Monochord

[fssturm@unm.edu]

Hi Avery,
	I have a "monochord" with three strings, salvaged from the physics
department. It has a measurement scale under the strings, tension gauges
with hooks that a tail tied in the wire would attach to. Bridges were
missing, so I had to make a couple.
	It actually doesn't matter one little bit what wire you put on. Whatever
wire it is, you will bring it to a reasonable tension (somewhere below
breaking point, tense enough so it sounds good). Unless a particular pitch
is called for, any music wire will do, including harpsichord. The only
constraint I can see is the strength of construction - would it hold up to
piano wire pulled to an adequate tension to produce musical sounding tone?
I put a fairly thick brass wire (harpsichord) on mine, and that worked pretty well. I
assume the purpose is to demonstrate intervals and partials as ratios of
string length, and such. As long as it makes a loud enough sound to be
heard, just about anything will do - even nylon (as in guitar string). You
could use fishing line, probably, if wire didn't seem to work well for some
reason.
Regards
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

--On Thursday, January 22, 2004 9:56 AM -0600 Avery Todd <
atodd@UH.EDU>
wrote:

> List,
>
> Does anyone know anything about these? One of our theory
> professors found one in storage here and wants to use it
> in some of his classes. The problem right now is that one
> of the 2 strings is missing.
>
> Here are some specs:
> 1 meter (39+") speaking length
> pitch should be 1 octave below middle C
> current gage is .029 (12 ga. in piano wire)
>
> There is also a movable bridge, so the tension
> can't be "too" great on it.
>
> Does anyone know the appropriate type of wire for this?
> Harpsichord wire seems like it would be too thin. How
> about Fortepiano wire?
>
> The current string does not seem to be piano wire and
> I think that would be too heavy for this.
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>
> Avery
>
> ______________________
> Avery Todd, RPT
> Moores School of Music
> University of Houston
> Houston, TX
>
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