A tritare is an experimental guitar invented in 2003 by mathematicians Samuel Gaudet and Claude Gauthier of the Université de Moncton of a family of stringed instruments which use Y-shaped strings, instead of the usual linear strings.
Instrument sound and reactions
Y-shaped strings can produce sounds which are harmonic integer multiples, but also non-harmonic sounds more akin to those produced by percussion instruments.
The model uses 6 strings and was commercially available for a short period. The sound effects achieved with the instrument are similar to the sounds that can be achieved with the 3rd bridge playing technique. When tuned correctly, the Y-shaped strings create Chladni patterns.
Depending on how each note is played, Gaudet explains that non-harmonic ingredients can be included and offer a richer sound than a classical stringed instrument. However the value of this greater possibility has been questioned by physicist and acoustics specialist Bernard Richardson of Cardiff University, who considers the branched string as just a simple analogue of complex structures with curved shells such as bars, cymbals, bells, and gongs. Richardson also claims that the tritare sounds bad.
Footnotes
- Pronounced to rhyme with guitar. The prefix tri indicates that each string has 3 branches. The final e is by analogy with the French spelling guitare.
References
- ^ Weiss, Peter (3 June 2006). "String Trio: Novel instrument strums like guitar, rings like bell". Science News. Vol. 169, no. 22. p. 342.
- ^ Sohn, Emily (7 June 2006). "Extra strings for new sounds". societyforscience.org. Student Science.
- Gaudet, S.; Léger, S. (6 June 2006). A new family of stringed musical instruments. Acoustical Society of America. Archived from the original on 2006-06-13.
| Experimental musical instruments | |||||||
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| Gaiaphones |
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| Designers of instruments | Pierre Bastien, Baschet Brothers, Ken Butler, Nicolas Collins, Ivor Darreg, Bart Hopkin, Yuri Landman, Moondog, Harry Partch, Hans Reichel, Luigi Russolo, Adolphe Sax, Leon Theremin, Thomas Truax, Michel Waisvisz | ||||||
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