Electro-acoustic string (drone) instruments recommendations.

[tegendemuur]

Had my eye on this thing for a while, but seems somewhat limited for its price. (Had hoped they expanded on this idea by now, since it's in production for quite a while already). Not really sure if this is exactly what I want, but that central / southern Asian, defined yet meditative, vibe sure is something I enjoy. Not looking for a complex instrument at all, by the way. Just a side thing next to my current instruments that does dynamics well. Surely you guitarists must have seen instruments in a similar vein come by online? Hereby I also mean instruments that are in full production, professionally made.

"It was inspired by Hindustani and Persian classical music but European music can be also played with it, of course. A key feature of DVINA and its sound is that there is no pickup inside. Instead, I take the electric signal DIRECTLY from the strings that vibrate in the strong magnetic field of a neodymium magnet, hidden in the neck. Further, a weak signal from the strings is amplified by a custom-made transformer built into the body of DVINA to a standard level. It is very similar to the principle of a ribbon mic. This solution makes DVINA outstandingly resistant to electromagnetic interferences and makes the sound rich and clean. DVINA’s high output is ready to be directly connected to stomp boxes, guitar amps or an audio interface. DVINA has a minimalistic design – no one part can be removed without loosing the functionality of the instrument."

Via: https://somasynths.com/dvina/

 

[Fama]

Sounds (and looks) cool, but 750€ for the mass produced version of that? What the fuck?

Building one shouldn't be too hard at least for someone who could build a guitar, but the mic seems proprietary.

All I could find is a chinese Erhu for rather cheap, but they're all acoustic (and seems they're not fretted, but in practice playing them looks similar?). And then just cheap electric violins. But violins are tuned higher I guess, so they would sound pretty different?

I did find this random blogpost https://grotguitars.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/electric-fretted-two-string-fiddle/, which is basically just a two string cigarbox guitar you play with a bow. That seems quite DIY-friendly.

 

[tegendemuur]

Sounds (and looks) cool, but 750€ for the mass produced version of that? What the fuck?

Building one shouldn't be too hard at least for someone who could build a guitar, but the mic seems proprietary.

All I could find is a chinese Erhu for rather cheap, but they're all acoustic (and seems they're not fretted, but in practice playing them looks similar?). And then just cheap electric violins. But violins are tuned higher I guess, so they would sound pretty different?

I did find this random blogpost https://grotguitars.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/electric-fretted-two-string-fiddle/, which is basically just a two string cigarbox guitar you play with a bow. That seems quite DIY-friendly.

So true. People have a lot of money to burn on instruments. Makes you wonder when the roof will collapse on them. At some point those inflated prices should come crashing down, one would guess / hope.

For only a few hundred one can buy an electric "Indian Banjo" straight from that country.

"Bulbul Tarang is an Indian stringed instrument derived from the Japanese Taishogoto (i.e. Japan banjo) and came to India and Pakistan in the 1930s. As with the mountain dulcimer it is box zither, whose strings are depressed by pressing buttons. Sort of brings to mind typewriter. The pitch intervals are specified directly on the buttons with numbers. The strings are usually struck with a plectrum.This Bulbul Tarang has four melody strings and a drone string. The five tuning keys, which are recessed under the top plate of plastic, work just like on a guitar. The body of the De-Luxe-Variant is made of Chinese softwood and laquered in elegant Bordeaux. The overall execution of body and mechanicals is much better and sturdier. It comes with an built-in pickup system complete with mini-amp (3W) and Cable."

Electric version of the Japanese one. This video goes of the rails GLORIOUSLY! <3

Indian Banjo variation with expanded drones. About the price of the DVINA, in Western stores. "The shahi baaja ("royal instrument") is an electrified and slightly modified version of the Indian bulbul tarang, a type of Indian zither to which have been added typewriter keys which depress several of the strings to change their pitch. The modifications also include the addition of 12 additional unfretted strings which serve as an attached swarmandal (drone harp)."

Live, with pedalboard.

 

[PunchySunshine]

This is my buddy Andrew and his invention the "Mindbender"

 

[Diynot]

Slaps some piezos in this bugger
https://ugears.us/products/ugears-hurdy-gurdy

 

[pingpongcomputer]

Find a cheap cello locally and put a piezo bridge pickup on there, use an asian inspired open tuning for sweet drones, good to go.

 

[Stickman393]

It honestly might not be too terribly difficult make something like that. One just needs the tools. Kinda sounds like their pickip idea is similar to the lace alumitone, except embedded into the instrument. Nuthin new there.

So true. People have a lot of money to burn on instruments. Makes you wonder when the roof will collapse on them. At some point those inflated prices should come crashing down, one would guess / hope.

Chinese factories are currently eating everybody else's lunch when it comes to electric guitar production.

Acepro, Eart, NK, MC Tang: there is at least one factory in shenzen that is cranking out what would be $1.5k guitars that can be got under $500.

Got me five of em.

