Russell Sansom
11-22-2012, 8:04 PM
I'm bringing out a couple clavichords for the holidays. I've never been happy with the way the tangents meet the strings. With vigorous playing, sometimes a string will even slip off the tangent, Or "play" as the string rolls a little. I put a slight convex radius on them and I can't remember why.
I built these in the 70's and they've been put away, as have my memories of research back then. I think with the internet, my chances are somewhat better than pre-internet, when the most relevant reference documents were the Whole Earth Catalog and measured drawings from the Smithsonian.
These are lovable instruments and since I'm a far better musician now, I'm looking forward to playing them.
If you have clavichord experience, I'd like to ask this and a perhaps a few other questions.
Cheers,
Russ
P.S...
I'd like to share something that I thought was clever. We shall see. I "created" two pretty fretted clavichords. One I completed and played for a bit. The other, I left in --- let's say --- "kit" form...complete but completely unassembled. My idea was some day far in the future, I would play the built one, I'd reflect on what I might have done differently after the test of time, and THEN I'd build the second one. It seemed like a cool idea and I still think so. I can never do it again, so this is my shot. The time has come.
I built these in the 70's and they've been put away, as have my memories of research back then. I think with the internet, my chances are somewhat better than pre-internet, when the most relevant reference documents were the Whole Earth Catalog and measured drawings from the Smithsonian.
These are lovable instruments and since I'm a far better musician now, I'm looking forward to playing them.
If you have clavichord experience, I'd like to ask this and a perhaps a few other questions.
Cheers,
Russ
P.S...
I'd like to share something that I thought was clever. We shall see. I "created" two pretty fretted clavichords. One I completed and played for a bit. The other, I left in --- let's say --- "kit" form...complete but completely unassembled. My idea was some day far in the future, I would play the built one, I'd reflect on what I might have done differently after the test of time, and THEN I'd build the second one. It seemed like a cool idea and I still think so. I can never do it again, so this is my shot. The time has come.