Sunday, March 15, 2009
Experimental Musical Instruments
Welcome to all who have an interest in musical instruments with an emphasis on the out-of-the-ordinary,
Experimental Musical Instruments is an information outlet for interesting and unusual musical instruments of all sorts. Here you’ll find how-to materials on instrument making, as well as books and CDs featuring the work of the most inventive instrument makers worldwide. We have all the back issues of the late, great Experimental Musical Instruments quarterly journal available – a real treasure trove of information and ideas. We also carry pickups, zither pins, tuning gears, fretwire, and other specialized hardware for instrument makers.
All of these items are available through our catalog, and many are available nowhere else. So please click on one of the links above or below to get to what interests you most. Or click here to learn more about Experimental Musical Instruments.
What's NewNews, goings-on, and future plans here at Experimental Musical Instruments.
The Experimental Musical Instruments CatalogThis is our catalog and secure online ordering page, with full information on the books, CDs, and other materials that we sell. Our newest products:
Small electronic components for pickup wiring
Making Marimbas and Other Bar Percussion Instruments, book & audio CD.
Back IssuesComplete listing of articles contained in the late great Experimental Musical Instruments journal going back fourteen years.
Tools & ResourcesA Fret-Placement Calculator, a vibrating bar length calculator, and information on further tools and resources for instrument makers.
LinksA big, rambling batch of links to other sites relating to unusual musical instruments.
About More information about Experimental Musical Instruments.
What are the images on the right? They are instruments from a few of the many makers that have been featured in our publications. Click on the images for more information. To see a larger selection, please visit our gallery.
Experimental Musical Instruments is an information outlet for interesting and unusual musical instruments of all sorts. Here you’ll find how-to materials on instrument making, as well as books and CDs featuring the work of the most inventive instrument makers worldwide. We have all the back issues of the late, great Experimental Musical Instruments quarterly journal available – a real treasure trove of information and ideas. We also carry pickups, zither pins, tuning gears, fretwire, and other specialized hardware for instrument makers.
All of these items are available through our catalog, and many are available nowhere else. So please click on one of the links above or below to get to what interests you most. Or click here to learn more about Experimental Musical Instruments.
What's NewNews, goings-on, and future plans here at Experimental Musical Instruments.
The Experimental Musical Instruments CatalogThis is our catalog and secure online ordering page, with full information on the books, CDs, and other materials that we sell. Our newest products:
Small electronic components for pickup wiring
Making Marimbas and Other Bar Percussion Instruments, book & audio CD.
Back IssuesComplete listing of articles contained in the late great Experimental Musical Instruments journal going back fourteen years.
Tools & ResourcesA Fret-Placement Calculator, a vibrating bar length calculator, and information on further tools and resources for instrument makers.
LinksA big, rambling batch of links to other sites relating to unusual musical instruments.
About More information about Experimental Musical Instruments.
What are the images on the right? They are instruments from a few of the many makers that have been featured in our publications. Click on the images for more information. To see a larger selection, please visit our gallery.
Monday, March 9, 2009
UPDATE 1-Musical instruments group settles U.S. antitrust charge
WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A trade group representing musical instrument makers and retailers has reached an agreement with U.S. regulators that it would no longer facilitate discussion of prices of pianos, guitars and other instruments, the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday.
In its complaint, the FTC said that the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) had hosted meetings between 2005 and 2007 to discuss "strategies for implementing minimum advertised price policies, the restriction of retail price competition, and the need for higher retail prices."
The complaint said that the meetings "had the purpose, tendency, and capacity to facilitate collusion and to restrain competition unreasonably."
Under the terms of the settlement, NAMM would no longer advocate that dealers enter into any deals to buoy prices and would appoint an antitrust compliance officer. NAMM members would also be bound by the terms of the agreement, the FTC said.
Scott Robertson, a spokesman for NAMM, said the group's 9,000 members included "everyone from your hometown music store to Gibson [GIBSN.UL], Fender [FMICO.UL], Taylor and Yamaha."
"This agreement does not require any fundamental changes to NAMM's core activities nor does the agreement constitute an admission of any wrongdoing," the group said in a statement.
"However, under the terms of the agreement, NAMM will enhance various internal policies and procedures relating to the ways we communicate and work with our staff and our members," the statement said.
The order, which will expire in 20 years, must be approved by the commission. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
In its complaint, the FTC said that the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) had hosted meetings between 2005 and 2007 to discuss "strategies for implementing minimum advertised price policies, the restriction of retail price competition, and the need for higher retail prices."
