Tenor Mantra Overtone

Thirty tongues cut from a single piece of steel vibrate to create sound.

The shape is inspired by the Karman vortex street in Jupiter's atmosphere and a photograph of the Sasakura wetland taken from above. The flow and repetition common to both landscapes have been reinterpreted into the steel structure.

This cut is not merely for aesthetics. It is a structure designed to accommodate a 30-note chromatic scale from C4 to F6 within a single slit drum. It achieves a wide tonal range and key arrangement based on the circle of fifths within a limited area.

Overtone Type Sound

All 30 keys are designed with overtone cuts to produce an octave higher overtone. When one key is struck, nearby keys of the same note name resonate in succession. This creates rich overtones and brilliant beats.

The resonance and beating vary for each note. This model is more challenging to control than the normal type, and it involves playing unpredictable sounds while listening to the material's response.

It does not support tremolo playing using hand movements, which is possible with the normal type. Adjustments to enhance metallic attack are possible. If desired, please specify at the time of order.

Performance and Miking

• Microphone: It has a built-in passive piezo microphone. A small condenser microphone or lavalier microphone can also be used through the sound hole on the bottom.
• Dedicated mallets: They can express sounds ranging from soft strikes to plucking attacks with a finger. They also support ghost notes and scrapes.
• Pierce damper: It naturally shortens the sustain without significantly changing the timbre.

Specifications

• Range: C4 to F6 - 30 chromatic notes
• Material: Steel
• Weight: Approximately 4,000g
• Height: Approximately 190mm
• Width: Approximately 310mm

It is an acoustic sculpture that plays resonance itself, as well as being a musical instrument.