Engineering:Harpejji

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Short description: Electric stringed musical instrument
Playing a harpejji

The harpejji (/hɑːrˈpɛdʒiː/ har-PEJ-ee)[1] is an electric stringed musical instrument developed in 2007 by American audio engineer Tim Meeks.[2][3] It can be described as a cross between a piano and a guitar,[1][4] or as a cross between an accordion and a pedal steel guitar.[5] The playing surface has a layout arranged in ascending whole tones across strings, and ascending semi-tones as the strings travel away from the player with a five octave range from A0 to A5. Harpejjis use an electronic muting system to damp unfretted strings and minimize the impact of sympathetic vibrations.

About 500 harpejjis have been made as of 2019.[1]

The harpejji is a descendant of the StarrBoard which was developed in the 1980s.[2][3] Its name is a portmanteau from "harp" and "arpeggio".[3]

Technique

It is primarily played with a two handed tapping technique. It differs from other tapping instruments, such as the Chapman Stick, by way of the orientation of the instrument to the player. The instrument rests on a stand like a keyboard, with the strings perpendicular to the player. The instrument allows for the musician to use all 10 fingers to fret the strings, and a single hand can cover a two octave range. New techniques for playing the instrument are beginning to surface, such as strumming with a pick. Unlike the piano, no formal pedagogy has been established for the harpejji.

Models

Diagram of the d1 model.

The harpejji is manufactured by the inventor's company, Marcodi Musical Products.

The first harpejji model, the 24-string d1, was produced from January 2008[6] through May 2010. It was subsequently replaced by the k24 which also has 24 strings. The latter model includes updates to the internal electronics, a simplification of the fretboard marker system, and a change from maple to bamboo as the primary wood for the instrument. In January 2011, the g16, a smaller 16 string model with a four octave range (from C2 to C6) and mono output, was introduced.

Sizes

<timeline> ImageSize = width:700 height:175 PlotArea = left:0 right:0 top:0 bottom:20 AlignBars = justify

Colors = 

 id:legend value:gray(0.94) # background of top and bottom legend bars
 id:legendtext value:gray(0.1) # text in top and bottom legend bars
 id:sp value:gray(1) # spacer between bars and content
 id:h1 value:rgb(0.99,0.2,0.90) # light violet = top of hierarchy
 id:h2 value:rgb(0.99,0.1,0.1) # light red-violet
 id:h3 value:rgb(0.99,0.2,0.30) # light red
 id:h4 value:rgb(0.99,0.4,0.30) # light red-orange
 id:h5 value:rgb(0.99,0.6,0.20) # light orange
 id:h6 value:rgb(0.99,0.75,0.60) # light yellow-orange, bottom of hierarchy
 id:gridlines value:gray(0.7) # vertical gridlines

BarData = 

 bar:pitch
 bar:Hz
 barset:ranges
 bar:pitch2
 bar:Hz2

Period = from:0 till:651 ScaleMajor = increment:72 start:2 gridcolor:gridlines TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

  1. positions points used by the bars
  2. Cx4 = middle C
  3. Cs4 = middle C sharp

