How the Home Swinger makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the Home Swinger belongs to the board zithers: strings are stretched across a flat board or box – the family of the piano, harpsichord and hammered dulcimer.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
A Home Swinger is a musical instrument created by Yuri Landman. The instrument has 12 strings, an electronic pickup and a movable rod to alter the pitch of the instrument.
Landman created the instrument for workshops at European festivals and venues, where participants built their own copy within four hours. The instrument was also featured in the United States in a 2010 workshop at the Knitting Factory. At those events, Landman performed with the participants.
Other board zithers
Frequently asked questions
What does the Home Swinger sound like?
As one of the board zithers, its sound comes from the way strings are stretched across a flat board or box.
What type of instrument is the Home Swinger?
It is classified as board zithers (Hornbostel–Sachs 314.11).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q3139624 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Home Swinger – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Yuri Landman Hypercustom – CC BY-SA 3.0