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5th August 2012 at Exhibition Road, London SW7.
The Marimba consists of a set of wooden keys with resonators, which are struck with mallets. It was developed in Guatemala from a Mayan instrument.
The instrument was taken up in the western world, first in vaudeville in the USA and then between 1940 and 1960 as an orchestral instrument. The design of the Marimba became more sophisticated. A Concert Marimba can have a range of up to 5 octaves.
Marimbas are assigned the number 111.212 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
1 = Idiophones. Sound is primarily produced by the actual body of the instrument vibrating, rather than a string, membrane, or column of air.
11 = Struck Idiophones. These idiophones are set in vibration by being struck.
111 = Directly Struck Idiophones. The player himself executes the movement of striking; whether by mechanical intermediate devices, beaters, keyboards, or by pulling ropes, etc.
111.2 = Percussive idiophones. The instrument is struck either with a non-sonorous object (hand, stick, striker) or against a non-sonorous object (human body, the ground).
111.21 = Percussion sticks.
111.212 = Sets of percussion sticks.
24th September 2020 at Horniman Museum, London SE23.
The Tárogató is a modern invention with the same name as a traditional instrument. The original instrument which was derived from the Zurna had a double reed, concial bore and no keys. It can be traced back to at least the 15th century in Hungary. The new instrument invented in the 1890s in Budapest has a single reed, comical bore and keys. It resembles a Soprano Saxophone, but with different keying, tone hole sizes and placements, and a different sound.
This instrument was made by Jerome Thibouville-Lamy in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. It has a pitch of B♭and has 18 keys.
Tárogatós are assigned the number 422.212 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
42 = Non-free aerophones. The vibrating air is contained within the instrument.
422 = Reed Instruments. The player's breath is directed against a lamella or pair of lamellae which periodically interrupt the airflow and cause the air to be set in motion.
422.2 = Single Reed Instruments or Clarinets. The pipe has a single 'reed' consisting of a percussion lamella
422.21 = Single Clarinets [as opposed to sets of Clarinets].
422.212 = With conical bore.
28th June 2012 at Broadgate Circle, London EC2 (Söndörgő gig).
The Eastern European Tambura (or Tamboura or Tamburica) is a long necked Lute, which originated in Turkey. In Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia (and also where people of such descent who have settled in Hungary) the instrument comes in a variety of shapes and sizes which come together in a Tambura Orchestra or Tamburitza. Elsewhere in Bulgaria and Macedonia there are more uniform solo instruments.
The Tambura Samica is one of the smallest Tamburas from the northern former Yugoslavian countres. It is usually played solo rather than in a Tambura Orchestra.
Eastern European Tamburas are assigned the number 321.321-6 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
3 = Chordophone. Instruments where the sound is primarily produced by the vibration of a string or strings that are stretched between fixed points.
32 = Composite Chordophone. Acoustic and electro-acoustic instruments which have a resonator as an integral part of the instrument, and solid-body electric chordophones.
321 = Lutes. Instruments where the plane of the strings runs parallel with the resonator’s surface.
321.3 = Handle Lutes. Instruments in which the string bearer is a plain handle.
321.32 = Necked Lutes. Instrument in which the handle is attached to, or carved from, the resonator, like a neck
321.321 = Necked Bowl Lutes. Instrument with a resonator made from a bowl, either natural or carved.
321.321-6 = Strings vibrated by a plectrum.
9th December 2011 at Queen Elizabeth Hall (Front Room), London SE1.
The Hang was developed in 2000 in Switzerland by a PANArt, and is related to the Steel Pan. The name comes from the Bernese German word for hand. It consists of two hemispherical sheets of steel. Inside them is simply air. The Hang is usually played resting on the player's lap with hands and fingers.
Hanghang (the plural form of Hang) are assigned the number 111.24 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
1 = Idiophones. Sound is primarily produced by the actual body of the instrument vibrating, rather than a string, membrane, or column of air.
11 = Struck Idiophones. These idiophones are set in vibration by being struck.
111 = Directly Struck Idiophones. The player himself executes the movement of striking; whether by mechanical intermediate devices, beaters, keyboards, or by pulling ropes, etc.
111.2 = Percussive idiophones. The instrument is struck either with a non-sonorous object (hand, stick, striker) or against a non-sonorous object (human body, the ground).
111.24 = Percussion vessels.
