The first of a series of hybrid instruments I have designed is complete. This has been a long-term project to take characteristics of instruments from different cultures and incorporate them into lamellophones. So: here is the SwarKalimba, a hybrid of the Mbira NyKalimba (itself a hybrid of the Kalimba and the Mbira) and a Swarsangam (itself a hybrid of a tanpura and a swarmandel). It was made for me by artisan kalimba maker Caleb Schepart of NyKalimba who invented the NyKalimba. Its design is to enable meditative improvisation in the raga form, on a thumb piano. It is tuned in the Bhairav thaat: S r G m P d N S. Since its in F, the scale of the instrument is F G♭A B♭ C D♭ E F. A word about the NyKalimba first - its a brilliant instrument that combines the idea of the two manuals in the karimba by distribution the scale between them alternatively. It also has an amazing number of other innovations, including dampable jingles, a pickup in an amplifying cavity, hidden tensioners - see nykalimba/introducing-the-mbira-nykalimba/ for more information. Better still, buy one. Caleb built me one with leading and upper leading tones, adding 4 more notes. I then tentatively asked him about this design, and he jumped right in. So thank you Caleb from the bottom of my heart. The Swarsangam was designed by Pandit Bishan Das Sharma for Pandit Ravi Shankar, created by combining the swarmandal (the Indian autoharp - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarmandal) and tanpura (the four string drone/rhythm lute of raga - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanpura) into one small portable instrument. Rikhi Ram has one here rikhiram/instruments/SWAR-SANGAM-25.html. There are string sets on many Indian lutes with a tanpura-like function called chikari strings. So thats the parents out of the way. The instrument is in three sections - the two wings with upper and lower manuals and the central chikari tine set. Caleb suggested doubling these notes to incorporate the shimmering patterns he had noticed in his mediation NyKalimba, and he was spot on there - the effect is perfect. The two wings have a 3+ octave gamut of notes in the the plan goes Left wing left to right G♭4 F4 E4 D♭4 C4 B♭3 A3 G♭3 F3 E3 Right wing left to right F4 G♭4 A4 B♭4 C5 D♭5 E5 F5 G♭5 Chikari C3 C3 F2 F2 F3 F3 The chikari section works as both a drone when the tines are stroked with a single movement L-R or R-L. (they seem to linger forever) Or I can do the classic 5th upper tonic lower tonic tanpura drone (either into a looper, and them improv over the top, or freeform). The two wings permit the classic swarmandel run of notes by running the fingernail over them. And the two manual wings permits easy playing. I shall post a sample when confident. My next record but 4 (yes, they are stacking up) with feature this instrument and my other Mbira NyKalimba (as well as Guitaret of course). Also with this a resonator - not the Deze type you get for an mbira dzavadzimu, but more like the resonating strings on a sarod or sitar. So I got an Aspri acoustic resonator, and removed the springs and put them in a cigar box (I will make a nicer box soon, with a secondary pickup in it). The effect is very pleasing. I am currently attaching it by rubber bands, but again, I have to think of an improvement there that doesnt impact the integrity of the instrument in any way. Here are the photos. The SwarKalimba itself, the cigar box with the springs inside it, the underneath showing the dampable jingles and pickup, and the SwarKalimba with the box attached
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:22:46 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015