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Building a Monochord: Explore, Record, Measure, and Play Music

In this music lab, Professor Lydia Ayers teaches students how to build a monochord, record and find the frequency of the string, measure and mark the positions for a major scale, and play a simple exercise. Students will also work on their own compositions for the upcoming lab.

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Building a Monochord: Explore, Record, Measure, and Play Music

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  1. Exploring Music Lab 7 by Prof. Lydia Ayers

  2. Objectives • Build a monochord (single string instrument) • Record and find the frequency of the open string • Measure and mark the positions for the pitches to make a major scale • Play a simple exercise • Work on your composition (due next week in lab)

  3. Build a Monochord • Make a cardboard frame • Board-like frame from several layers of cardboard, with the fold in different places so it won’t bend with the force of the string • Hollow box-like frame will produce more tone • Longer frame will produce lower tone

  4. Build a Monochord • Make two bridges • Fold small pieces of cardboard into triangles • Use two or three layers of cardboard if one layer is not stiff enough to support the tension of the string • Secure a bridge near each end of the frame • If you want to tune the string, you can place a third moveable bridge between the two end bridges

  5. Build a Monochord • Secure the string over the bridges • Cut a string a little longer than the distance between the bridges • Secure the string over the bridges tightly enough to get a good sound • What is good is whatever you think sounds good

  6. Mark the Pitches • Measure the string and touch lightly in the center • The best position is where the harmonic gives the clearest sound • Mark the frame below the harmonic • Plucking the string while pressing this position produces the octave

  7. Mark the Pitches • Measure the string and touch lightly at each harmonic position • Continue marking the harmonics until you have a major scale • Perfect 5th at 3rd harmonic • Perfect 4th at 4th harmonic • Major 3rd at 5th harmonic • Major 2nd at 9th harmonic

  8. Mark the Pitches • The bridge is the end you pluck and the nut is the end you tune • String lengths from bridge are reciprocals of frequency ratios: • Perfect 5th = 2/3 from bridge (1/3 from nut) • Perfect 4th = 3/4 from bridge (1/4 from nut) • Major 3rd = 4/5 from bridge (1/5 from nut) • Major 2nd = 8/9 from bridge (1/9 from nut) • Major 6th = 3/5 from bridge (2/5 from nut), another position of the 5th harmonic • Major 7th = 8/15 from bridge (7/15 from nut), harmonic should sound clearly

  9. Example • For a 30 inch string: • Perfect 5th at 3rd harmonic = 20 inches (2/3 string length) from bridge, 10 inches (1/3 string length) from nut • Other useful intervals: • Minor 3rd at 6th harmonic • Minor 7th at 9/16 or 5/9 string length from bridge (7/16 or 4/9 from nut) (I can’t get a clear harmonic on this one on the dulcimer)

  10. Make a Pick • You can make a pick by cutting a piece from a plastic water bottle into a comfortable shape

  11. Find the Frequency of the String • Record the sound of the open string • Note that a tighter string sounds higher than a looser one • Use the wavanal program to find the frequency of the sound • On the Web page for wavanal, there is also a pitcher program which may be helpful (it is probably not in Lab 4 now)

  12. Monochord Exercise • Practice playing this exercise on your monochord Down in the Valley

  13. Monochord Exercise • Practice playing this exercise on your monochord Foster: Camptown Races

  14. Monochord Exercise • Practice playing this exercise on your monochord Barbara Allen

  15. Composition • Continue working on your composition • What to do is up to you – this is the beginning of your composition, not an exercise • The next version of your composition is due in the lab next week • You can record some string sounds and add them to your composition

  16. P.S. • There may be a composition question and a progress report on your final project on the Midterm Exam, so developing some thoughts about these things may help you

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