speaking of random... what would happen if you put a banjo head on a cello?

Josh Muller

Josh Muller

Joined
Jun 22, 2003
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i know that you can make a banjo version of pretty much any plucked instrument, from ukuleles to bass's, from 12 string guitar bajo's to banjo mandolins...

but what happens when you put a banjo head on a bowed instrument, a cello violin?

what about a lap steel? its plucked, but most of the sound comes from the sustain, wich wouldnt be as effected by the head as the pluck itself...


without the percussive force of the pluck, would the banjo head effect the sound in a banjo kind of way?
 
Seth, I like you. The answer is, I don't know. I love a banjo oh yes sir I do. But I do know if you try it, you will turn into a redneck and your teeth will fall out. ;) :D
 
Back in the late 1800s, there was an enormous boom in the popularity of the banjo, and (this being pre-amplification) a variety of instruments were produced, including bass/banjos.

http://www.classicbanjo.com/gallery.htm

Without more research, I don't know if these were played with a bow or by plucking, the one in the pic seems to have a flat fretboard and bridge. As you know, stringed instruments that are bowed have a rounded fingerboard and bridge to facilitate playing single strings.

Still, since even modern guitarists have played electric guitar with a bow, I don't doubt someone tried it!

There was a similar fad for the mandolin somehwhat later, early 20s as I recall. I remember seeing a huge bass/mandolin with a body so large it sat on the floor next to the seated player.
 
I love banjo and cello music and sure would love to find out what it would sound like!!!
Maybe someone out there will put the two together one day.
Fiddle and bag pipes, hmm
 
What would happen if you put a banjo head on a cello?

You'd have a cello that doesn't stay in tune.
 
Gollnick said:
What would happen if you put a banjo head on a cello?

You'd have a cello that doesn't stay in tune.
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Why is this? Wouldn't it be possible to apply bracing around the inside of the body to help keep the pressure from bowing the neck inward?

I could certainly see where removing that big of a chunk of the frame and would put a ton of pressure on it...

I guess my main question would be this,

could a banjo head effect the string vibration from the bowing enough to give it that high clear snare drum quality that makes the banjo so unique?
 
heftone_banjo_orchestra_11pc_rest_288x400.jpg



i dont think i've ever seen or heard of a bowed banjo type instrument... the erhu has a snake skin head (as does the jarhu and several other asian instruments), but i wonder if it would be the same type of sound with a remo head replacing the snakeskin...
 
You have heard the term "perfect pitch" in the music realm, but do you really know what "perfect pitch" is?
When you pitch an accordion into a dumpster and it lands on a banjo, you have an example of perfect pitch. (yuk, yuk)
 
If you look through the history of musical instruments, you'll find that nearly everything has been tried at one time or another; and many long before you'd imagine!

There was a brief popularity for Guitar/banjos, with a banjo body and skin, but six guitar-tuned strings. It was for those folkies who didn't want to learn to play two different instruments.
 
When you say head, do you mean headstock, or the snare drum that is used as a soundboard? :confused:
 
Brett Vandonsel of the group Mertyl, plays the banjello as well as a guitariolin. Their web site Mertyl links to cdbaby where you can enjoy(?) a taste of their music. I recommend Lost as their best (or at least most listenable) cut.

Not necessarilly my cup of coffee but then again I'm still searcin for good recordings of the armonica to titillate my acoustic palate.

Dean%20Shostak%20Glass%20Armonica%20Formal.jpg


The armonica was invented by our own Ben Franklin, probably to drive his mother crackers after she scolded him for running his moistened fingers over rims of crystal goblets in the Franklin abode.

My own musical talents are limited to achieving the intense vibrato notes on the the alto kazoo and unlimited virtuosity on the eastern juice - Jews or jaw as called by some - harp. Once I've imbibed enough liquid fortitude, I have demonstrated the Cosmic Harp at squadron parties, picnics, beer-bashes, and Soju sojourns worldwide and hope to one day make this fine stringed/percussion instrument available to the world at large rather than the single player himself. The one technical difficulty remaining is building a pickup that will attach to the tuned oven rack and transduce the vibrations without disrupting the string/oven rack/fingers/ear canal interface.

Someday! Someday.......:confused:


J
 
java said:
I'm still searcin for good recordings of the armonica to titillate my acoustic palate.
Click to expand...


Both Mozart and Beethoven wrote very nice pieces for the armonica. Mozart's Adagio and Rondo for Armonica is a very nice piece.
 
Gollnick said:
Both Mozart and Beethoven wrote very nice pieces for the armonica. Mozart's Adagio and Rondo for Armonica is a very nice piece.
Click to expand...


:thumbup: Big Mo's Adagio And Rondo In C Major is indeed a beautiful piece. The CD Glass Armonica includes this work and several other good cuts by Beethoven, Donzietti, Bloch, and others. Love the heck out of the disc but the vocals often overpower the spinning glass.

On the other hand I'd love to see the armonica paired up with my cosmic harp and the theremin someday in the future for the next Weirdstock Festival.

What? You say you've never heard a theremin???? :eek: Well of course you have!! Anyone who has seen Zeppelin's live version of "Whole Lotta Love", heard the Beach Boys "Good Vibrations", watched Mars Attacks, or watched Star Trek has heard the theremin. It's one of the first electronic instruments and is played without touching the instrument. Works using body capacitance and feedback to vary pitch and volume. SciFi movies would not be the same without its unearthly sound and Bob Moog based his synthesizers on early experiments he did with theremins.

Armen Ra Concert

Lengthy video but spooky-cool sounding stuff! :D
 
Finkenbeiner makes some fine glass harmonicas (they use the "h") and their website has some sound samples, links, and articles about this haunting and beautiful music.
 
Jedi_Knife said:
What a great thread this would be for the community forum, since this is all hypothetical nonsense.
Click to expand...

Suggest a reread with the understanding that this was moved FROM Community. The theremin, armonica, banjello, guitariolin, and a good deal more of these types of instruments do exist. SethMudoc's initial posting discussed the possibility of combining instuments and how the pickup may work. Others chimed in with ideas or experiences in true forum fashion and logical (and illogical) discussion ensued. Should discussions of adaptations to Surefires, buggout gear, or trailrunning shoes be moved to Community because it's hypothetical or may be considered nonsense by someone?? Try running with some of these instruments playing in your head. Hypothetical, but it could be pretty relaxing - a type of fartlek for the mind......:)


J


Mycroft

Thanks for the link. Not just good sound clips but good information on the (h)armonica and glass and borosilicate in general. Their 56 bowl armonica is impressive!! :thumbup:

J
 
NPR's To The Best Of Our Knowledge had a segment last Sunday on the history of electronic instruments; they covered the Theramin, as well as a variety of others I'd never heard of.

We have an electronic music program here at the university, with the "lab" thoroughly locked up and alarmed due to the many thousands of dollars worth of high-tech goodies therin.
The only sounds I've heard from this area are very odd indeed....
 
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