Musical saw

The musical saw is a musical instrument in which a wide saw steel ( pigweed ) is coated with a violin bow.

The pitch depends on how strong the player bends the steel sheet. This technique entails that successive tones are necessarily connected by glissando. Another feature is the sound: The vibration of any sound comes close to a tone and therefore reminiscent of the human soprano or a high-pitched whistle.

The pitch is determined by the measured to the vibrating body width of the sheet. This in turn is defined by bending of the saw in an S-shape, wherein the straight portion between the two S- curves is identical to the oscillating part. The shape of the fox tail ( narrow on one side, the handle wide) allows different pitches.

An alternative technique is to bring the steel sheet by a mallet to the blades.

Most professional musicians prefer special models without sawteeth, in which the sheet is also gold plated thin on the grounds of protecting against rust.

Historical

The origin of the instrument is unclear, but it is believed that the technique was independent of each other, developed in several regions, including Scandinavia and South America.