TOWARD A MUSIC OF THE HYPERSPHERES

By BUZZ KIMBALL

In conversations prior to the publication of this article, author Buzz Kimball commented that he would try to go easy and write something that would not offend too many people. One might ask, “how could an article on microtonal ensembles offend people?” But Buzz is an observer and commentator as much as he is an instrument maker. In describing the instruments of an accessible and affordable microtonal ensemble, he has come up with a few things to say on peripheral subjects as well.

Should the making of unconventional instruments be seen as a stance in opposition to restrictive external forces, or simply as an act of creative expression? Here are some thoughts on that subject, and here too are practical ideas on instruments for intonational exploration.

WALL TO WALL MICROTONES, or “how not to get tripped upon a microtone”

Environment, more than anything, influences what a listener deems to be good music. Music at its bare is simply a chemical reaction; the hairlike cilia of the inner ear convert mechanical vibrations to electro-chemical neuron signals. Many theories of musical organization exist; in fact, a huge literature surrounds the western 12 tone scale. But perhaps it is the dead weight of tradition that holds the piano scale in such esteem. Conventions are probably the greatest barrier to rational inquiry and progress in music. The hearing mechanism is completely and totally aurally neutral, and it is probably only through “proper indoctrination” that we come to know what we like.

There is a noticeable lack of individuality in contemporary music. MTV always seems to sound alike; orchestral performers look ready to fly apart at the seams from the frenzied ceaseless motions. Against this backdrop, it may well be that the prime directive for contemporary musicians is to explore new sounds on new instruments. Whether the creative musician must rebel against human exploitation and subservience to the dehumanizing factory system (ergo welfare/warfare state), or just take a hint from nature and gyrate towards a musical system which is more consistent with the bio-chemical need which it fulfills, becomes a moot point.

Looking back at my own work, it seems surprising that I actually built any instruments, much less an ensemble of microtonal instruments capable of experimenting in a variety of equal temperaments and forms of just intonation. Having rejected our frivolous materialistic society as an adolescent, it seems only logical that I would fall afoul of chemical addictions on becoming an adult voting member of our interesting but decadent “American way of life.” I really do think that exploring the forbidden sonic spectrum is what helped me break out of chemically-induced inertia. Playing a microtonal instrument does, quite literally, put infinity in your hands. So — no more living in “beam me up, Scotty” land. Get a piece of real adventure; not some fantasy dreamed up by the Hollywood mogul sluts to part you from your money.

But, of course, a vessel is needed to contain musical sounds in our universe for their brief visit.

NOVOSLIDE GUITARS #2 3, & 4.

Four basic elements of new music design are: functionalism, flexibility, finances and floorspace. Being a functionalist suggests that ornate decorations and shiny metal are undesirable qualities in an experimental instrument. They take time and resources better spent in making an instrument sound better, and besides, it can be a real drag to strip off reusable parts from an instrument that a great deal of effort has been devoted to. Once, when my microtonal guitar collection had become too large, I decided to dispose of two mangy specimens that never seemed right despite immense labors that had gone into them. The only consolation I had was the recovery of the hardware, which enabled me to build a couple of slide guitars, instruments I had wanted for some time.

It would be nice to have a single instrument able to playing all the experimental scales, as in sliding instruments capable of continuous pitch gradations. A flexible intonation instrument is desirable because of finances (one instrument, many possible scales). But there seems to be a trade off between ease of playing and what is possible to play, since it is more difficult to accurately select specific pitches from an infinity of possibility. And a fixed pitch instrument has the advantage that it will entice one out of scale patterns and into trying and hearing something altogether different.

The wonders of Reaganomics have made materials expensive, but it is possible to build a variety of good sounding instruments capable of a full range of expressive experimental intonations. And since two thousand units in an eight hour shift is not a consideration, expensive power tools are not a requirement. Hand saw, drill, hammer, and screw driver are more than adequate to start.

L-R: BASS BEAM, SCREAMING YELLOW ZONKER, HARMOLYRA

String instruments for intonational exploration may be plucked or bowed, fretted or played with a slide. If flexible string tuning is not needed, piano or zither pins are the most cost effective tuning mechanism. Obviously, tuning gears are too expensive for instruments with large numbers of strings. Slide guitar provides a great deal of flexibility in intonation, but it can be a difficult and demanding instrument, since there aren’t any basic patterns. Instead there is an indeterminate flux. Slide instruments can have a group of strings on just one side of the instrument, or on two or more sides. By having sets of strings in different tunings on each side, the basic 4x4 or 6x6 beam can provide a useful instrument packed with a lot of pitch relationships in a small place. A 2x4 or 2x6 can provide a foundation for a two sided slide instrument. A nominal amount of money for tuning gears and pickups can make for an effective lap slide. I generally utilize guitar pickups, which are configured for six strings, so I have to use 6 or 12 strings in a group. A steel string of a given gauge and length has over an octave of useable range so a great deal of flexibility in tuning is available.