Note: This classification is not accepted by everybody. There have been angry exchanges in forums and attempts to get the instruments Wikipedia page to represent different positions. Some argue that it is a Membranophone and others that there is no place for it in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification. One argument is that most people would regard it as a drum, so it is a drum. A more sophisticated one is that the steel sheets constitute a membrance because their tension is controllable/they oscillate.
26 November 2006
This seven belled, seven horned beast was invented by Sax to be a chromatic horn. Each valve goes to a separate bell.
One problem of having valves in serial, rather than parallel, is that valve combinations tend to be out of tune. (On a modern horn, the third valve is tuned to a length which is based on a ratio of it's pipes compared with the rest of the instrument. If the player also presses the first valve, then the ratio of the rest of the instrument changes and the third valve pipe is too short). This is a clever way to solve the problem, although it seems like it would tend to be heavy.
At the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, Belgium
24th September 2020 at Horniman Museum, London SE23.
The Tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. It was invented in Germany (Prussia) in the mid 19th century. Tubas have a 3.7 to 5.5 metres long main tube with a conical bore i.e. their diameter increases along the tubing from the mouthpiece to the bell.
The BBB♭ or Subcontrabass Tuba is extremely rare (only a handful of examples are known). It is one octave below the BB♭or Contrabass Tuba (the lowest and largest Tuba in regular use).
This instrument was made by Besson & Co in London in the early 20th century. This BBB♭ Tuba is 1.981 metres high and weighs 50.8 kg. It was originally fitted to the wall of the Besson & Co. factory on the Euston Road. When Boosey & Hawkes acquired Besson it was moved to the outside of their factory in Edgware until the late 1990s.
Tubas are assigned the number 423.232 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
42 = Non-free aerophones. The vibrating air is contained within the instrument.
423 = Trumpets. The player's vibrating lips set the air in motion.
423.2 = Chromatic Trumpet. The pitch of the instrument can be altered mechanically.
423.23 = Trumpets with Valves. The pitch can be changed by connecting or disconnecting auxiliary lengths of tube.
423.232 = With Semi-Conical Bore.
23rd May 2011 at Betsey Trotwood, London EC1 (Le Vent du Nord gig).
The Accordion is a bellows driven free reed instrument. From the 1820s onwards several different free reed instruments were invented across Europe (the first to use the name Accordion was patented in Vienna in 1829). They evolved into three main types of instrument: Diatonic, Chromatic and Piano Accordions (as well as Concertinas).
The Diatonic Accordion is operated by pressing buttons or keys which allows air to flow across the reeds (these are strips of brass or steel) which vibrate to produce sound. It is bisonoric (the buttons make one note when the bellows are compressed and another when they are expanded).
The Québécois Accordion used to play the traditional music of the province can be either a Diatonic Accordion or a Piano Accordion. The former is similar to the Cajun Accordion. with four stops and can both 1-row, and 1½-row variants.
Québécois Diatonic Accordions are assigned the number 412.132 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
41 = Free Aerophones. The vibrating air is not contained within the instrument.
412 = Interruptive Free Aerophones. The air-stream is interrupted periodically.
412.1 = Idiophonic Interruptive Aerophones or Reeds. The air-stream is directed against a lamella, setting it in periodic vibration to interrupt the stream intermittently.
412.13 = Free Reed Instruments. Instrument features a reed which vibrates within a closely fitting slot.
412.132 = Sets of Free Reads.
Simmons & Fisher (ca. 1850).
Current Status: The current status of this instrument has not been documented. (Last update: transfer of data from the OHS PC Database, October 30, 2004.) If you can assist us with information concerning the current status of this organ, please use the form accessible through the "Update" button below.
2 manuals. 18 stops.
Slider chests. Mechanical key action.
Additional notes.
Altered Ross Abel 1960s. (OHS PC Database. 2004-10-30)
Was out at my favourite musical store and saw this fantastic setup. Had to have a shot. Also, any guesses as to which lens? Hint: Look at the ugly octagonal bokeh... Guess before checking my EXIF.. :)
8th July 2016 at the British Museum (Great Court), London WC1 (Mujali Island Monks performance).
The Assamese Nagara consists of two clay (though more recently a metal like brass) drums played together. The open end is covered with Goat Skin and tied firmly with lather strips. Several different size of Nagaras are found if different parts of Assam, those in Lower Assam being larger than those in Upper Assam.
