Violins, cont'd.

[NoCforMe]

Continuing a thread that drifted into violins somehow (well, it was Stoo's fault!):

Weird instruments with sympathetic strings
There are some violins, or violin-like instruments, that in addition to the regular playing strings--the one the player bows--have what are called "sympathetics". These are strings strung usually under the playing strings that are not bowed, but that vibrate from resonance with the played strings, therefore said to be vibrating "in sympathy" with the playing string. This what gives the Indian sitar its distinctive sound. There are at least two such instruments that I know of, which means there are no doubt more (I'd be surprised if the Chinese don't have at least one such instrument):

The hardanger fiddle:
This is a Norwegian violin (they call it the hardingfele) that in addition to the 4 playing strings has 4 sympathetics that run under the fingerboard. Hardanger fiddles also typically have rich decoration on both the top of the instrument and the fingerboard: ivory inlay and the like.
Articles here and here.

The Bulgarian gadulka:
This is, strictly speaking, not a violin at all, but a descendant of the rebec family, a line of instruments going back to ancient Greece. It has 3 steel playing strings and 10 (usually, the number can vary) sympathetics, also steel. It's played vertically, either held at the bottom by a strap or by the player's belt. The sympathetics give it a distinctive "ringy" sound.

I have one of these instruments that I bought in Bulgaria. One of these days I'm going to have to learn how to play it. It doesn't play at all like a regular violin, where the player presses the string against the fingerboard to stop it: the gadulka has no fingerboard. Instead, you use your fingernail to stop the string.

Article here, and you can listen to the gadulka here (I've seen this guy, Nikolay Kolev, live, and he's one of the best Bulgarian players. You can also hear his wife sing in the very distinctive Bulgarian style.)

Bowed instruments aren't the only ones with sympathetic strings. Check out John McLaughlin's "Shakti" guitar:

(The instrument also has a scalloped fretboard which allows notes to be easily "bent" by pushing the string into the hollow.)

[stoo23]

You see, .... this is the perfect example of why a 'Like' facility would be ideal !!!
So in the absence of one, .....


Like

[stoo23]

I'd be surprised if the Chinese don't have at least one such instrument

Well, whilst the current Chinese government might not agree about this,...    there is one very old Traditional Multi Stringed instrument, not specifically Chinese but 'native' to the Uyghur's, being a Sataer a bowed instrument, with a Very long neck.
See here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sataer

Sataer: Preserving The Melodic History Of Xinjiang

You cannot view this attachment.

[stoo23]

There is also a Swedish instrument;
Nyckelharpa
This traditional Swedish musical instrument, also known as a chordophone, dates back to the 16th Century.
The modern nyckelharpa has 16 strings ¬– three melody strings, a drone string, and twelve resonance strings.
It has 37 wooden keys arranged to slide under the strings, attached to tangents which, when depressed, serve as frets to change the pitch of the string.
A short bow is used in the right hand while the left hand pushes on the keys.
It has a three-octave range and sounds something like a fiddle, only with more resonance.

For those that may be interested, there is a great Bach piece played on the 'Nyckelharpa' here:
Johann Sebastian Bach - Chaconne, Partita No. 2 BWV 1004

[stoo23]

There is also another ancient 'bowed' instrument, the Sarangi ... a short-necked 'fiddle' used throughout South Asia, particularly for folk and classical Hindustani music and popular throughout Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarangi
It has three melody strings made of gut, usually tuned a fifth and a fourth apart, and 11 to 37 sympathetically vibrating metal strings.

In the above 'clip' you can also see another 'bowed' instrument with many sympathetic strings, called a Taus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taus_(instrument)

[NoCforMe]

Yes, I'd forgotten about they nyckelharpa and the sarangi. I think the latter is related to the kemenche, which is another bowed instrument in the rebec family (another "vertical violin").

[stoo23]

One instrument Not previously mentioned, is the 'Viola d'amore', an interesting multi-stringed instrument like a viol-violin hybrid & played like a violin. It is of 18th-century origin, has six or seven melody strings and several sympathetic strings, and is unfretted. A 17th-century violin with five wire strings was also called viola d'amore.