ACOUSTICAL HARMONIC KANON

AMPLIFYING HARMONIC KANON

Plucked open string instruments can provide a set of discrete pitches, in contrast to the slide’s continuous pitch change. I have found a simple inexpensive design for harmonic kanons and microtonal harps. Nor is it an original design; I just don’t remember where I picked it up from. It fulfills basic considerations such as material cost, strength, good sound, and visual appeal, as well as compactness and intonational flexibility. The cigar box design, as I call it, appears to be a derivative of the hammer dulcimer. Never ever being able to find spruce soundboards in the width I needed spurred me on to using some scraps of 1/4″ fir luan. Although too thick for use as soundboards for instruments with nylon strings, this material sounds excellent with steel strings and is ideal for electro-acoustical applications. Wood pieces sandwiched between luan will make a strong and simple resonant sound box. The location of the tuning and hitch pins will control the spacing of strings and eliminate the need for head nuts or elaborate tail bridges, and any thickness of string is proper.

Trying to create a microtonal ensemble is quite an arduous task. Still, I occasionally feel guilty while plopping down in front of the TV (plug-in drug) or while sucking down some brews, and wonder if I would have done more. I was warned over a decade ago not to expect to make friends for pursuing microtonality. And the advice was correct. Although things have loosened up a bit, the economics of microtones does have a tendency to preclude it from the marketplace.

1976, Syracuse, New York. Some friends of mine — Jack, Steve, Corey ... we hit the rock shows coming through town at the war memorial. Kiss, Grateful Dead, Blue Oyster Cult. Is this supposed to be entertainment or a war zone? Best part of the show is the Jack Daniels. But I would allow that it is less boring than philosophy class.

REFRETTED GUITARS — 22tET, 22tET, 31tET, 31tET

Having gone from the piano to the electric guitar, I immediately started refretting my guitars to microtonal scales when Ivor Darreg’s article appeared in Guitar Player in February, 1978. [See also the author’s article on refretting in EMI volume III #6, April 1988.] About the same time I got a copy of Partch’s Genesis of a Music [New York; Da Capo Press, 1974]. I have two major grievences with the bizarre cult he seems to have spawned. In Genesis, Harry jumps straight from the 5-limit ratios to the 11-limit. The 7-limit is ignored and the 9-limit is dismissed. Genesis is a good introduction to Patch and his art but not a good handbook for learning just intonation. Also, Partch’s early recordings are not readily available, only his later work. In ten years I have yet to introduce anybody to a later Partch recording and get a positive response. I was much more interested in applying just intonation to electric instruments and never could really justify the material cost or provide enough space to directly copy a Partchian instrument. I was intrigued by the design of the harmonic canon, but in retrospect I envisioned a design which is a multi-string monochord and quite different from Partch’s design.

NOVOHARP

I don’t consider my instruments to be my children, since I have always borrowed more than invented. But I may have lost as much as I gained in trying to adapt conventional designs to non-conventional intonation instruments. Many times I had tried to imagine what Carillo’s pianos and Novarro’s harps would sound like. It was only after building a simple electro-acoustic harmonic kanon that I realized the two side by side would provide a simple, easily transportable instrument. Hence, the novoharp, capable of an octave or more in a wide range of higher order equal temperaments.

THE METAL ROOM IN THE TUBELY PALACE — Great chimes in 19tET, Tubulong in 17, 13 & 19tET and an 18 tone just

Probably the easiest metal to work with is electrical conduit. A quite pleasing tone is produced from the pitch variation which is an inherent by-product of the imperfections in the tubing. The tubulon (the name often given to conduit marimbas) is a very underrated instrument which anyone can afford and make in a couple of different scales. Not having to be tuned between uses, they are a compelling alternative to watching TV. Sort of the junk food microtonal instrument, good for indulging when lacking concentration or discipline.

TUBULONG & 22 JUST METALLOPHONE

One instrument that I wanted for over a decade was, of course, a Partchian marimba. However, several years ago I decided on an instrument with metal bars instead, since the supervisor at a former jobsite let me pick through the scrap barrels in the back of the fabrication plant. After collecting bars in four metals and hundreds of widths and thicknesses I picked a type I liked the most. Mild steel seemed preferable to aluminum; steel has more inharmonicity and also will drive electro-magnetic pickups, unlike aluminum. Aluminum also cools rapidly and will clog the pores of a griding wheel. Needless to say the bars lay around for more than a year, then a couple of dudes drove up from NYC and bought two tubulons. With the money gleaned from that sale I was able to buy a metal cutting bandsaw, and tuning the bars became feasible. I set to work on a twenty-two note just, 111 bar metallophone. After three years it is playable, but still needs resonators and pickups.

The fact that my instrument collection works together as an ensemble is both intentional and happenstance. Fundamental rules that ensure a successful microtonal instrument are: be generous in the number of pitches per octave included, and maintain fairly close and accurate control over pitch. It is possible to only have a handful of notes available on a simple instrument and produce a great deal of melodic charm, but to explore the infinite possibilities of 20th century liberated music, the old party line prevails — “the more, the merrier.”

Miscellaneous: STICK HARP, FLUTES, and (only partially shown) LONG BOWED STICK INSTRUMENT	Detail — 22 NOTE JUST METALLOPHONE with generalized bar pattern (in progress)