MARIMBAS
Tenor and Bass Models
MARIMBAS
Tenor and Bass Models
MARIMBAS
Tenor and Bass Models
CCBANTA Kalimba | Product Sheet
CCBANTA Kalimba | Users Guide
About
About
About
About
CCBANTA
Research and Development of Melodic
Bass and Contra-Bass Bar Percussion Systems
MAY 8, 2025
MISC
Harry Partch - My Initial Inspiration
In Sept 1973, after having just finished my four-year hitch in the NAVY, I had enrolled into Pasadena City College (PCC) and took a Music Appreciation class. Many composers and their musical works were presented to the class to show compositional similarities and differences. One composer stood out in a very meaningful way...Harry Partch.
Harry did not follow the conventions of our Western “Chromatic (12-tone) Scale.” Instead, he designed and built instruments around a 43-tones-per-octave, equal-tempered, scale.
The teacher had recommended we purchase one of his albums which musically demonstrates how the 43-tone system sounds.
The composition of interest is Daphne of the Dunes (from The World of Harry Partch, Columbia Masterworks: No. 7202 - Vinyl).
About 1:30 into the piece Harry’s bass marimba presents itself into ensemble. That was my immediate inspiration to find a way to build one of those marimbas and replicate that amazing sound.
<--Listen to that portion of the recording
Photo of the Harry Partch Bass Marimba (back side of album)
Although the photo was somewhat helpful, I had to create an understanding and a visual depiction in how my marimba might look. Having dabbled in technical illustrating, I created some drawings shown below.
Also, not having a clue of what pitches might have been used from the Partch 43-tone scale on his bass marimba, I decided to just use eight notes of the C-Major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C) starting with Harry's lowest note which is Bass C (notated as C2 which is 65.4Hz). Furthermore, instead of straight resonators (requiring the performer to stand on a riser), I decided to miter (change the tube's direction) my resonator so the instrument could be played while standing on the ground
The photo below is the result of my very first bass marimba construction in 1973.