 

[Feral Feline]

...

All I could find is a chinese Erhu for rather cheap, but they're all acoustic (and seems they're not fretted, but in practice playing them looks similar?). ...

Not only are erhus without frets, they're without a fingerboard.

Also, the bow is locked in place between the two strings. You push the bow against one string and pull the bow against the other.
That push-pull is something most English-language descriptions of the erhu fail to mention, most just say "it's a bowed instrument". I didn't realise that the English-language descriptions were such crap until just now, looking for a good pic showing how the bow-hair passes between the strings. Never bothered to look online before because...

A few of my friends in Hong Kong play erhu, so I got to mess around with them a bit at casual jams at pubs or the monthly blues jam. Very fun, but very difficult to get in the right mindset of that push-pull when my Westerner paradigm is forcing a bow across strings in only one direction.


So, for anyone interested in exploring erhu further, check out this Wiki I just found:

How to Play the Erhu: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

The erhu, also known as a "Chinese violin", is an affordable two-stringed bowed instrument that is commonly used to solo in small ensembles and orchestras. It likely came to China during the Song Dynasty (930-1279 CE), but only began being...

www.wikihow.com

Now I'm all fired up again to get my own erhu. Thanks Fama.


My friend Jeff played killer blues on urhu, sounded great at every jam.

Of course, I can't find any clips, 'cause everything's in Cantonese which I can't read.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I have this saw sam sai from Thailand made from a coconut. It seems like i do not have small enough hands to make pleasant sounds but it's a fun wall hanger.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

Not only are erhus without frets, they're without a fingerboard.

Also, the bow is locked in place between the two strings. You push the bow against one string and pull the bow against the other.
That push-pull is something most English-language descriptions of the erhu fail to mention, most just say "it's a bowed instrument". I didn't realise that the English-language descriptions were such crap until just now, looking for a good pic showing how the bow-hair passes between the strings. Never bothered to look online before because...

A few of my friends in Hong Kong play erhu, so I got to mess around with them a bit at casual jams at pubs or the monthly blues jam. Very fun, but very difficult to get in the right mindset of that push-pull when my Westerner paradigm is forcing a bow across strings in only one direction.


So, for anyone interested in exploring erhu further, check out this Wiki I just found:

How to Play the Erhu: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

The erhu, also known as a "Chinese violin", is an affordable two-stringed bowed instrument that is commonly used to solo in small ensembles and orchestras. It likely came to China during the Song Dynasty (930-1279 CE), but only began being...

www.wikihow.com

Now I'm all fired up again to get my own erhu. Thanks Fama.


My friend Jeff played killer blues on urhu, sounded great at every jam.

Of course, I can't find any clips, 'cause everything's in Cantonese which I can't read.

Pretty easy to make an electric erhu in not too dissimilar a way to a diddley bow as long as you can find a premade bow for it. Haven’t done it myself, but seen a guy who has done that before

 

[Nostradoomus]

Whatever weird drone acoustic Ben Chasny plays, I’d be interested.

 

[tegendemuur]

Not only are erhus without frets, they're without a fingerboard.

Also, the bow is locked in place between the two strings. You push the bow against one string and pull the bow against the other.
That push-pull is something most English-language descriptions of the erhu fail to mention, most just say "it's a bowed instrument". I didn't realise that the English-language descriptions were such crap until just now, looking for a good pic showing how the bow-hair passes between the strings. Never bothered to look online before because...

A few of my friends in Hong Kong play erhu, so I got to mess around with them a bit at casual jams at pubs or the monthly blues jam. Very fun, but very difficult to get in the right mindset of that push-pull when my Westerner paradigm is forcing a bow across strings in only one direction.


So, for anyone interested in exploring erhu further, check out this Wiki I just found:

How to Play the Erhu: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

The erhu, also known as a "Chinese violin", is an affordable two-stringed bowed instrument that is commonly used to solo in small ensembles and orchestras. It likely came to China during the Song Dynasty (930-1279 CE), but only began being...

www.wikihow.com

Now I'm all fired up again to get my own erhu. Thanks Fama.


My friend Jeff played killer blues on urhu, sounded great at every jam.

Of course, I can't find any clips, 'cause everything's in Cantonese which I can't read.

Got caught in the sinkhole that is the huqin page on wikipedia, and the many, many variations of the instruments that the erhu belongs to. Might need a video putting the 50 or so variations side by side to see what I would like best. Also went through what seemed an endless list of asian string instruments. It has crippled my mind!

 

[tegendemuur]

An acoustic Indian variation of the lapsteel I already play, poorly, but still! Makes a little more sense as an extension of my tools.

 

[Feral Feline]

Got caught in the sinkhole that is the huqin page on wikipedia, and the many, many variations of the instruments that the erhu belongs to. Might need a video putting the 50 or so variations side by side to see what I would like best. Also went through what seemed an endless list of asian string instruments. It has crippled my mind!

Here you go...