The Sympathetic Drone Cello is the second in a series of unique cellos built jointly by myself and my dear partner, artist and violin-builder Suzy Norris (check out her wonderful paintings at www.suzynorris.com).
It features 5 main bowed strings: the 4 standard strings of a cello (CGDA) and an additional high string (CGDAE).
10 sympathetic resonating strings run along the bass side of the neck and main strings, going over an East Indian-style "jiwari bridge" at the bottom of the body. The tuning pegs for those sympathetic strings are on a bass-side extension of the neck. The sympathetic strings "sing along" when notes they are tuned to (or octaves or close harmonics of those notes) are played on the main strings.
Most uniquely, there are 4 drone strings that run beneath the fingerboard, across the top of the instrument beneath the main strings, through the main bridge and over their own special bridge. These drone strings are sounded by a motorized bowing wheel (similar to what is found on a Hurdy-Gurdy, but turned by a small electric motor rather than by a hand crank). The player can select which drone strings will sound; the drone strings are tuned by pegs at the top of the main pegbox; the electric motor also makes a droning sound which can be tuned using an attached digital speed controller. A simple foot-switch turns the drone-motor on or off. The drone strings can also cause the sympathetic strings to sound.
The Sympathetic Drone Cello is the second in a series of unique cellos built jointly by myself and my dear partner, artist and violin-builder Suzy Norris (check out her wonderful paintings at www.suzynorris.com).
It features 5 main bowed strings: the 4 standard strings of a cello (CGDA) and an additional high string (CGDAE).
10 sympathetic resonating strings run along the bass side of the neck and main strings, going over an East Indian-style "jiwari bridge" at the bottom of the body. The tuning pegs for those sympathetic strings are on a bass-side extension of the neck. The sympathetic strings "sing along" when notes they are tuned to (or octaves or close harmonics of those notes) are played on the main strings.
Most uniquely, there are 4 drone strings that run beneath the fingerboard, across the top of the instrument beneath the main strings, through the main bridge and over their own special bridge. These drone strings are sounded by a motorized bowing wheel (similar to what is found on a Hurdy-Gurdy, but turned by a small electric motor rather than by a hand crank). The player can select which drone strings will sound; the drone strings are tuned by pegs at the top of the main pegbox; the electric motor also makes a droning sound which can be tuned using an attached digital speed controller. A simple foot-switch turns the drone-motor on or off. The drone strings can also cause the sympathetic strings to sound.
Materials:
Sitka spruce
Black walnut
Acacia decurrens
Maple
Ebony
Finish: home-made spirit varnish (top); varnish oil (back, sides, neck etc.).
Pegheds custom tuning pegs
DC motor with aluminum mount
Foot-switch
Digital speed controller
Watch this video of the Sympathetic Drone Cello, explained by one of the builders, and played by the owner, Composer/Musician Nate Barre: