Kantele #003

Luckily during my build of Kantele #002, I had exactly enough wood to make another 8 string kantele. So I did, and made Kantele #003 a twin of the previous. It has a different theme, but made of the same exact woods with the same exact dimensions. Interestingly enough, the sound is very different. I will do a comparison of these two in a future post. I will say however, that I really like the tone of #003, and feel that it is a significant improvement, much more mellow and rich.

 Though the woods are the same, there is definitely a noticeable difference in style. This kantele uses kind of a "curl" theme, reflected in the ponsi, headboard, and "f-hole" soundhole. The dragon flairs on this ponsi was particularly fun and challenging to carve, being my first attempt at such type of carving. Despite having an unusual grain, I found the leopardwood very nice to carve and hold its shape, but one must work with the grain flow to avoid chipping or tearing of the wood. Another unique feature of the ponsi is the carved top and front profile. This was inspired by the geometric chip carving style, and was also a first for me as well. The inside curve where the varras, or string-holding bar is located, is also a noticeable improvement from the previous two, which has a very round vertical profile as opposed to the more flat-sawn curve shape of its predecessors. The decorative headplate is simpler than #002, and cleaner all around than the previous. I had bought another padauk rosette to inlay, but felt that the added wood to accommodate it would make the headplate unnecessarily bulky. There is also less overlap onto the vibrating portion of the soundboard, possibly contributing to its overall better tone. #003 turned out only slightly wider in size, but all other dimensions remained the same. I do feel that the cypress used for this soundboard was also a bit nicer quality than #002.


I also chose a much nicer curly hard maple board to use for the backboard, which has much more noticeable and attractive figure than #002. Curly hard maple takes a beautiful polish, and with the curl can provide quite a stunning look. The soundhole was quite a bit more challenging: since I already glued the backboard on before cutting it out (to ensure it went on straight, since it can slightly move around during the gluing process), I had to drill many tiny holes along the outline of the shape, then slowly cut away the shape with a very sharp knife and chisel by connecting the dots. The larger soundhole also not only lends itself nicely to the overall theme, but provides more volume while still keeping the aesthetics of a backboard.

Extra Sources and Info:

1.) Kantele #001 Info:  http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/10/kantele-001.html

2.) Kantele #002 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-002.html

Kantele #002

I have learned a tremendous amount from the kanteles that I have built, and continue to learn with each one. My second kantele, #002, was started around the same time as my first, and finished shortly after (you can click on the thumbnail images for a larger more detailed view). Like my first kantele, I used leftover wood from previous projects for the frame of the instrument. Having already built a 5 string model, I wanted to play around with a slightly larger stringed instrument. Having only one string size though and a limited budget, I opted to build a small 8 string model. This kantele is also 24" long, a bit wider at 5.75" wide, and tuned to the diatonic scale in the key of C. I wanted to add some contrast in the sides, so the frame consisted of mahogany with a thin strip of soft maple accent at the top, which would be mirrored on the bottom by a curly hard maple backboard. Not having enough mahogany for the tuning peg shelf, I bought a turning blank made of African mahogany to use.

As a side note, I got this turning blank from Westpenn Hardwoods, an absolutely awesome source of exotic turning blanks. This place is also on my top wood supplier list. Their selection is incredible, and is a great source for exotic woods for the frame, as well as bowl turning blanks for exotic wood ponsis. For their turning blanks to be used as woods for the sides, I normally buy 24" long to 36" long 1.5"x1.5" turning blanks, and rip them in half length-wise for a matching set of .75" thick x 1.5" wide pieces. Future kanteles I will be building with woods from them including cocobolo, bocote, bubinga (now complete) and east indian rosewood. A very economical method for getting beautiful exotic hardwoods for kantele making for only a fraction of the price you would spend ordering one custom built from a luthier. I will post more details and info on exotic wood selection and simple shortcuts to beautiful and affordable woods in posts to come.

I chose to stick with cypress for the soundboard, as I had excellent results with Kantele #001, and did not want to vary too much yet with soundboards. The ponsi uses leopardwood, a beautiful exotic hardwood that finishes excellently. I also used a thin strip of padauk on the bottom of the ponsi as well. The decorative headplate also uses leopardwood, with another inlaid rosette from Folkcraft Instruments. I opted for the soundhole to be located on the backboard again, this time using a larger diameter of about 2.5". Stay tuned for sound clips and playing description of this kantele in upcoming posts!


