The Martin Martian Theremin Guitar

Posted: 11/10/2013 12:06:45 PM
alienmartian

Joined: 11/9/2013

Yeah, I haven't seen Bills recent stuff.  I heard he was on America has Talent or some show with a name close to that.  He came through Bethlehem a couple of years back and, when we saw him, just had the Harp and his wife did yoga with people under the strings.  My wife does yoga so we went but that was in the morning, don't know what the night time stuff was like.

I am hoping to elavate the musical part off the boat to art.  There was a student at school who was working on the tuning and had it pretty much nailed but that was right before he graduated an moved on.  The guitar sat in the Martin Museum for several years before Richard got wind of it and made it do something.  I am hoping the same for the boat.  Although I would rather not have to wait that long.

The ten string thing sounds interesting, I will have to check that out.  I was going to put a fiddle head on the boat but my boys were reading Eragon so at the last minute I made it a dragon head.  I misspelled the Dragon's name but keep it when I looked it up and saw that it meant west wind (and no copyright infringement).

It is probably obvious to you guys but this is the first itme I ever joined a forum. I believe I will learn a lot here.  Thanks,

Michael

Posted: 11/11/2013 1:38:17 AM
coalport

From: Canada

Joined: 8/1/2008

Last year I built a boat-shaped ("naviform") arched harp in the style of the Late Kingdom period of ancient Egypt. Here is a video of it accompanying a theremin. (Apologies to those of you who have already seen this). 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvDrl_zOQg8 

Posted: 11/11/2013 4:25:31 PM
dewster

From: Northern NJ, USA

Joined: 2/17/2012

"Last year I built a boat-shaped ("naviform") arched harp in the style of the Late Kingdom period of ancient Egypt"  -coalport

Peter, is the bottom of the harp open or closed?  It has a very rich and beautiful tone!  Is just the soundboard made of animal skin, or is the whole body enclosed by it?

 

Posted: 11/11/2013 4:53:11 PM
coalport

From: Canada

Joined: 8/1/2008

Here's a webpage I made while I was building the harp that shows how everything was done. In retrospect, there are a few things I would do differently if I were to make a second "djedjet". 

 

http://www.peterpringle.com/arched.html

Posted: 11/12/2013 1:06:51 AM
coalport

From: Canada

Joined: 8/1/2008

Here is an interesting video I stumbled across while investigating the "monochord". This is a boat that has been cut in half and made into a 30 string musical instrument by Tobias Bulow.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcCJ8955tUA

Posted: 11/13/2013 11:49:42 AM
alienmartian

Joined: 11/9/2013

Last year I built a boat-shaped ("naviform") arched harp in the style of the Late Kingdom period of ancient Egypt. Here is a video of it accompanying a theremin. (Apologies to those of you who have already seen this). 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvDrl_zOQg8 

 

That was great, Thanks,

 

Michael

Posted: 11/13/2013 11:55:10 AM
alienmartian

Joined: 11/9/2013

Here's a webpage I made while I was building the harp that shows how everything was done. In retrospect, there are a few things I would do differently if I were to make a second "djedjet". 

 

http://www.peterpringle.com/arched.html

 

Peter,

 

Fabulous, did not have time to read it all yet but will as soon as I can.  Just wonderful, thanks,

 

Mcihael

Posted: 9/22/2014 12:52:47 PM
Celeste

Joined: 9/22/2014

Hey All,

Just joined the site.

Thanks for mentioning the "Alien" in the thread.

Here is a link to the site which honors the Alien guitar...."Celeste"

http://www.celestetherecord.com/

Michael's guitar has changed my life in a weird and wonderful way....

We will be doing some live concerts this Fall and Winter.

Will keep you posted.

All the best,

Richard Leo Johnson

 

Posted: 9/22/2014 8:15:47 PM
hypergolic

From: Richmond Hill, Georgia

Joined: 9/18/2005

Welcome Richard! Lots of good resources here and an honor jamming with you this past Friday.

 

FEELEEP

Posted: 9/23/2014 11:54:09 AM
rkram53

From: Northern NJ, USA

Joined: 7/29/2014

Peter, (if you see this)

All this work you do with ancient instruments is fascinating and amazing. Have you ever tied up with musicologists in the field of Early Music? I really think they would be very open to want to work with you to try and recreate the sound of ancient music. So little is known about it from any standpoint of what it sounded like. Best approximations I think are rooted in trying to find folk singers or players that may still retain some hint of the sound that has been passed down over all these generations, though I fear that is all being lost in the advent of today's popular music (what kids are interested in carrying on these vocal or instrumental traditions anymore)?

Rich

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