Define $Cx0 = 6 # 16.35Hz Define $Cs0 = 12 # 17.32Hz Define $Dx0 = 18 # 18.35Hz Define $Ds0 = 24 # 19.45Hz Define $Ex0 = 30 # 20.6Hz Define $Fx0 = 36 # 21.83Hz Define $Fs0 = 42 # 23.12Hz Define $Gx0 = 48 # 24.5Hz Define $Gs0 = 54 # 25.96Hz Define $Ax0 = 60 # 27.5Hz Define $As0 = 66 # 29.14Hz Define $Bx0 = 72 # 30.87Hz Define $Cx1 = 78 # 32.7Hz Define $Cs1 = 83 # 34.65Hz Define $Dx1 = 89 # 36.71Hz Define $Ds1 = 95 # 38.89Hz Define $Ex1 = 101 # 41.2Hz Define $Fx1 = 107 # 43.65Hz Define $Fs1 = 113 # 46.25Hz Define $Gx1 = 119 # 49Hz Define $Gs1 = 125 # 51.91Hz Define $Ax1 = 131 # 55Hz Define $As1 = 137 # 58.27Hz Define $Bx1 = 143 # 61.74Hz Define $Cx2 = 149 # 65.41Hz Define $Cs2 = 155 # 69.3Hz Define $Dx2 = 161 # 73.42Hz Define $Ds2 = 167 # 77.78Hz Define $Ex2 = 173 # 82.41Hz Define $Fx2 = 179 # 87.31Hz Define $Fs2 = 185 # 92.5Hz Define $Gx2 = 191 # 98Hz Define $Gs2 = 197 # 103.8Hz Define $Ax2 = 203 # 110Hz Define $As2 = 209 # 116.5Hz Define $Bx2 = 215 # 123.5Hz Define $Cx3 = 221 # 130.8Hz Define $Cs3 = 227 # 138.6Hz Define $Dx3 = 233 # 146.8Hz Define $Ds3 = 239 # 155.6Hz Define $Ex3 = 244 # 164.8Hz Define $Fx3 = 250 # 174.6Hz Define $Fs3 = 256 # 185Hz Define $Gx3 = 262 # 196Hz Define $Gs3 = 268 # 207.7Hz Define $Ax3 = 274 # 220Hz Define $As3 = 280 # 233.1Hz Define $Bx3 = 286 # 246.9Hz Define $Cx4 = 292 # 261.6Hz Define $Cs4 = 298 # 277.2Hz Define $Dx4 = 304 # 293.7Hz Define $Ds4 = 310 # 311.1Hz Define $Ex4 = 316 # 329.6Hz Define $Fx4 = 322 # 349.2Hz Define $Fs4 = 328 # 370Hz Define $Gx4 = 334 # 392Hz Define $Gs4 = 340 # 415.3Hz Define $Ax4 = 346 # 440Hz Define $As4 = 352 # 466.2Hz Define $Bx4 = 358 # 493.9Hz Define $Cx5 = 364 # 523.3Hz Define $Cs5 = 370 # 554.4Hz Define $Dx5 = 376 # 587.3Hz Define $Ds5 = 382 # 622.3Hz Define $Ex5 = 388 # 659.3Hz Define $Fx5 = 394 # 698.5Hz Define $Fs5 = 400 # 740Hz Define $Gx5 = 406 # 784Hz Define $Gs5 = 411 # 830.6Hz Define $Ax5 = 417 # 880Hz Define $As5 = 423 # 932.3Hz Define $Bx5 = 429 # 987.8Hz Define $Cx6 = 435 # 1047Hz Define $Cs6 = 441 # 1109Hz Define $Dx6 = 447 # 1175Hz Define $Ds6 = 453 # 1245Hz Define $Ex6 = 459 # 1319Hz Define $Fx6 = 465 # 1397Hz Define $Fs6 = 471 # 1480Hz Define $Gx6 = 477 # 1568Hz Define $Gs6 = 483 # 1661Hz Define $Ax6 = 489 # 1760Hz Define $As6 = 495 # 1865Hz Define $Bx6 = 501 # 1976Hz Define $Cx7 = 507 # 2093Hz Define $Cs7 = 513 # 2217Hz Define $Dx7 = 519 # 2349Hz Define $Ds7 = 525 # 2489Hz Define $Ex7 = 531 # 2637Hz Define $Fx7 = 537 # 2794Hz Define $Fs7 = 543 # 2960Hz Define $Gx7 = 549 # 3136Hz Define $Gs7 = 555 # 3322Hz Define $Ax7 = 561 # 3520Hz Define $As7 = 567 # 3729Hz Define $Bx7 = 572 # 3951Hz Define $Cx8 = 578 # 4186Hz Define $Cs8 = 584 # 4435Hz Define $Dx8 = 590 # 4699Hz Define $Ds8 = 596 # 4978Hz Define $Ex8 = 602 # 5274Hz Define $Fx8 = 608 # 5588Hz Define $Fs8 = 614 # 5920Hz Define $Gx8 = 620 # 6272Hz Define $Gs8 = 626 # 6645Hz Define $Ax8 = 632 # 7040Hz Define $As8 = 638 # 7459Hz Define $Bx8 = 644 # 7902Hz Define $max = 650

PlotData= 

 align:center textcolor:black fontsize:10 mark:(line,black) width:16 shift:(0,-4)
 barset:ranges

 color:h1 from:$Ax0 till:$Ax5   text:k24
 color:h3 from:$Cx2 till:$Cx6   text:g16
 color:h6 from:$Cx2  till:$Cx5  text:u12 (low tuned)
 color:h5 from:$Cx3  till:$Cx6  text:u12 (high tuned)

 color:legend textcolor:legendtext align:left fontsize:9 mark:(line,white) width:12 shift:(3,-4)

 bar:pitch
 from:0 till:$max
 at:$Cx0   text:C₀
 at:$Cx1   text:C₁
 at:$Cx2   text:C₂
 at:$Cx3   text:C₃
 at:$Cx4   text:C₄ (middle C)
 at:$Cx5   text:C₅
 at:$Cx6   text:C₆
 at:$Cx7   text:C₇
 at:$Cx8   text:C₈

 color:legend textcolor:legendtext align:left fontsize:7 mark:(line,white) width:12 shift:(3,-4)
 bar:Hz
 from:0 till:$max
 at:23    text:20 Hz
 at:65    text:30
 at:105   text:44
 at:153   text:70
 at:190   text:100
 at:232   text:150
 at:262   text:200
 at:304   text:300
 at:344   text:440
 at:392   text:700
 at:430   text:1000
 at:472   text:1500
 at:502   text:2000
 at:544   text:3000
 at:583   text:4400 Hz

