Kamancheh
An Ancient Middle Eastern Instrument
By Zoe Rohrich and India Waller
Building of the
Kamancheh
1.) Cutting Peg
Box Out of Neck
2.) Attaching Neck
to Bowl
3.)Put Pegs in, and
Reinforce Bowl
6.) Put on Head and
Attach Strings
4.) Tail Piece Hook
5.) Cover in Stain
Kamancheh History
• Kamanche, meaning “little bow” is a Persian
stringed instrument.
• It was the first known stringed instrument
that was played with a bow.
• The first known mention of this instrument
was in the 10th Century by Allameh-Ghothal-Din Mohommad Shirazi, in his famous
encyclopedia, Dorrat-al-Taj.
More History
• The original Kamancheh had three silk strings,
while the modern one has four metal strings.
• There are many different shaped and sized
Kamancheh that are made out of many
different things, but the standard scale is about
the size of a violin ,though it is played like a
cello.
• It is played with a horse hair bow that is
tightened or loosened with the hand while being
played.
Frequency
Frequency=1/Period
Frequency=Velocity/Lambda(wavelength)
The higher the frequency
the higher the pitch.
Tension
Tension: A stress that produces an elongation of an
elastic physical body.
The tension of the
string is the main
factor of the
frequency(pitch) of the
sound.
The tighter the string,
the higher the note.
Playing tension ranges
from 40N(Newtons) to
89N
Length/Width of the String
• The length and width of the string also
plays a part in creating the pitch. To
create different notes a musician shortens
the string by pushing it against the neck
of the instrument.
• The shorter the string the higher the pitch.
•The diameter of the string also changes the
pitch.
•The thicker the string the lower the note.
•The material out of which the instrument and
strings are made.
Amplitude
Amplitude=Volume
The taller the amplitude the louder the sound.
Amplitude
Rest Position
Physics of the Kamancheh
When you draw a
bow across the taut
strings of a
kamancheh, it
causes the strings
to vibrate.
This vibration is then transferred from the
strings to the bridge, and then on to the body,
where it rebounds off the walls of the bowl,
causing constructive interference. This sends
sound waves into the air, which then vibrates your
eardrum causing you to hear the sound.
Stick-slip
• Stick-slip, meaning a spontaneous jerking
motion that can occur while two objects are
sliding over each other.
• This is what allows the bow to stay in contact
with the string, while still allowing the string to
vibrate.
• The combination of horse hair and rosin makes
it so there’s enough friction to make the string
vibrate while still smooth enough to allow the
string to vibrate and release sound waves.
Bibliography
1.
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Dave Heerschap
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kamancheh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_physics_of_the_violin
http://www.tanbour.org/gallery/instruments/kamancheh/index.htm
http://www.zhubinkalhor.com/kamanche.html
http://fisiran.org/en/resources/classicalpersian/tradinstrument/kamancheh
Anisa Person (horse hair)