Extra Sources and Info:

1.) Westpenn Hardwoods: https://www.westpennhardwoods.com/default.aspx

2.) Kantele #001 Info:  http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/10/kantele-001.html

Kantele #001

This kantele was my first kantele, the beginning steps into my journey into not only the world of the kantele, but better instrument making in general. I finished this one in January, and am quite pleased with the results. You can click on the thumbnail photos for larger detailed pictures. This kantele uses red oak sides and tuning peg shelf, which was leftover wood I had bought from The Home Depot for another project. The front part under the ponsi is a bit of leftover mahogany from wood I had used for a traditional bow many years ago. The ponsi and decorative headplate consist of black walnut, with a thin stripe of padauk at the bottom of the ponsi, and a very nice little padauk rosette which I bought from Folkcraft Instruments, inlaid into the headplate. The backboard also consists of black walnut with a single 1.5" diameter sound hole.
 

The soundboard took me a while to decide upon. Often times, woods like poplar are used. Its a relatively soft wood, and good choice for soundboards, but I wanted something with more grain character. Pine is ok, but still a bit lower quality and dull for what I was intending. Spruce, particularly sitka spruce, is often hailed as one of the best quality soundboard materials for stringed instruments. It is a bit harder to find smaller pieces for kantele however, and still has a bit boring (in my opinion, compared to other woods out there) grain pattern. Its also used on many, many guitars, and I wanted something a bit different and less common. After doing some searches and comparisons, I found that cypress has a very nice grain look, and has very good soundboard characteristics. From the Wood Database, here are some general stats on the wood: 

• Janka Hardness: 510lbf

• Average Dried Weight: 32lbs/ft^2

• Specific Gravity: 0.42

• Elastic Modulus: 1,440,000 lb_f/in² (9.93 GPa)

Overall, very similar characteristics to the commonly used spruces, with the bonus of more interesting grain. I ended up using 1/8" thick soundboard wood (as well as 1/8" backboard), which is a very good thickness to start with for smaller kantele. For reference, I strongly recommend The Wood Database as an excellent resource for basic wood properties and information, especially for when comparing specific statistics of different woods. They have an extensive and excellent list of many domestic and exotic wood species. For soundboards, backboards, and woods for the ponsi and decorative headplate, I often buy woods from D&D Hardwoods. The selection, products, prices, and service is top-notch, and I have ordered from them many times for all of my kantele so far, and greatly recommend them for thin woods for smaller sized kantele. I will write a more detailed and full review in coming posts, but they are definitely one of my favorite wood sources yet.

I made this kantele as a 5 string instrument, 24" long, and a little wider at 5". I wanted to experiment with a wider model 5 string instrument and play around with wider string spacing than normal.
With my kanteles, I also want to create a unique and distinct style of my own. This design came about from a combination of both a lack of tools at the time, and a want to explore new styles, which has stuck with each kantele so far. One major difference with my kanteles is the shape: the front is pointed as opposed to the traditional round ponsi end. I did this for ease of construction, which also happened to fit well with my kantele themes. Another unique feature is the carved ponsi. Each kantele has its own theme, represented by the decorative headplate at the tuning peg end, and the ponsi. I have added what I like to call "dragon flairs" on the ponsi, giving them more distinct flavor as opposed to the more traditional simple straight or slightly rounded ends on the ponsi. My kantele are also heavier than normal, using thicker woods for the frame. I have always preferred the feel of a heavier instrument, and as this thickness is most commonly available (3/4" thick), I have decided to stick with it.

Most kanteles I have seen use relatively simple woods, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, and walnut. These are great and relatively inexpensive woods to start with, with woods like birch having cultural significance in the folk roots of traditional kantele making. I wanted to expand and use more exotic choices, adding things like contrasting strips on the sides, and unique carved themes and accents. My later kanteles reflect this, with more exotic choices with each one I make. Stay tuned for sound clips and a playing description of this kantele in upcoming posts!

Extra Sources and Info:

1.) The Wood Database: http://www.wood-database.com/

2.) Folkcraft Instruments: http://www.folkcraft.com/search.html?sep=rosette&sed=128

3.) D&D Hardwoods: http://www.dndhardwoodsonline.com/

Star Trek, Asian Zithers, and Kantele - Connecting the Dots

A short improvisation with my 8 stringed, deeper-tuned mahogany-frame Kantele #003. This little improv was inspired by the pentatonic scale, of which major and minor versions make up the large core of tuning for Asian instruments and music.