The complaint said that the meetings "had the purpose, tendency, and capacity to facilitate collusion and to restrain competition unreasonably."
Under the terms of the settlement, NAMM would no longer advocate that dealers enter into any deals to buoy prices and would appoint an antitrust compliance officer. NAMM members would also be bound by the terms of the agreement, the FTC said.
Scott Robertson, a spokesman for NAMM, said the group's 9,000 members included "everyone from your hometown music store to Gibson [GIBSN.UL], Fender [FMICO.UL], Taylor and Yamaha."
"This agreement does not require any fundamental changes to NAMM's core activities nor does the agreement constitute an admission of any wrongdoing," the group said in a statement.
"However, under the terms of the agreement, NAMM will enhance various internal policies and procedures relating to the ways we communicate and work with our staff and our members," the statement said.
The order, which will expire in 20 years, must be approved by the commission. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
Introduction: Korean Musical Instruments (2): Choktae, Haegum, Senap and Piri
In Korean version, a recorder is called "So" among no-reed instruments of the wood wind section while a flute called "Cho".
Choktae (representative Korean flute) has an embouchure, 6 holes for sound and one more holes as a half tone device.
There are 3 kinds of Choktae -- Tae Ham (big flute), Chung Ham (middle flute) and So Ham (small flute).
All these three kinds have been known as Sam Chuk (three wind instruments of bamboo) and are specially cherished by Korean people.
Choktae is played in the following way; its head is put to the mouth of the player parallel; and air inbreathed into the embouchure; fingering on the holes involving pitch and timbre fluctuations, but most notable is the rendition of Rongum.
Rongum means a rendition with the simultaneous use of the head and shoulders to give traditional color to music.
Choktae made its debut in May 682, according to a record. A legendary episode is told of debut in the world;
Once upon a time a tiny island suddenly appeared in the East Sea of Korea and strange enough, it was shaped like a human head.
One day, a bamboo tree began to grow there and branched off into two in the daytime and united at night.
The king of the country hearing of this, thought it was a sign of good fortune and sent a messenger to get the bamboo to make Choktae.
When a player blew Choktae, the tune was marvelous; ranging waves were calmed down, storms were tamed; rain fell when it was too dry; enemies were routed in battle.
So in the 7th century, it was called Man Pa Shokcho, a treasure to protect the country from danger and sea disasters, and was preserved in a repository under the care of the country.
In the Li dynasty period, Kim Hong Do painted "Mu Ak To" (a picture of dance and music). In the painting, a concert was drawn with Choktae as the center there.
With a wide sound range, Choktae is known for its conspicuous traditional color.
Most beautiful is its timbre in the middle and high ranges. The low pitch is deep and harmonious, while its high pitch is strong and penetrating.
Choktae is usually made of wood or bamboo elements. It is usually 3cm in diameter, and 70cm in length. The length is in proportion to its thickness.
@
Hae Gum (Photo:So Hae Gum)
Haegum is a percussive bow string instrument which is very popular in Korea today.
Hae Gum resembled Chinese Ho Gung in its structure and rendition, but we can find its originality in our traditional Korean climate.
First of all, Hae Gum can be compared to the medieval musical instrument called Fugin, which had been in Korea since before the Christian era, and became an indispensable musical instrument in both court and popular music circles, according to records.
In those days, Song Hyon and other musician wrote "Ak Hak Kye Nom" (9 vols.) to systematize and typify traditional Korean music, in which they explained the manufacturing process, rendition, and tuning Hae Gum with some illustrations.
Hae Gum is made up of 2 strings and played by a bow with the instrument placed on the player's knee.
The bow has a string of horse tail hair and is held by the right hand. So, Hae Gum is called the "two string harp."
Moreover, it is called "Kang Kang I," so named after the peculiar sound from the resonance drum. It sounds like nasal human voice.
Hae Gum has gone through several improvements to remove its nasal sound, so that the strings are now increased to four from two and the fixed strings placed outside.
As improvements were made. rendition has been also studied. Excellent functions like trill, pizzicato in violin rendition have been added to its original form of rendition which the player places the instrument on his knee and springs against.
As a result, it is now capable of a variety of musical expressions, including this rich timbre of traditional Korean music and delicate expressions like Rong Um.
There are a great many concerto compositions for Hae Gum, like "Hae Gum Sanjo," in addition to folk song compositions, and many excellent Hae Gum players have been produced since old days.