 color:legend textcolor:legendtext align:left fontsize:9 mark:(line,white) width:12 shift:(3,-4)
 bar:pitch2 # exact copy of bar:pitch
 from:0 till:$max
 at:$Cx0   text:C₀
 at:$Cx1   text:C₁
 at:$Cx2   text:C₂
 at:$Cx3   text:C₃
 at:$Cx4   text:C₄ (middle C)
 at:$Cx5   text:C₅
 at:$Cx6   text:C₆
 at:$Cx7   text:C₇
 at:$Cx8   text:C₈

 color:legend textcolor:legendtext align:left fontsize:7 mark:(line,white) width:12 shift:(3,-4)
 bar:Hz2 # exact copy of bar:Hz
 from:0 till:$max
 at:23    text:20 Hz
 at:65    text:30
 at:105   text:44
 at:153   text:70
 at:190   text:100
 at:232   text:150
 at:262   text:200
 at:304   text:300
 at:344   text:440
 at:392   text:700
 at:430   text:1000
 at:472   text:1500
 at:502   text:2000
 at:544   text:3000
 at:583   text:4400 Hz

</timeline>

Players and recordings

The first commercial harpejji recording was made by Jordan Rudess for the soundtrack to the God of War III video game. Rudess has also used the harpejji in the band Dream Theater.

The first all original harpejji album was released on March 23, 2021 by Lance Hoeppner. The album titled I AM Lance Vol.1, Harpejji Meets The Tempest, consisted of six songs written by Hoeppner and performed on the harpejji and DSI Tempest.

Stevie Wonder played his hit song "Superstition" on a 16 string harpejji on the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.[7] Wonder has also used the harpejji in live performances, such as at the A Concert For Charlottesville in 2017. Wonder guested with the Dave Matthews Band and performed three songs with the instrument.[8]

Two time Grammy and Oscar awards winner A. R. Rahman has used the harpejji in several of his recordings and live shows. His Oscar nominated song "If I Rise" from 127 Hours featured the instrument.[9] In the opening episode of Season 3 of Coke Studio India, he played the harpejji in two songs: "Ennile Maha Oliyo"[10] and "Jagao Mere Des."[11]

The band Walk Off The Earth and guest Scott Helman can be seen playing the harpejji in their music video cover for "Can't Feel My Face". The video shows the four playing the instrument simultaneously.[12]

Harry Connick Jr played a harpejji during a performance on episode 15 of season 19 of American Idol on April 19, 2021.

Jack Stratton of Vulfpeck released a song titled Harpejji I on the EP Vulfmon on May 19, 2023.

Jacob Collier and Cory Henry are also known to be proficient harpejji players.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Artists in Motion: Tim Meeks". Martin Logan. November 13, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyu-Rl6nXkU. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 U.S. Patent 7,598,450
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Tim, Meeks. "About Us" (in en). https://www.marcodi.com/pages/about-us. 
  4. ↑ Daniel, Alex (16 August 2023). "‘If Stevie Wonder wants to play it, pay attention!’: how a bizarre new instrument found unusual success". https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/16/if-stevie-wonder-wants-to-play-it-pay-attention-how-a-bizarre-new-instrument-found-unusual-success. 
  5. ↑ Hodgkinson, Will (August 10, 2020). "Jacob Collier on discovering jazz, collaborations and wonky music" (in en). The Times. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jacob-collier-interview-on-discovering-jazz-collaborations-and-wonky-music-xpxpqd6bb. 
  6. ↑ "Music Trades Magazine, Jan 2008". http://marcodi.com/press/Harpejji_MusicTrades.pdf. 
  7. ↑ DeRose, Jenn. "Stevie Wonder Gave a Magical Performance at Scottrade Center 10/25/15: Review". Riverfront Times. https://www.riverfronttimes.com/musicblog/2015/10/26/stevie-wonder-gave-a-magical-performance-at-scottrade-center-10-25-15-review. 
  8. ↑ "DMBAlmanac.com". http://dmbalmanac.com/TourShowSet.aspx?id=453075474&tid=3154&where=2017. 
  9. ↑ LLC, Marcodi Musical Products. "Harpejji Makes Oscar Debut". Prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  10. ↑ "Ennile Maha Oliyo - AR Rahman, Rayhanah, Issrath Quadhri, Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3". http://mtv.in.com/blogs/music/general/ennile-maha-oliyo-ar-rahman-rayhanah-issrath-quadhri-coke-studio-mtv-season-3-50246276.html. 
  11. ↑ "Jagao Mere des Ko - A.R Rahman, Suchi, Blaaze - Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3". http://mtv.in.com/blogs/music/general/jagao-mere-des-ko-ar-rahman-suchi-blaaze-coke-studio-mtv-season-3-50246273.html. 
  12. ↑ "Watch WOTE Perform". https://ask.audio/articles/watch-wote-perform-cant-feel-my-face-on-strange-stringed-instrument-marcodi-harpejji. 

External links



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