The
Moodswinger
For a short
introduction about the 3rd Bridge playing technique read this article.
Source:
Text taken from Wikipedia
The Moodswinger is a custom-made string instrument IÕve
first built for Aaron Hemphill of Liars. Although it closely resembles an
electric guitar, it is actually a zither - an electric
12-string 3rd bridge overtone zither. The tuning of this instrument
is E-A-D-G-C-F-A#-D#-G#-C#-F#-B, arranged in 3 clusters of 4 strings each. The
pickup and electronics are built into the neck instead of in the body like
usual electric guitars. The 3rd bridge divides the strings into two
segments with different pitches. Depending on where the string is played, a
bell-like harmonic second tone is created. The string resonates more or less
when the backside is struck, depending on the position of the 3rd
bridge along the string. This can be explained by acoustic resonance and
microtonality. At harmonic nodal positions, the string resonates more then at
other positions. For instance, dividing the string 1/3 + 2/3 creates a clear
overtone, while 24/33 + 9/33 creates an indistict overtone.
Music on the Moodswinger
Liars used the instrument on Leather
Prowler, a song on their fourth album. In
several reviews IÕve read the sound of this recording is often confused with a
piano. This is caused by two similar constructions present in grand pianoÕs
called BluthnerÕs Aliqout Stringing and SteinwayÕs Duplex Scaling. I discovered
this afterwards and was also surprised about the tonal relation with a piano
when I first heard the Liars track. As with many of my inventions I more and more
become aware all ideas appear also in other instruments from the past, but used
in another context and for another reason. Basically instrument construction is
based on 1 physical law, the law of the natural harmonic series. The way you
use parts of this law defines the characteristics of the instrument.
The Moodswinger II
I was working on a re-edition of the
Moodswinger. AaronÕs version was about 15 kilo and had uncomfortable guiding rods
that were too high. The 2008 re-issue was only 5 kilo and a lot more
comfortable to pluck, because the rods were postioned differently. Also the 3rd bridge scale was more
worked out with an eight colored dotted system covering the first 8 harmonic
overtones and additional a large amount of numbered lines indicating all other
lesser prominent overtone positions up to the 16th overtone. In
August 2008 I had finished the first version for Jessie Stein of The Luyas. Her band member Stephan
Schneider was at one moment on Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam, where I handed
over the instrument and showed him Amsterdam for a few hours. A day later I received
a picture of a sleepy, but wild haired looking Jessie excited showing the
Moodswinger on webcam. A month later she did a performance with the instrument
at Pop Montreal. The Luyas went into the studio in februari 2009 to record
their second album. About 3 tracks are played with the Moodswinger, of which I
particularly like the track Canary Song. The Moodswinger on this track sounds very Eastern,
almost like a Koto. IÕve only heard the demos so far. Not really any idea when
the album will be released, but looking forward to it.
The
fretboard has 3 different scales:
The
normal guitar (equal-tempered) scale
An
inverse scale (large steps between the frets at the top of the neck, small ones
at the body bridge)
A
microtonal scale that shows "logical" string divisions in the
following color-coded groups (with added notes on the E-string):
Grey
dot: 1/2 (overtone
E/undertone E)
Red dot:
1/3 + 2/3 (overtone
B/undertone B)
Orange
dot: 1/4+3/4 (overtone
E/undertone A)
Yellow
dot: 1/5-4/5 (overtone
G#-/undertone G#-)
Green
dot: 1/6+5/6 (overtone
B/undertone G+)
Cyan
dot: 1/7-6/7 (overtone
D-/undertone G-)
Blue
dot: 1/8, 3/8, 5/8, 7/8 (overtone
E/undertone F#+ (C# for the 3/8position))
And on
the first Moodswinger a smaller subscale for the higher-pitched overtones near
the
body bridge in colored lines:
Grey line: 1/8 (overtone
E/undertone F#+)
Red line: 1/9 (overtone
F#/undertone F#)
Orange line: 1/10 (overtone
G#/undertone F#)
Yellow line: 1/11 (overtone
A+/undertone F#-)
Green line: 1/12 (overtone
B/undertone F#-)
Blue line: 1/16 (overtone
E/undertone F)
On JessieÕs edition I made a scale with all
positions up to the 16th overtone at all multiple fractions of these
series with number specifications as shown in the drawing below.
This computer drawing explains the 3rd
bridge positions. If the body of the instrument is right and the neck left
(when you have it on your shoulders and look at it), the upper logaritmic scale
represents the tone of the amplified string part. The opposed logaritmic scale
on the bottom of this drawing tells which tone is plucked. The big middle
section is the most relevant scale that indicates the harmonic louder
resonating positions. The number of the counter of the fraction defines which
overtone becomes audiable. This overtone is the lowest possible tone in
accordance with the harmonic series of both string parts. Where the series have
a tonal overlap defines the tone.
About the lines on the scale: in the middle
the most clearly visible line represent 1/2. The two darker lines left are 1/3
and 1/4. On the right they are 2/3 and 3/4. All other lines are all divisions
up to the 16ths series. I use the scale up to the 9ths
series and sometimes for sometimes for flageolets some of the more complex
fractions which are consonant to the 3rd bridge fraction of that
moment. Without the 3rd bridge you can play the Moodswinger as a
traditional Guqin. The dotted system makes this much more easily playing than
on a regular guitar, because they are similar to the flageolet positions.
The way I explain it now is very in depth,
but this has not very much to do with the playing technique, just how the 3rd
bridge composes the tone. You can just pluck it very simply like an open piano
and IÕve note tables that indicate which tone you actually are playing at which
position. The neighbouring strings always have an EA or EB relation. All five
neighbouring string form a pentatonic harmonic scale. All seven neighbouring
strings form a major scale. This is independant from the 3rd bridge
position. The bridge only alters the multi tone and the pitches, but like a
wheel of fortune the 12 tones stay at any position but from another starting
point.
For Aaron I made this explaining table up
to the 7ths series.
The microtonal scale is similar to
the common Chinese scale being used on a Guqin.
The
Moodswinger led to a deep investigation about the physical laws of consonance
about which I published in 2008 the 3rd Bridge Helix
article on furious.com.
Related articles
I also developed the Workshop building your own
Home Swinger. In this workshop you can built a DIY version of the
Moodswinger. Often I do group performances with the participants.
Go to list of my instruments
Go
to the table of contents
Back
to home