Assamese Nagaras are assigned the number 211.12 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
2 = Membranophones. Instruments where the sound is primarily produced by the vibration of a string or strings that are stretched between fixed points.
21 = Struck Membranophones. Sound is produced by hitting the drumskin with a hand or object.
211 = Directly Struck Membranophones. Instruments in which the membrane is struck directly.
211.1 = Kettle Drums. Instruments in which the body of the drum is dish- or bowl-shaped.
211.12 = Sets of instruments.
My father was from a large farm family of mainly boys who all played string instruments--very well from a young age. This Gibson mandolin was my father's favorite and it is probably from the 1930's. Pink Roses were also my father's favorite flower so I just decided to photograph them together.
uploaded sa for Martha W SW VA Museum -blog: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/southwest-virginia-museu...
7th October 2010 at Cornerstone, Didcot (Le Vent du Nord gig).
The Hurdy Gurdy (known in France as the Vielle à Roue) probably originated in Western Europe or the Middle East before the 11th century. It is sounded by a crank turned wheel rubbing against the strings rather than a bow. It has multiple drone strings. Traditionally the Vielle à Roue has 2 melody and 4 drone strings.
Hurdy Gurdys are assigned the number 321.322-72 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
3 = Chordophone. Instruments where the sound is primarily produced by the vibration of a string or strings that are stretched between fixed points.
32 = Composite Chordophone. Acoustic and electro-acoustic instruments which have a resonator as an integral part of the instrument, and solid-body electric chordophones.
321 = Lutes. Instruments where the plane of the strings runs parallel with the resonator’s surface.
321.3 = Handle Lutes. Instruments in which the string bearer is a plain handle.
321.32 = Necked Lutes. Instrument in which the handle is attached to, or carved from, the resonator, like a neck
321.322 = Necked Box Lutes. Instruments in which the resonator is built up from wood.
321.322-7 = Instruments where the strings are vibrated by bowing.
321.322-72 = Instruments where the strings are vibrated using a wheel.
24th January 2014 at St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow.
The Charango is a South American Andean instrument traditionally made from an Armadillo shell. It probably evolved from the Spanish lute. It has five pairs of strings.
Charangos are assigned the number 321.321-5 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
3 = Chordophone. Instruments where the sound is primarily produced by the vibration of a string or strings that are stretched between fixed points.
32 = Composite Chordophone. Acoustic and electro-acoustic instruments which have a resonator as an integral part of the instrument, and solid-body electric chordophones.
321 = Lutes. Instruments where the plane of the strings runs parallel with the resonator’s surface.
321.3 = Handle Lutes. Instruments in which the string bearer is a plain handle.
321.32 = Necked Lutes. Instrument in which the handle is attached to, or carved from, the resonator, like a neck.
321.321 = Necked Bowl Lutes. Instrument with a resonator made from a bowl, either natural or carved.
321.321-5 = Strings vibrated by bare hands and fingers.
I was inspired when I saw coconuts for 99c at the bodega, but when I got home it took me half an hour just to get all the delicious meat out of the nut.
I keep making instruments that are too long for my short arms to play comfortably. You'd think I would've learned from the rotten stick guitar.
The frets are bamboo skewers - I tuned them by ear so the tuning is kind of shaky. I might add more frets later. Note how the bamboo bridge rests on a point on the membrane (architectural vellum)- this helps to transfer the vibrations of the string.
The coconut banjo sounds like this.
Cake made for a cornet player. Think this was my most challenging cake to date and really pleased how it came out. Everything apart from the lid is completely edible. Cake is 10" x 8" chocolate filled with rich chocolate buttercream.
3rd March 2013 at artsdepot (Café area), London N12 (PAKAW! gig).
The Tambourine consists of a wooden or plastic frame, with pairs of small metal jingles embedded into it. Simiar instrument developed all around the world, although the name derives from the French tambourin, a long narrow drum from Provence. Tambourines can be played in numerous ways, from shaking the instrument to striking it with a stick, or against a leg or hip.
Some tambourines have a drumhead, and should be classified as a Membranophone and not an Idiophone.
Tambourines (without a drumhead) are assigned the number 112.122 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
1 = Idiophones. Sound is primarily produced by the actual body of the instrument vibrating, rather than a string, membrane, or column of air.
