Harpejji
Encyclopedia
The harpejji is an electric stringed musical instrument developed in 2007 by Tim Meeks, founder of Marcodi Musical Products, and is a descendant of the StarrBoard
. The instrument aims to bridge the gap in sound and technique between the guitar and the piano. The playing surface has an isomorphic keyboard
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. The first harpejji model, the 24 string d1, was produced from January 2008 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. All harpejjis use an electronic muting system to dampen unfretted strings and minimize the impact of sympathetic vibrations.
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 and 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 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.
for the soundtrack to the God of War III
video game. Rudess also has included the Harpejji as another instrument on Dream Theater
, who already has 2 keyboards, a lap steel guitar and a continuum. In 2011, film composer A. R. Rahman
took up the harpejji and used it to record Academy Award nominated song "If I Rise
" with Dido
.
StarrBoard
The StarrBoard is a stringed musical instrument invented by John D. Starrett and patented on July 23, 1985.It is a tapping instrument similar in concept to the Chapman Stick except that it is played on a stand rather than worn on the body. Another difference is that it is played with fingers...
. The instrument aims to bridge the gap in sound and technique between the guitar and the piano. The playing surface has an isomorphic keyboard
Isomorphic keyboard
An isomorphic keyboard is a musical input device consisting of a two-dimensional array of note-controlling elements on which any given sequence and/or combination of musical intervals has the “same shape” on the keyboard wherever it occurs – within a key, across keys, across octaves, and across...
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. The first harpejji model, the 24 string d1, was produced from January 2008 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. All harpejjis use an electronic muting system to dampen unfretted strings and minimize the impact of sympathetic vibrations.
Technique
It is primarily played with a two handed tappingTapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
technique. It differs from other tapping instruments, such as the Chapman Stick
Chapman Stick
The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass lines, melody lines, chords or textures...
, by way of the orientation of the instrument to the player. The instrument rests on a stand like a keyboard and 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 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
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
has been established for the harpejji.
Harpejji Players and Recordings
Jim Daneker was an early adopter of the harpejji and was among the first to appear with the instrument in public. The first commercial harpejji recording was made by Jordan RudessJordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
for the soundtrack to the God of War III
God of War III
God of War III is an action-adventure video game released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010...
video game. Rudess also has included the Harpejji as another instrument on Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, who already has 2 keyboards, a lap steel guitar and a continuum. In 2011, film composer A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
took up the harpejji and used it to record Academy Award nominated song "If I Rise
If I Rise
"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" with Dido
Dido (singer)
Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong , known as Dido, is an English singer-songwriter.Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel...
.