Sound of the HANG

Abstract

Previous studies of the HANG [T. D. Rossing, U. Hansen, F. Rohner, and S. Schärer, 142nd ASA meeting, December 2001; T.D.Rossing, A. Morrison, U. Hansen, F. Rohner and S. Schärer, Proceedings of ISMA07, Barcelona, 2007] have discussed the modes of vibration and the sound radiation field of the HANG when note areas are excited by sinusoidal force. Since the HANG is a hand-played steel instrument, a wide variety of playing techniques are used by various performers. We report on the sound of the HANG when played in various ways. Recordings of the HANG were made with a hemispheric microphone array. The instrument was excited by taking multiple samples of each of a number of striking techniques with the hand. These include single strokes from the soft part of the finger, as well as, the finger nail itself. Various grace note techniques like flams were also investigated. Damping was controlled by the time the finger remained in contact with the instrument, as well as, by using the palm. Force hammer measurements were also included. We report on these measurements and incorporate them in to an excited-resonance model of the instrument. Demonstrations of the real and modeled instrument will be provided. © 2008 Acoustical Society of America.