As usual, I always have my eyes and ears open for new instruments to peak my interest. A couple of years ago I had started construction on a Chinese guzheng, a large stringed zither from China. Most commonly consisting of 21 strings and spanning several octaves, this instrument was an ambitious project. I had become fascinated with the sound and tone of the instrument, and already having a strong interest in Asian instruments and music, and having built several already, it seemed like an excellent addition to my collection. Two years later it still stands incomplete. I have most of the wood, but never got around to finishing it. It did however begin my fascination with zithers.

Above: Chinese gugheng. Picture source and credit:
Gurumandarin, http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guzheng

Despite having a beautiful sound and repertoire, with an extensive note range, it does have the drawback of being a huge instrument. Like over a foot wide by almost six feet long, and rather heavy. Not very portable. I wanted a zither, (or at least some stringed instrument), that played 1 note per string (not including overtones), was very resonant, and small enough to travel with.

Enter Star Trek. Quite random, yes, but it will tie all together eventually. Over the past year I have grown to be quite a Star Trek fan, having been convinced by my girlfriend to start watching the Original Series, being a Trekkie herself. One noticeable thing during the series that quite caught my attention was Spock's famed Vulcan Lyre/Harp/Lute (its commonly referred to as all three.) Though just a prop in the show, with some planning and modification, it could be brought to life as a fully functioning acoustic instrument. There have been several people who have made functioning electric and acoustic versions of the instrument (this is another project I do plan on attempting sometime in the future.) Not having access to many tools at the time, and due to its rather unusual shape, I decided to do some research into simpler, historic lyres and harps. Lyres were portable and easy enough to build, but just did not have the tone I was looking for, often times flat and dull sounding with little resonance. Harps had the resonance, but were still too large and/or difficult to make with my limited tools. While browsing for more information I stumbled upon the website of Michael J. King, a luthier from the UK.While browsing through the large selection of beautifully crafted instruments he makes, I came across the kantele. It was exactly what I was looking for. Small, simple, portable, and very resonant. One thing led to another, and I was on my way to building my own.

I highly recommend checking out Michael J. King's website for information on the kantele, excellent building instructions, and introductory playing videos. Michael J. King is a very well known kantele maker, and is extremely nice and helpful. Not only does he build kanteles, but many other instruments as well, and offers plans for each. I originally bought his 5 string and 12 string kantele building guides (they are very cheap and I recommend them as excellent reference guides, well worth the price.) I didn't have the right sized woods to make them like in the instructions, and decided to build my own style, but they nevertheless were valuable guides and references. I think its quite awesome that such an excellent instrument craftsman is willing to give plans on all the instruments he builds and is so willing to share his knowledge of his craft.

Michael J. King's Website: http://www.michaeljking.com/

Above: Chinese guqin. Picture source and credit: CharlieHuang,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guqin

And so goes my rather convoluted connecting-the-dots of how all of these are related: Asian zithers peaked my interest in zithers in general, Star Trek led me on a search to build a smaller and more portable stringed instrument, and the search for the Start Trek inspired instrument ultimately led to the kantele. Since then, my interest with Asian zithers and the kantele has inspired me to design and plan some pentatonic scale and themed kanteles, including a very large "bass" kantele inspired by the Chinese guqin and guzheng. Though these won't happen for a while, as I still have a decent list of kanteles to build next, they shall nevertheless be some unique pieces. Hopefully though sometime after this coming Christmas I will be attempting my own guqin build, and should have a few more kanteles built by then, including a cocobolo/cherry/purpleheart kantele, and a very unique live edged-solid redwood slab kantele with bloodwood accents inspired by Vainamoinen's kanteles from the Kalevala. Above at the top of this post I have included a short clip of improvisation on my Kantele #003 inspired by the pentatonic scale. Enjoy!

The Kantele - Strings of Magic and Lore

A short improvisation on my latest 5 string kantele, #004. Made with very dense exotic woods such as bubinga and wenge, with padauk and maple accents and a cypress soundboard. Very resonant with rich overtones, enjoy!

