"Simple Gifts" on A Friction Harp

Musician and Instrument Builder Tom Kaufmann plays his prototype friction harp with a recorded keyboard accompaniment. To read more about this instrument go to: http://www.tinkertunes.com/friction-harp

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• performing
• arts
• science
• unusual
• musical
• instrument

[CaptBubble]

The Baschet Brothers in France made all sorts of sculptural instruments from the 1950s using exactly this principle, often with glass rods. Victorian "Glass Harmonicas" were similar in principle: tuned glass bowls mounted on a rotating shaft. Anyway, very nice!

[tcmiguy]

@CaptBubble John Deagan was really the pioneer of instruments that used longitudinal vibrations, and he described the sound of his friction chimes as being similar to that of Ben Franklin's glass armonica, but "more robust". Deagan used hollow tubes with internal plugs to tune them so that they would act as self resonators, but the sustain of his instrument was fairly short. The sustain of the solid rods I use can last for as long as two minutes, and you need to mute the note to stop it.

[k3ramatbabe]

this is sooo beautiful! thanks to vsauce i found your channel..:)

[TeamGreenBurrito]

Seems a rather unruly instrument -- I would find the glass armonica a more approachable device; the harp certainly sounds magnificent though.

[60punto5]

amazing!!!!!!



[jeepgayguy]

i got chills listening to this hauntingly beautiful music coming from this most unusual instrument. thank you!

[SuperHalfie]

WOW thats really great!

[TheTrebleGirl89]

I want one of those!

[AwesomeChina]

Old TV Antenna.

Thanks so much, FCC, for banning analog television!! :P

[slinkycat321]

I love it, thanks so much for sharing.