"Ari-rang" and "Pibada Song" played by Hae Gum together with other musical instruments are especially popular today.
There are several kinds of Hae Gum, and actually Hae Gum now in popular use in "So Hae Gum" (small Hae Gum).
In the DPRK, great efforts were made after the liberation to develop traditional orchestra music in the process of promoting duets and trios of traditional musical instruments.
In this process, Chung (middle) Hae Gum for middle pitch, Cho (low) Hae Gum for low pitch, and Tae (grand) Hae Gum for low bass in string instruments are invented.
@
Senap
Piri and Senap are well-known double reed-wood wind instruments among traditional Korean musical instruments.
Senap distinguished itself from the other instruments in its volume. Senap is also called "Tae Pyong So" or "Nal Ra Ri".
"Nal Ra Ri," another name of Senap, is named after its sound, and the name is more popular among the public.
Senap came to be popular among the people around the 13th century, according to records.
There are following passage on Senap in "An Authentic Record of King Tae Jo" : ... One of them often played so (generic term for wind instruments), an instrument called "Tae Pyong So." Moreover, Chong Dong Mu, famous poet mentions this instrument in one of his poems.
Senap, is generally a wind instrument with a copper-made trumpet attached to the wooden tube.
Senap was originally used by military bands, and by and by spread to the public.
As it was widely spread, its cheerful and optimistic sound was introduced into "Nong Ak" (farmerfs music) and become an indispensable sole melodic instrument.
"Nong Ak" is a kind of music which is played in festivals to celebrate the year's good harvest, and to express thanks to farmers' labor after autumn harvest.
Nong Ak bands, with Senap in the ban of percussive traditional musical instruments such as Megu, Kenggari, and Changgo, gather from villagers to celebrate a good harvest.
Old farmers say that the timbre of Senap told them about the result of the year's harvest.
If the timbre was very cheerful and colorful, they would have a good harvest, and a bad harvest if the timber sounded sorrowful.
Senap is characterized by its large sound volume and its tone color, so it is played effectively in solo or ensemble.
@
The latter part of the orchestra "Chong San-ri Always Enjoy Bumper Crop" gives full play to this instrument.
It is especially effective in F major key and D minor key. Chang (long) Se Senap was developed from Senap with its won unique features retained.
A reed was added for a correct half-tone and, the tube lengthened, and the trumpet made smaller.
As a result, its sound range became wider and the timber softer than before to produce a rich emotional timbre.
It came to be able to play appealing musical compositions for festive occasions effectively with its rich power of expression.
@
Piri
@
Among double-reed recorders in the traditional Korean musical instruments, the most popular brass wind instrument is Senap and Piri in the wood wind section.
According to records, Piri came into being earlier than Senap, and was especially loved by Korean people from before the Christian era.
Piri is the generic term of recorders and flutes, that is, of those which are composed of a bamboo bar (synthetic resin or other materials) with some holes, which is sounded by the player's breath, and became favorite instruments of the Korean people.
Piri has several different kinds of from the beginning and most representative among them are Hyang Piri, Se Piri, Tang Piri.
Hyang Piri, Se (thin) Piri and Tang (Chinese) Piri are very similar to each other in appearance and the principle of sounding.
They have 7 holes in front and one hole in the back side. Musical intervals or sound like Ronum (traditional Korean rendition) can be adjusted by the way the reed is held in the mouth or by the tongue.
Of them, Hyang Piri produces very sharp sound, and very effective for clear melodies in concert.
Se Piri is the most representative instrument of the three kinds of Piris, and a little smaller and thinner than Hyang Piri.
Se Piri ranks first in its power of expression compared with their traditional instruments. Moreover the timbre is close to human voice (rather man's voice), and is so attractive to people's mind.
While, Tang Piri was named after its origin, Tang dynasty China distinguish itself from the other Piris as Hyang Piri and Se Piri.
It is almost the same as the two other Piris, in appearance as well as rendition, but is a bit thicker than the other two Piris.
According to records, 20 pieces of Tang Piri were introduced into Korea in June 1, 114.
Piri is played widely not only in sole but also in duet and concert with other string instruments and as accompaniment to folk songs because it is easy to adjust its volume, and can be played easily in harmony with other instruments.
After the liberation of Korea from Japan, Piri has undergone several reforms like other traditional instruments, and Small Piri, Middle Piri, Big Piri and Law Range Piri has been newly added to its original form.