You know, with regard to your earlier reference to the 'Kontra', I recalled seeing an interesting documentary years ago on various early Stringed / Bowed instruments, prior to the modern Violin / Viola etc.

Took a while for the brain cells to fire again in the depths, to remember the name of the instruments, ..... 
but I got there in the end,..

As mentioned, there was also the 'Viol' (or as often referred to), Viola de gamba, which was the initial focus of the documentary I saw.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viol

Certainly interesting and rather unique instruments, with 5 to 7 strings, Frets !! and tuning basically in Fourths (with a Third in the middle).

That same documentary, also covered another often Fretted instrument, being the Violone,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violone

[stoo23]

Continuing on, one further somewhat bizarre instrument, was the 'Baryton',
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baryton

It is another 'bowed' and 'Fretted' multi-stringed instrument and also features 'Sympathetic' strings .... BUT .... differs to ALL other stringed instruments in the general 'Family', as the extra sympathetic strings can also be 'Plucked' (by the thumb), due to the Open backed 'Neck' of the instrument.

Whilst Not exactly in the same 'Family' of instruments as the 'Bowed' instruments, one Truly unique and wonderful instrument, makes for an interesting accompaniment with the Baryton, being the 'Theorbo':
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theorbo

Just so you can appreciate both, here is a Mozart piece

Pretty cool eh? 

[stoo23]

Finally, this brings me / us back to the whole concept of the 'Flat' / 'Flatter' Bridge,...   

The other unique instrument I discovered when watching that documentary, was the 'Lirone' from the late 15th and 16th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lirone

It often has 13 strings but can have as many as 16 and was often played along with the aforementioned Theorbo.

It features a very Low Arched Bridge, to (in effect) facilitate the playing of Chords, which can be done rather uniquely due to it's 'Re-entrant' tuning (which go up a Fifth and down a Fourth), apart from the bridge shape.

Depending on your musical tastes, you may wish to stop viewing the above clip at around 05:55 (after her initial introduction of the instrument) or skip through it to around 06:35, if you are Not a fan of Opera 

Which brings me Finally, to the Ultimate FLAT bridged Violin,..      the 'Lira da braccio'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lira_da_braccio

As can be seen at the beginning of the following clip, it features a virtually 'Dead Flat' bridge and is designed in much the same way to the aforementioned Lirone, to play 'Chordal' accompaniment to the singing or recitation of 'Lyric' and 'Narrative Poetry'.

The clip below, provides some great background as well as some fine examples of some of the instruments and styles mentioned. ... Enjoy 

You may need to turn the 'Captions' On.

[NoCforMe]

Viola da gamba = "viol of the leg"
Viola da braccio = "viol of the arm"
Viola d'amore = "viol of love"???

[NoCforMe]

And while we're at it in the realm of the violin family, let's don't forget the virtually unknown but inimitable Bulgarian gadulka:

Nikolai Kolev is probably the leading performer and exponent of the instrument; I've seen him live in decades past. Notice how he uses his fingernails, not the finger tips, to stop the strings.

It's another bowed instrument with sympathetics: 3 playing strings (tuned A-E-A) and 10 sympathetics that almost cover the chromatic octave. Not a member of the viol family, BTW, but instead related to the lyres (rebabs, etc.).

I have a gadulka that I got in Bulgaria and keep swearing that someday I'm going to learn how to play it, but not yet ...

[daydreamer]

Good luck with that. I inherited an old harmonica from grandpa I never learn to play correctly, only making noise. The newer harmonicas have a tiny switch so you can play more notes

The only "instrument", is my human voice mimicking song I don't know the lyrics of

Maybe similar way to code, type in notes and save to midi file, would be easiest for coders?

[daydreamer]

Here is a swedish famous violin player jinder, her daughter went on different music career singing, with artist name little jinder

Plucking big bass violin, typical jazz band use

[stoo23]

Seeing as this is about Violins, we should allow a 'True Maestro' to speak ... 

Itzhak Perlman enjoying life 

[stoo23]