multi-tine lamellaphone

Grounding bar lamellaphone with a variety of tines. Thumb piano by RP Collier. Just a quick and dirty demo, not really tuned and using a guitar tuner pickup as a transducer that is placed based on easiness rather than optimal vibration sensing. Uses delay from Kaoss Pad and audio is captured with camera mic.
http://www.instructables.com/id/EN22NAFF5R8MST9


New!! 2008 all thumb piano audio album:
Lamellaphone at http://cdbaby.com/cd/rpcollier4
http://www.doncampau.com/lw2007.htm

Category:

Music

Tags:

• kalimba
• mbira
• sanza
• sansa
• diy
• thumb
• piano
• lamellaphone
• music
• kaoss
• pad
• lo-fi

[rhodawelsh]

hi hi, just wondering if you could let me know what kind of metal works best to get a clearer pitch? cheers pal. x x

[tynego]

Hardened steel. I like blue tempered spring steel.

But you can get good tones from nails that are forged and I have even heard good sound from iron though there is the rust issue and it is more brittle.

[sleepyashes]

First off, my hat off to ya buddy, gorgeous creation!

=2 questions for ya=

1. - I'm really amazed by how great the tone is overall, but especially on the knitting needle, was this a special knitting needle you used?

2. - I'm planning on putting a lamellaphone on a guitar, have you tried using this thing with a standard solid top with a hole drilled in it? If so, what have been the results of the vibrations? Good, bad, OK?

Yer awesome.

[tynego]

1. It is solid and thin not like the tube style needles. It was in a box of stuff for knitting supplies at a thrift store maybe a specialty tool, not sure.

2. For an acoustic guitar, the wood is so thin a hardwood plate would need to be glued on to screw into and keep the soundboard from splitting. A solid body electric no problem. Vibrations would depend on the type of tine being used.

At the Instructables site there is a kalimba on an old guitar. Search using the word: Mbira.

[stopglobalswarming]

where did you get the suction cup microphone?

[tynego]

It is a tuner pickup for acoustic guitar. Many music stores that sell acoustic instruments will carry some version of it.

[stopglobalswarming]

ARE WE THERE YET< Mom he's touching my lamellophone! STop it.

[joeloula]

that's sweet dude. I like the crayola box.

[ediblesponge]

i really like this :p

the sound is very unique and interesting, congratulations on making something so wonderful :p

[Pantalaimion]

wow. i like it a lot