The kantele is a very unique instrument. Simple, elegant, and relatively easy to learn and improvise on - often times I liken it to the "Native American flute" of the stringed instrument world. This little known instrument hails from Finland, with a history and tradition wrapped in the roots of legend and folklore. It was said, in the great Finnish epic The Kalevala, that old Vainamoinen, powerful, ancient, and magical bard and minstrel, created this instrument, first from the jawbone of a pike strung with the mythic hairs of a stallion, and later from a birch tree (birch being the national tree of Finland and given great significance in the Kalevala) strung with the hairs of a maiden.

Right: Painting of Vainamoinen playing the kantele. Picture source and credit: Robert Wilhelm Ekman (1808-1873), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ekman_Vainamoinen.jpg

The kantele itself is classified as a zither, and belongs to the baltic psaltery family of instruments. Traditional style instruments can range from 5 strings up to 15 (or even sometimes 18 depending if extra drone strings are added), with 5, 10, and 11 being the most common. Modern concert designs are radically different from the traditional style, ranging up to 40 strings and having completely different construction methods. There are a vast variety of sizes, styles, and features for kanteles available, though the vast majority of makers tend to stay towards a common shape and wood selection. Over time I will add discussions and thoughts on the various parameters of kanteles, such as wood choice, size, sound-holes, backboards, etc.

 
Left: Example of a Koistinen made 38 string modern concert kantele. Picture source and credit: Jorunn, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kantele Below: Example of traditional style Melodia Soitin made 10 string kantele (upper) and 5 string kantele (lower). Picture source and credit: TheYellowFellow, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5and10stringkantele.jpg


One thing the kantele is very well known for amongst those who know of it is its very distinctive and unique tone, often described as "bell like." There are many factors that contribute to its unique tone, and as I have discovered as a hobbyist maker, can be radically altered depending how an instrument is built: I have instruments ranging from relatively flat sounding, to rich and mellow, to exceptionally bright and resonant with amplified overtones. Such is one of the fascinations of building and experimenting with your own instruments, in exploring the sonic manipulation of tones to create a unique sounding instrument of your own. Interestingly enough, in the olden days of the instrument, almost every man of old Karelian tradition built and played their own kantele from simple found materials. Below is a link to an excellent read regarding kantele tradition and roots of its music and playing. The site the article is from and the article itself is by Arja Kastinen, one of the most well recognized and leading players of the kantele today. I highly recommend reading some of her other available articles, as well as checking out her youtube clips for some awesome kantele playing!

Karelian Kantele Tradition: http://www.temps.fi/en/research/

This is but a very small and brief overview and introduction to this fascinating instrument. There are many excellent sites that go into much more depth and have already covered the overview of the kantele quite well. I will be adding a resource page soon to include these excellent sources of additional information. At the top of the page is a short improv on my kantele #004, perhaps my favorite kantele to date. I will be posting an overview of this unique little kantele and others soon. For now, enjoy the rich soundscapes of kantele!

The First Strings Are Strung

It took a very long time (many more months than it should have), but here I am, my first steps into the world of blogging. Though my general indecisiveness (particularly with naming the blog) has been the main inhibiting factor, I am eager to start down this path to further explore and share some of my work and passions with the outside world.

It is my hope to provide readers with insightful knowledge and information across a broad range of topics concerning the kantele (for those of you who are not familiar, the kantele is a traditional stringed zither from Finland, and there will be plenty more on this subject to come), world instruments, instrument making, woodworking, crafting, and music, gathered from my continuing journey exploring these different, yet related paths. In time I will not only include information on instruments I have built, but tutorials, guides, resources, DIY info, suggestions and thoughts, instrument building on a tight budget, sheet music, compositions, and audio and video of the various kantele and other instruments I have made and will be making. I also strongly encourage asking questions, leaving comments, and engaging in discussion about the various topics or related content presented, and am very eager and more than willing to answer any questions and give help or suggestions related to these subjects to the best of my ability.

I am not a musician. Or a professional woodworker. Or a luthier. I am (however unrelated to these fields, though having some interesting cross-applications) simply, and quite happily, an electrical engineer who happens to have these interests and hobbies that have grown and developed from a long history and fascination with world instruments. These two passions of mine, engineering and instruments/crafting/woodworking, have often and always clashed for my attention (and spare project money), but have given me a chance to explore many interesting topics over the years.

The first strings are strung, the first notes have been plucked, and the melody begins to unfold. I invite you to explore this symphony with me.