burley bass barrel gurdy veena
a musical instrument to make from a wine barrel. it uses a hand-cranked wheel to bow playing strings and drones like a hurdy gurdy, but is played with a slide like a Vichitra Veena (as in video below) - no gurdy keybox.
i'm thinking cello or bass strings... with some lighter sympathetic strings; and a second person to turn the crank if i use a full sized wine barrel ~ the equivalent of a tamboura player in Indian Music!
any thoughts?
top view 2/24/12
this version shows addition of 4th drone and placement of wrist rest above soundboard
the set of two strings are the playing strings; to be played with a slide.
the set of three strings are drones. there may be room for adding more drones... one on either side of the wheel; one possibly with a buzzing dog? - they would have separate bridges.
the wheel (at "6.25%") appears off-center from the crank because the "wheel well" hole in the soundboard is not centered over the wheel and the soundboard is slanted - the green playing string with the notation by it is at the apex of the wheel - the soundboard slants away to a lower part of the wheel where the drones are - see end view drawing below.
the red line is a bar of wood or metal (probably a length of really fat copper wire) which will transfer vibration from the bridge of the two playing strings around the wheel well and up into the soundboard above the big sound holes.
wrist rest is not shown - see top drawing and drawings below.
the notations are in Indian solfège (like "Do Re Mi")
- using a chromatic scale where "Sa" is the tonic, "Sa +1" is one octave higher, "Sa - 1" an octave below, etc. "Pa" is the fifth of "Sa." i would probably build this to play in G (more common for other certain instruments i think, and close to A), or possibly tune to A (my vocal tonic and good for the guitar modes i prefer).
the green strings are tuned to tonic "Sa" and the blue are tuned to the fifth, "Pa," in various octaves.
from bottom to top -
• playing strings: P -1 & S
• drones: S -2, P -1 & S-1
a fourth drone would be tuned to S; and if a fifth drone is added, then one S and one P.
the playing range is from P -1 to about P +1.
the sympathetic strings are tuned chromatically from S +1 to S +2 in 3 sets
- {Sa re Re ga Ga}
- {ma Ma Pa}
- {da Da ni Ni Sa}
...and could be tuned according to the mode with double natural seconds and thirds, double natural fourths, and double flat sixths, for example. additional sympathetic strings could be added.
for hurdy gurdy photos, info, links and videos go to > what next: Hurdy Gurdy
more drawings & notes below
Vichitra Veena
what next: INDIAN MUSIC: Vichitra Veena | Dr. Lalmani Mishra
DECEMBER 23, 2011: the instrument that i am thinking about building is a combination of a hurdy gurdy and no-frets vina as in the video. the basic idea is to slice a barrel along one side (which becomes then the top of the instrument), intstall a soundboard on top, and have a large cranked wheel to drive a couple of playing strings and some drones (no hurdy-gurdy keybox) ...
Vichitra Veena by Dr. Lalmani Mishra of Mishrabani Gharana playing Raga Tilang
a photo of this type instrument (further down the page) shows layout of playing and sympathetic strings
A raga (Sanskrit rāga राग, literally "colour, hue" but also "beauty, melody"; also spelled raag, raaga, ragam) is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. - Raga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
initial sketches & notes
top and end views - player would be seated on the left facing across the barrel; playing strings are nearest player, with drones on opposite side of the wheel from from player.
note wrist rest; instrument is played with left hand held above two playing strings to play tonic ("g"); or with arm pulled back a bit to play on lower string, D (in the octave below "g") - the lower of the two strings is closest to the player and basically level with the wrist rest.
soundboard tilts away from player with playing strings on the near "high side" of the wheel. "g" is at apex of the wheel, and drone strings are on the "low side" away from the player.
tuning ---
some mistakes and adjustments needed (i need to r-do the drawing):
g should be G
G is tonic drone
D is in the octave below G
G underscored is G - 1 octave
D underscored should be D
range of playing strings is from D (below tonic) to G +1-1/2 octaves; a two-octave range.
drone range is from G -1 octave to G (G-1, D, G); one octave, tonic plus its fifth (tuneable to 4th and sharp 5 for Indian raga)
interior bass strings are sympathetic, not bowed; interior bass bridges connect to both top and interior soundboards.
there should be a minimum of 8 sympathetic strings on top (one octave higher than noted), tuned to a diatonic scale. ideally would have 12 strings to have chromatic tuning, especially useful for Indian raga.
there would be more than indicated in the drawing
possibly add more drones and/or chien buzzing dog (?) !-problem with chien: it would have to be on the player side of the wheel (wheel pulls up on the string ~ wheel pulls dog up away from from the soundboard to create buzz - that wouldn't work on the far side of the wheel where its motion is downward - maybe some sort of reverse chien [held away from the board and wheel makes it connect?])
the hatches are for maintenance of the interior bass sympathetic strings.
side view is of the side opposite from player.
could install levers which can hold either one of the playing strings off the wheel for various techniques, which could involve plucking one or both the strings (tuning would be an issue - maybe use a special bridge or something); could also add levers for drones... and possibly even add capos at some point.
conga gurdy
made out of a conga drum instead of a wine barrel
player side view; able to be played by a singe person
tuning pegs on right for convenience in tuning while turning the crank
What's a Hurdy Gurdy anyway?
what next: HURDY GURDY: What's a Hurdy Gurdy anyway?
