KamanchehAn Ancient Middle Eastern Instrument

By Zoe Rohrich and India Waller

1.) Cutting Peg Box Out

of NeckBuilding of the Kamancheh

2.) Attaching Neck to Bowl

3.)Put Pegs in, and Reinforce

Bowl

4.) Tail Piece Hook

5.) Cover in Stain

6.) Put on Head and Attach

Strings

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-Ghoth-al-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(wavele

ngth)

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.

Rest Position Amplitude

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. Dave Heerschap2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kamancheh3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_physics_of_the_violin4. http://www.tanbour.org/gallery/instruments/kamancheh/index.htm5. http://www.zhubinkalhor.com/kamanche.html6. http://fis-iran.org/en/resources/classicalpersian/tradinstrument/kamanc

heh7. Anisa Person (horse hair)