Small Piri and Middle are often played in solo for folk songs and for dances.
Tae (big) Piri is played mainly in concert. These Piris is played mainly in concert. These Piris that have gone through several reforms distinguished themselves from other instruments by their diverse ad unique ways of expression
Choktae (representative Korean flute) has an embouchure, 6 holes for sound and one more holes as a half tone device.
There are 3 kinds of Choktae -- Tae Ham (big flute), Chung Ham (middle flute) and So Ham (small flute).
All these three kinds have been known as Sam Chuk (three wind instruments of bamboo) and are specially cherished by Korean people.
Choktae is played in the following way; its head is put to the mouth of the player parallel; and air inbreathed into the embouchure; fingering on the holes involving pitch and timbre fluctuations, but most notable is the rendition of Rongum.
Rongum means a rendition with the simultaneous use of the head and shoulders to give traditional color to music.
Choktae made its debut in May 682, according to a record. A legendary episode is told of debut in the world;
Once upon a time a tiny island suddenly appeared in the East Sea of Korea and strange enough, it was shaped like a human head.
One day, a bamboo tree began to grow there and branched off into two in the daytime and united at night.
The king of the country hearing of this, thought it was a sign of good fortune and sent a messenger to get the bamboo to make Choktae.
When a player blew Choktae, the tune was marvelous; ranging waves were calmed down, storms were tamed; rain fell when it was too dry; enemies were routed in battle.
So in the 7th century, it was called Man Pa Shokcho, a treasure to protect the country from danger and sea disasters, and was preserved in a repository under the care of the country.
In the Li dynasty period, Kim Hong Do painted "Mu Ak To" (a picture of dance and music). In the painting, a concert was drawn with Choktae as the center there.
With a wide sound range, Choktae is known for its conspicuous traditional color.
Most beautiful is its timbre in the middle and high ranges. The low pitch is deep and harmonious, while its high pitch is strong and penetrating.
Choktae is usually made of wood or bamboo elements. It is usually 3cm in diameter, and 70cm in length. The length is in proportion to its thickness.
@
Hae Gum (Photo:So Hae Gum)
Haegum is a percussive bow string instrument which is very popular in Korea today.
Hae Gum resembled Chinese Ho Gung in its structure and rendition, but we can find its originality in our traditional Korean climate.
First of all, Hae Gum can be compared to the medieval musical instrument called Fugin, which had been in Korea since before the Christian era, and became an indispensable musical instrument in both court and popular music circles, according to records.
In those days, Song Hyon and other musician wrote "Ak Hak Kye Nom" (9 vols.) to systematize and typify traditional Korean music, in which they explained the manufacturing process, rendition, and tuning Hae Gum with some illustrations.
Hae Gum is made up of 2 strings and played by a bow with the instrument placed on the player's knee.
The bow has a string of horse tail hair and is held by the right hand. So, Hae Gum is called the "two string harp."
Moreover, it is called "Kang Kang I," so named after the peculiar sound from the resonance drum. It sounds like nasal human voice.
Hae Gum has gone through several improvements to remove its nasal sound, so that the strings are now increased to four from two and the fixed strings placed outside.
As improvements were made. rendition has been also studied. Excellent functions like trill, pizzicato in violin rendition have been added to its original form of rendition which the player places the instrument on his knee and springs against.
As a result, it is now capable of a variety of musical expressions, including this rich timbre of traditional Korean music and delicate expressions like Rong Um.
There are a great many concerto compositions for Hae Gum, like "Hae Gum Sanjo," in addition to folk song compositions, and many excellent Hae Gum players have been produced since old days.
"Ari-rang" and "Pibada Song" played by Hae Gum together with other musical instruments are especially popular today.
There are several kinds of Hae Gum, and actually Hae Gum now in popular use in "So Hae Gum" (small Hae Gum).
In the DPRK, great efforts were made after the liberation to develop traditional orchestra music in the process of promoting duets and trios of traditional musical instruments.
In this process, Chung (middle) Hae Gum for middle pitch, Cho (low) Hae Gum for low pitch, and Tae (grand) Hae Gum for low bass in string instruments are invented.
@
Senap
Piri and Senap are well-known double reed-wood wind instruments among traditional Korean musical instruments.
Senap distinguished itself from the other instruments in its volume. Senap is also called "Tae Pyong So" or "Nal Ra Ri".
"Nal Ra Ri," another name of Senap, is named after its sound, and the name is more popular among the public.
