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Re: OT: mechanical drum machine



Wow, that's pretty cool. It's like the music machines they used to make in the 1800s. A couple of years ago I went to a fundraiser event at the mansion of peanut tycoom Jasper SanFilippo in Barrington, IL:
 
http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/keng/kenhtml/SanFillippoEstateVisit.htm
 
http://www.wurlitzer2003.com/victorian_palace.htm
 
He has a HUGE collection of these music machines, as well as the world's largest theater organ, and a full steam locomotive. Pretty unbelievable. All these machines were tuned up and working. The most amazing one I saw played a piano and three violins at the same time. With dynamics, vibrato, etc. Sounded REALLY nice.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUBQMl4ZiAg
 
(The one in this video is out of tune, but you get the idea)
 
There is a sort of braided hoop of horsehair that rotates and bows all three violins at the same time. Vibrato is achieved with a kind of whammy bar attached to each violin. Dynamics are created by controlling the speed of rotation of the hoop. Marcato is achieved by bouncing the violin against the hoop. Notes are fretted with mechanical fingers. One string on each violin has fingers, so a line can be played up the strings by breaking it up between the violins. This completely blew me away.
Mark Smart
http://www.marksmart.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Travis Hartnett <travishartnett@gmail.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:36
Subject: Re: OT: mechanical drum machine
To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com

> http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ycju4Nl1nMY
>
> On Nov 20, 2007 9:05 AM, Qua Veda <qua@oregon.com> wrote:
> > Just saw James Taylor performing on TV using a mechanical drum
> machine that
> > he built. It was like a giant music box that physically played
> a snare drum
> > and other percussive devices.
>