<html> <body> 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: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>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 _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: <a href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" eudora="autourl">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a> </blockquote></body> </html>