Senap came to be popular among the people around the 13th century, according to records.
There are following passage on Senap in "An Authentic Record of King Tae Jo" : ... One of them often played so (generic term for wind instruments), an instrument called "Tae Pyong So." Moreover, Chong Dong Mu, famous poet mentions this instrument in one of his poems.
Senap, is generally a wind instrument with a copper-made trumpet attached to the wooden tube.
Senap was originally used by military bands, and by and by spread to the public.
As it was widely spread, its cheerful and optimistic sound was introduced into "Nong Ak" (farmerfs music) and become an indispensable sole melodic instrument.
"Nong Ak" is a kind of music which is played in festivals to celebrate the year's good harvest, and to express thanks to farmers' labor after autumn harvest.
Nong Ak bands, with Senap in the ban of percussive traditional musical instruments such as Megu, Kenggari, and Changgo, gather from villagers to celebrate a good harvest.
Old farmers say that the timbre of Senap told them about the result of the year's harvest.
If the timbre was very cheerful and colorful, they would have a good harvest, and a bad harvest if the timber sounded sorrowful.
Senap is characterized by its large sound volume and its tone color, so it is played effectively in solo or ensemble.
@
The latter part of the orchestra "Chong San-ri Always Enjoy Bumper Crop" gives full play to this instrument.
It is especially effective in F major key and D minor key. Chang (long) Se Senap was developed from Senap with its won unique features retained.
A reed was added for a correct half-tone and, the tube lengthened, and the trumpet made smaller.
As a result, its sound range became wider and the timber softer than before to produce a rich emotional timbre.
It came to be able to play appealing musical compositions for festive occasions effectively with its rich power of expression.
@
Piri
@
Among double-reed recorders in the traditional Korean musical instruments, the most popular brass wind instrument is Senap and Piri in the wood wind section.
According to records, Piri came into being earlier than Senap, and was especially loved by Korean people from before the Christian era.
Piri is the generic term of recorders and flutes, that is, of those which are composed of a bamboo bar (synthetic resin or other materials) with some holes, which is sounded by the player's breath, and became favorite instruments of the Korean people.
Piri has several different kinds of from the beginning and most representative among them are Hyang Piri, Se Piri, Tang Piri.
Hyang Piri, Se (thin) Piri and Tang (Chinese) Piri are very similar to each other in appearance and the principle of sounding.
They have 7 holes in front and one hole in the back side. Musical intervals or sound like Ronum (traditional Korean rendition) can be adjusted by the way the reed is held in the mouth or by the tongue.
Of them, Hyang Piri produces very sharp sound, and very effective for clear melodies in concert.
Se Piri is the most representative instrument of the three kinds of Piris, and a little smaller and thinner than Hyang Piri.
Se Piri ranks first in its power of expression compared with their traditional instruments. Moreover the timbre is close to human voice (rather man's voice), and is so attractive to people's mind.
While, Tang Piri was named after its origin, Tang dynasty China distinguish itself from the other Piris as Hyang Piri and Se Piri.
It is almost the same as the two other Piris, in appearance as well as rendition, but is a bit thicker than the other two Piris.
According to records, 20 pieces of Tang Piri were introduced into Korea in June 1, 114.
Piri is played widely not only in sole but also in duet and concert with other string instruments and as accompaniment to folk songs because it is easy to adjust its volume, and can be played easily in harmony with other instruments.
After the liberation of Korea from Japan, Piri has undergone several reforms like other traditional instruments, and Small Piri, Middle Piri, Big Piri and Law Range Piri has been newly added to its original form.
Small Piri and Middle are often played in solo for folk songs and for dances.
Tae (big) Piri is played mainly in concert. These Piris is played mainly in concert. These Piris that have gone through several reforms distinguished themselves from other instruments by their diverse ad unique ways of expression
Families of the Orchestra
Four different families of musical instruments are present in a symphony orchestra. members of the families are 'related' by the similar ways in which they produce sound.
Strings
Woodwinds
Violin
Piccolo
Viola
Flute
Cello
Oboe
Double Bass
English Horn
Harp
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Percussion
Bassoon
Snare Drum
Contrabassoon
Cymbals
Saxophone
Bass Drum
Brass
Tambourine
Trumpet
Triangle
Trombone
Castanets
Tuba
Guiro
French Horn
Timpani
Glockenspiel
Xylophone
Keyboards
Chimes
Piano
Gong
Harpsichord
Organ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)