be rough on things. I next used a galvanized steel wire which held up better. Since it's outdoors it has to be something that won't rust. Ellen Fullman (who is one of the pioneers of Long String Instruments) uses a thin gauge bronze wire.

[tcmiguy]

@tcmiguy Ellen was actually the first to create a tuned Long String Instrument using clamps... and is rightfully credited as its inventor.

[parody99]

anyone tried using a violin bow?

[tcmiguy]

@parody99 - If you bow the string, you create transverse vibrations... but this instrument uses longitudinal vibrations (unless you can rub the bow lengthwise on the string). You could use a rosined wheel that spins in line with the wire to automate the playing, but this instrument was designed to be a hands-on demonstration piece.

[pierrelebatteur]

great reverb !!!

[tcmiguy]

@pierrelebatteur The reverb was not added electronically ... it is totally acoustic and comes from the strings of the piano harp which the wires are attached to. The strings of the corresponding pitches vibrate sympathetically and continue to sing after you stop playing the Long Strings, since there are no dampers on them.

[amt253]

@tcmiguy I actually learned something reading youtube comments! Amazing!

[TheEnglishQuail]

Funny the beauty of cacophony isn't it?

[purity4all]

How to video please?

[caieros]

interesting!

[TamboresDeJaykub]

there is a smaller version of one of those i saw once that dont take up your whole back yard. awww what was it called????? hm...... oh ya! thats right! a violin!!!