11 = Struck Idiophones. These idiophones are set in vibration by being struck.
112 = Indirectly Struck Idiophones. The player himself does not go through the movement of striking; percussion results indirectly through some other movement by the player.
112.1 = Shaken Idiophones. The player makes a shaking motion.
112.12 = Frame rattle. Rattling objects are attached to a carrier against which they strike
112.122 = Sliding rattle. Non-sonorous objects slide to and fro in the slots of the sonorous object so that the latter is made to vibrate; or sonorous objects slide to and fro in the slots of a non-sonorous object, to be set in vibration by the impacts.
19th September 2013 at the 100 Club, London W1 (Jimmy LaFave gig).
The Vibrato Arm (or tremolo arm or whammy bar) is a lever attached to the bridge of a guitar which slackens or tightens the strings to alter the pitch. This creates a vibrato effect.
The Vibrato Arm in this photo is on a Fender Stratocaster. The introduction of the device on this guitar in 1954 was largely responsible for the increasing popularity of vibrato systems.
30th August 2013 at the Nehru Centre, London W1.
The Electronic Tanpura duplicates the sound of a regular Tanpura, the drone instrument used in Indian classical music (see www.flickr.com/photos/52996072@N04/6799861490/). It uses sampled recordings of the Tanpura. Developed in the 1970s, it was originally used in a practice setting. These days it can also be found in concerts.
The instrument in the photo was made by the company Raagini Digital.
Electronic Tanpuras are assigned the number 5 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
5 = Electrophones. Sound is generated by electrical means.
29th March 2014 at the Royal Festival Hall (Festival Terrace), London SE1 (Display at “Pull Out All the Stops” Festival).
The Street Organ is a mechanical musical instrument played by street musicians and consisting of bellows and pipes housed in a case. The music can be encoded on wooden barrels (Barrel Organs), paper rolls or folded “books” of cardboard.
Larger versions are usually belt drive from a small engine, and adopt the “book music” format - stacks of punched cardboard sheets folded Z fashion. Organs are described as following various different key systems (referring to the small levers which rock upwards when a hole passes by and thereby open the valves of the organ) or a key-less system read by pneumatic pressure or suction. These larger organs have both Reed and Flue pipes, as well as various drum or percussive effects.
The instrument in the photo is a 65 Key Organ by Foucher-Gasparini of Paris. Originally a 57 key instrument, it has seen major modifications over the years including a new front based on an old photograph.
In this photo: The back of the Organ including a “book” being played on the left and the belt drive on the right.
Street Organs with both Flue and Reed Pipes are assigned the numbers 421.222.11 and 412.132 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
42 = Non-Free Aerophones. The vibrating air is contained within the instrument.
421 = Edge-Blown Flutes. A narrow stream of air is directed against an edge.
421.2 = Flutes with a Duct. A narrow duct directs the air-stream against the sharp edge of a lateral orifice.
421.22 = Flutes with an Internal Duct. The duct is inside the tube.
421.222 = Sets of flutes with internal duct.
421.222.1 = Sets of open flutes with internal duct.
421.222.11 = Without fingerholes.
and
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
41 = Free Aerophones. The vibrating air is not contained within the instrument.
412 = Interruptive Free Aerophones. The air-stream is interrupted periodically.
412.1 = Idiophonic Interruptive Aerophones or Reeds. The air-stream is directed against a lamella, setting it in periodic vibration to interrupt the stream intermittently.
412.13 = Free Reed Instruments. Instrument features a reed which vibrates within a closely fitting slot.
412.132 = Sets of Free Reads.
5th August 2012 at Exhibition Road, London SW7.
A Glockenspiel is distinguished from a Xylophone in that its bars are made of metal. They are also usually smaller and higher in pitch.
Glockenspiels are assigned the number 111.212 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
1 = Idiophones. Sound is primarily produced by the actual body of the instrument vibrating, rather than a string, membrane, or column of air.
11 = Struck Idiophones. These idiophones are set in vibration by being struck.
111 = Directly Struck Idiophones. The player himself executes the movement of striking; whether by mechanical intermediate devices, beaters, keyboards, or by pulling ropes, etc.
111.2 = Percussive idiophones. The instrument is struck either with a non-sonorous object (hand, stick, striker) or against a non-sonorous object (human body, the ground).
111.21 = Percussion sticks.