Vichitra Veena
see also gt; hurdy gurdy playlist at robertcherwink's YouTube channel
what next: tag - Hurdy Gurdy (all "hurdy gurdy" at what next news & random blog)
misc set ups & notes
thinking about how to set up everything... things to consider
harmonics
A harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, i.e. if the fundamental frequency is f, the harmonics have frequencies 2f, 3f, 4f, . . . etc. The harmonics have the property that they are all periodic at the fundamental frequency, therefore the sum of harmonics is also periodic at that frequency. Harmonic frequencies are equally spaced by the width of the fundamental frequency and can be found by repeatedly adding that frequency. For example, if the fundamental frequency is 25 Hz, the frequencies of the harmonics are: 50 Hz, 75 Hz, 100 Hz etc.
what next: cello strings, harmonics & spectograms
wheel, crank & shaft assembly by Graeme McCormack
"I have just finished Drawing up the Henri 111 Renaissance Hurdy Gurdy. I have modelled it on an existing instrument from Paris circa 1750. The main deviation from the original is that it can play over 2 octaves and has adjustable bridges and string lifting mechanisms. I have also changed the internal frame to use smaller wood stock. The original has solid end blocks that needed large wood stock to cut them from. There are 9 x A1 size sheets to this plan. I will add more written information as I make this gurdy." - Henri 111 hurdy gurdy
AntiQuated Strings - Graeme McCormack
guitar gurdy by Graeme McCormack
Grand French Alto Hurdy Gurdy by Graeme McCormack
Putting Things together................ - mccormackgraeme: Chanter string lifters
These are universal harp sharping levers. They displace the string just enough to clear the wheel. I have shown them in the "off" (lifted) and "on" (on wheel) positions. Top left of panel "Off". Top right of panel 2 chanters g' and g in "on" position. They are easily switched with the left hand thumb while playing.
End view of chanter string lifters. This shows the angle the lifters need to be on to push strings up and away from wheel and tangents.
Putting Things together................ - mccormackgraeme: Drone capos
I have 3 delacour harp sharping leversAccessoires pour Harpes - Delacours Levers
I have inserted these on the following drone strings:
g trompette to raise the note to a
c bass drone to raise the note to d
C bass "monk" drone to raise the note to D
Jiri Finished - mccormackgraeme - Hurdy Gurdy Strings
The high chanters have a violin tone and clarity while the low chanters have a soft warm tone. The harp strings work well for the trompettes, with the high trompettes giving a light crisp buzz and the low g trompette giving a quite prominent rattle/buzz. The low drones have a full cello resonance to them. The steel sympathetic strings lightly ring for ever behind the melody. This gives a very full sound especially when using solo chanters.
what next: HURDY GURDY - Recycled Guitar | AntiQuated Strings | Lute-backed
antiquatedstrings - mccormackgraeme
The Wren - a unique hurdy gurdy style by Neil Brook
Hurdy Gourdy - more Neil Brook instruments
Hurdy-gourdy.m4v
"This has been gnawing away at me for decades and I finally got round to doing it. The pun on gourd was too much to resist. One thing it's not is a novelty toy. It's got a lot going for it."
- pretty cool, Neil!
more > what next: The Wren | Hurdy Gourdy | Neil Brook
Renaissance by HG Crafters
Maestro by HG Crafters
what next: HURDY GURDY - photos: instruments by HGC
buzzing bridge
Hurdy gurdy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
what next: HURDY GURDY - misc photos
cello
what next: cello strings, harmonics & spectograms
Sound posts & bass bars
Sound post is #5; bass bar is #10
Sound post - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: In a string instrument, the sound post is a small dowel inside the instrument under the treble end of the bridge, spanning the space between the top and back plates and held in place by friction. It serves as a structural support for an archtop instrument, transfers sound from the top plate to the back plate and alters the tone of the instrument by changing the vibrational modes of the plates.
In a string instrument, the bass bar is a brace running from the foot of the neck to a position under the bridge, which bears much of the tension of the strings...
BASS-BAR, an oblong piece of wood, fixed lengthwise inside the belly of the various instruments belonging to the violin-tribe, running in the same direction with the strings, below the lowest string , and acting as a beam or girder to strengthen the belly against the pressure of the left foot of the bridge , as the sound-post does against that of the right foot (in a right handed instrument).
comments
Neil Brook: "Interesting idea which should work fine. A totally different instrument to a gurdy but why not. It should be easy and quick to build so not much lost if you don't like it.
The inside looks very busy but I'm sure you've thought it out. The second soundboard may work well - only one way to find out !"
to NB: "one question you should be able to help me out with: what is the contact surface of the wheel made of? - thanks in advance!"
Neil Brook: "I pick out a strip of really plain maple that is quarter sawn and bend it to the rim with an angled joint . It doesn't have to be maple but it does need to plane easily with no cross grain. The rim is clamped with jubilee clips . It's a bit involved but using an mdf core, there is no option."
Steve Klein had some great feedback. one suggestion of his, which addresses the weight of the instrument as well as its resonance, was to plane the barrel staves down to be very thin. this adds a whole new dimension to the project, and i think would be well worth the effort.
links | see also
what next: INDIAN MUSIC: Vichitra Veena | Dr. Lalmani Mishra
Raga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
what next: HURDY GURDY: What's a Hurdy Gurdy anyway?
what next: cello strings, harmonics & spectograms
what next: HURDY GURDY - Recycled Guitar | AntiQuated Strings | Lute-backed
what next: The Wren | Hurdy Gourdy | Neil Brook
what next: HURDY GURDY - photos: instruments by HGC
what next: tag - Hurdy Gurdy (all "hurdy gurdy" at what next news & random blog)
hurdy gurdy playlist at robertcherwink's YouTube channel
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