Monochord

[Avery Todd]

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William,

Thanks for all the information. However, I believe my post was misleading. The
picture on one of the sites I sent is not one of the monochord at my school.
That site is simply where I found the information about their being sometimes
two strings instead of just one, as the name would imply. Sorry.

I don't have but I'll ask the prof if he has a digital camera and could take
a picture of it for me to post.

Thanks again.

Avery

At 10:24 PM 1/22/04, you wrote:
>The picture gives me every belief that this is not merely a monochord, but 
>rather a tromba marina.
>
>The monochord was usually plucked. I don't actually know of a tretis that 
>refers to bowing it. Since the fingerboard seems to be occupying all the 
>space that there is, I have to wonder if the moveable bridge would be much 
>use (if such it is) if you're intended to bow this thing over the 
>soundhole. Monochords were usually intended for instruction and 
>experimentation in theory of intervals, and rather than a guitar-like 
>fingerboard which this one has, they'd be marked with proportions, usually 
>in great arcs, with other notations. None of that seems visible in this 
>picture.
>
>On the other hand, the Tromba Marina was actually intended to be bowed at 
>the other end, so a movable bridge would make some sense. More over, the 
>trombamarina was usually equipped with drones, one of which would have a 
>bridge with one long foot. The bridge would balance on one foot, with the 
>other just barely not touching the top of the instrument, and when bowed, 
>would tap the top, making a rasping sound which was apparently much favored.
>
>The tromba marina was a harmonic instrument: the bow excites the string, 
>which makes different notes by the placement of the finger very lightly 
>over marked positions which brought forth that harmonic. The sound was 
>likened to the trumpet (hence tromba). Because of it's ease of making the 
>notes (easily into the second and third and even fourth octave of 
>harmonics) it was favored as an instrument for cloistered nuns to use in 
>worship in place of the trumpet (which apprarently was either not allowed 
>or not favored for women to use) and the instrument also carries the 
>moniker 'nuns fiedel' or nun's fiddle.
>
>There appears to be only one tuning peg visible, though. Are the other 
>strings pulled on the same peg as the existing string? Are there other 
>pegs out-of-sight?
>
>It may be misleading that there is a metal string on it at all. Most all 
>instruments of that era would have had gut strings. Then again, it is hard 
>to make out the carving in the side, so this might be a more fanciful 
>recreation or even a late renaissance instrument. How well does the string 
>seem to fit into the bridge and nut grooves? does it look like some 
>'aftermarket' adjustment for a different kind of string was made?
>
>Are there any maker's marks on the thing? How about some physical 
>dimensions for the box?
>
>That bow is the big thing: I just don't remember any references to 
>monochords (or polychordal monochords, which the ones with more than one 
>string were usually called) with ornate bows. And that bow looks more like 
>a recreation from iconography,  with the usual high arch.
>
>It'd really help to have some length and width specs and to know about 
>tuning pegs for the extra strings, and the shape of the moveable bridge!
>
>raybro
>
>_______________________________________________
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