111.212 = Sets of percussion sticks.
24th October 2015 at London Irish Centre (Presidential Suite), London NW1 (duo with Johnny Connolly).
The Accordion is a bellows driven free reed instrument. From the 1820s onwards several different free reed instruments were invented across Europe (the first to use the name Accordion was patented in Vienna in 1829). They evolved into three main types of instrument: Diatonic, Chromatic and Piano Accordions (as well as Concertinas).
The Diatonic Accordion is operated by pressing buttons or keys which allows air to flow across the reeds (these are strips of brass or steel) which vibrate to produce sound. It is bisonoric (the buttons make one note when the bellows are compressed and another when they are expanded).
The Button Accordion or Box is the name in Ireland for the two row Diactonic Accordion (the English term Melodeon being restricted to the one row). Button Accordions look just like English Melodeons, but there is usually a semi-tone between the rows rather than a fourth.
The instrument in the photo was made by Paddy Clancy (formerly of Cairdin Accordions) in County Limerick.
Button Accordions are assigned the number 412.13.2 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
41 = Free Aerophones. The vibrating air is not contained within the instrument.
412 = Interruptive Free Aerophones. The air-stream is interrupted periodically.
412.1 = Idiophonic Interruptive Aerophones or Reeds. The air-stream is directed against a lamella, setting it in periodic vibration to interrupt the stream intermittently.
412.13 = Free Reed Instruments. Instrument features a reed which vibrates within a closely fitting slot.
412.132 = Sets of Free Reads.
4th August 2012 at Exhibition Road, London SW7.
An Alto Horn is a Brass instrument in the middle range (between trumpets and flugelhorns on the one hand and baritone horns and tubas on the other). It has three valves and a predominatly concial bore. In the UK the instrument is known as a Tenor Horn.
Alto Horns/Tenor Horns are assigned the number 423.232 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
4 = Aerophones. Sound is primarily produced by vibrating air. The instrument itself does not vibrate, and there are no vibrating strings or membranes.
42 = Non-free aerophones. The vibrating air is contained within the instrument.
423 = Trumpets. The player's vibrating lips set the air in motion.
423.2 = Chromatic Trumpet. The pitch of the instrument can be altered mechanically.
423.23 = Trumpets with Valves. The pitch can be changed by connecting or disconnecting auxiliary lengths of tube.
423.232 = With Semi-Conical Bore.
28th June 2012 at Broadgate Circle, London EC2 (Söndörgő gig).
The Eastern European Tambura (or Tamboura or Tamburica) is a long necked Lute, which originated in Turkey. In Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia (and also where people of such descent who have settled in Hungary) the instrument comes in a variety of shapes and sizes which come together in a Tambura Orchestra or Tamburitza. Elsewhere in Bulgaria and Macedonia there are more uniform solo instruments.
The Kontra Tambura (or Bugarija) falls in size between a Bracs and a Čelo Tambura (not included in this set) or Bas Tambura in a Tambura Orchestra from the northern former Yugoslavian countres. It is guitar shaped.
Eastern European Tamburas are assigned the number 321.321-6 in the Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instruments ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornbostel-Sachs ), indicating:
3 = Chordophone. Instruments where the sound is primarily produced by the vibration of a string or strings that are stretched between fixed points.
32 = Composite Chordophone. Acoustic and electro-acoustic instruments which have a resonator as an integral part of the instrument, and solid-body electric chordophones.
321 = Lutes. Instruments where the plane of the strings runs parallel with the resonator’s surface.
321.3 = Handle Lutes. Instruments in which the string bearer is a plain handle.
321.32 = Necked Lutes. Instrument in which the handle is attached to, or carved from, the resonator, like a neck
321.321 = Necked Bowl Lutes. Instrument with a resonator made from a bowl, either natural or carved.
321.321-6 = Strings vibrated by a plectrum.
Note: Strictly speaking the shape of this particular instrument makes it a Box Lute rather than a Bowl Lute. However I’ve decided to keep all the Tamburas together.
16th December 2012 at National Theatre (Djanogly Concert Pitch), London SE1 (Sugar Kings gig).
Foot Pedals and Beaters seem to have been first used by Trap Drummers for the Bass Drum around the 1890s.
The set up in the photo is being used to play a Cowbell whilst the musician plays Bongos and a Güiro with his hands.