Sound Inventions

Introductory Essays






Perspectives on New Instruments: Ideas and Questions that Shape the Field of Experimental Musical Instrument Making, Bart Hopkin, June 2020.



The Experimental Musical Instruments Journal: A History as Recalled by the Founder and Editor, Bart Hopkin, June 2020.

Articles/Chapters






Steel Cello and Bow Chimes: Designed and Built by Robert Rutman, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 1 #1, June 1985.



The Long String Instrument: Designed and Built by Ellen Fullman, Ellen Fullman and Bart Hopkin, Vol. 1 #2, August 1985.



Holy Crustacean, Batman, That Beast Sings!, Tom Nunn, Vol. 1 #4, December 1985.



The Megalyra Family of Instruments: Designed and Built by Ivor Darreg, Ivor Darreg, Vol. 2 #2, August 1986.



Daniel Schmidt's American Gamelan Instruments, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 2 #2, August 1986.



The Waterphone: Designed and Built by Richard Waters, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 2 #3, October 1986.



The Musical-Acoustical Development of the Violin Octet, Carleen Hutchins, Vol. 2 #6, April 1987.



Structures Sonores: Instruments of Bernard and Francois Baschet, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 3 #3, October 1987.



Tata and his Kamakshi Veena, David Courtney, Vol. 3 #4, December 1987.



Bamboo is Sound Magic, Darrell DeVore, Vol. 3 #4, December 1987.



Dachsophon, Hans Reichel, Vol. 4 #3, October 1988.



The Pikasso Guitar, Linda Manzer, Vol. 4 #6, April 1989.



The Piatarbajo: Its History and Development, Hal Rammel, Vol. 5 #2, August 1989.



A Comparative Tunings Chart, David Courtney, Bart Hopkin, Larry Polansky, Erv Wilson, Vol. 6 #2, August 1990.



Famous Color Instruments of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Kenneth Peacock, Vol. 7 #2 & 3, September and November 1991.



Membrane Reeds: Indonesia and Nicasio, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 7 #3, November 1991.



Circuit-Bending and Living Instruments, Qubais Reed Ghazala, Vol. 8 #1, September 1992.



Giant Lamellaphones: A Transatlantic Perspective, Richard Graham, Vol. 9 #1, September 1993.



Tumbas, Rumba Boxes, & Bamboo Flutes: Caribbean Instruments by Rupert Lewis, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 9 #1, September 1993.



"Sugar Belly" Walker and the Bamboo Saxophone, Bart Hopkin and Brian Wittman, Vol. 9 #2, December 1993.



Relating Timbre and Tuning, Bill Sethares, Vol. 9 #2, December 1993.



Fire Music, Norman Anderson, Bart Hopkin, Michel Moglia, and Etiye Poulson, Vol. 10 #1, September 1994.



A Short Introduction to the Bambuso Sonoro, Hans van Koolwijk, Vol. 10 #1, September 1994.



Augustus Stroh and the Famous Stroh Violin, Cary Clements, Vol. 10 #4, June 1995



Drums for the 21st Century, Kris Lovelett and Christopher White, Vol. 11 #2, December 1995.



Flutes & Sound Sculptures of Susan Rawcliffe, Susan Rawcliffe, Vol. 11 #2, December 1995.



Some Basics on Shell Trumpets and Some Very Basics on How to Make Them, Mitchell Clark, Vol. 12 #1, September 1996.



A Musical Instrument Workshop in Hanoi, Jason Gibbs, Vol. 12 #1, September 1996.



Sirens, Bart Hopkin, Vol. 12 #4 and Vol. 13 #1, June 1997 and September 1997



Slate, Will Menter, Vol. 13 #1, September 1997.



Mechanical Speech Synthesis, Martin Riches, Volume 13 #1 and Volume 13 #2, September and December 1997.



Beyond the Shaker: Experimental Instruments and New Educational Opportunities, John Bertles, Vol. 14 #4, June 1999.



The Photosonic Disk, Jacques Dudon, Vol. 14 #4, June 1999.



Journey Through Sound and Flame, Brian Ransom, Vol. 14 #4, June 1999.