Hello Virgonomics, thanks for this message. The answer to a question like this could be book-length, but let's see if I can be brief. Yes, there are systems for establishing tone hole locations and sizes for tuning tubular winds. They depend much on the excitation method, e.g. flute or reed, but beyond the mouthpiece, especially for cylindrical tubes, they can be fairly dependable and predictable. The approach can be mathematical -- like plugging in numbers -- but there also are templates or charts which can be used for standardized tube dimensions. These things can be found online. BUT (getting to the main point now) for membrane reeds all bets are off. The excitation method in this case majorly influences the outcome, and the effects of the membrane are just too irregular variable inconsistent etc., even from moment to moment on the same instrument. So it turns out that with membrane reeds, in most cases, you'll be better off proceeding by trial and error + informed guesswork than trying to be accurately predictive. Then you can cultivate the skill of keeping steady pitch and doing your best for true intonation while playing. A couple of general notes on the most basic level: the closer the hole to the mouthpiece, the higher the pitch. The larger the hole and the more nearby holes below the higher the pitch. Prototyping is always helpful, so if you use an inexpensive material for modelling you can make subsequent iterations with improved results, learning as you go. Also, you asked about material and texture. Looking at tubular wind instruments in general (disregarding for the moment the typical pitch irregularity of membrane reeds), we find that if the material is reasonably hard, rigid and reflective, then yes, you're right, it's more about hole sizing and spacing. With flimsier materials or material with heavy damping, the picture changes a bit.

Hello Oldage, thanks for this comment. You can adjust the clusters to have different relative string lengths. You can find an article discussing the ins and outs of this question here: barthopkin.com/conjoined-string-systems/

On this instrument there are eight separate 3-string clusters. You can find an article talking about the possibilities for more connected strings (and other related topics) here: barthopkin.com/conjoined-string-systems/

@@bhpkn thank you! I will definitely learn more about it🙏 great job!

Also, do you have any full tracks using the 2+1? its really beautiful sounding

Hello hairyballbastic, thanks for this comment. With regard to books, I've done quite a few books on making instruments of different types, although they're mostly out of print. For what it's worth, you can see them here: barthopkin.com/books-cds/. Regarding full tracks using 2+2+1, I think I do have a nice one on my hard drive here. If you're interested, send me your email via the contact page on my website at barthopkin.com/, and I'll forward you an mp3. I'm glad you like that instrument; I love the richness of the sound, but because it's not showy or far out it doesn't get as much attention as some of the others.

@@bhpkn Thank you so much! Will send that email, I really appreciate it man. I think its mechanical nature is quite showy in and of itself, though I get what you mean

Hello Testgeraeusch, thanks for this comment. It makes sense that this reminds you of the clock chimes. A chime and a string have similar envelopes (sharp attack, gradual decay), but they are different in their overtone recipes: traditional strings have strong harmonic overtones; clock chimes have strong inharmonic overtones. But in these clusters the overtones are inharmonic, which makes it natural for the ear to think of chimes. There are several ways you can detune the harmonic overtones in strings to make them inharmonic, the simplest being to attach a small weight on the string somewhere, and they all have that chime-like quality.

@@bhpkn That's a really neat trick. Thanks :D

AI art is the opposite of creativity

You can get yourself a software synthesizer (like Pigments) and play around with it to come up with something creepy sounding. If you are broke there are ways to get them without money, but they are worth the money. It will take you a lot longer but it's a very rewarding process.

Hello Combinia, thanks for this comment, I'm flattered. Before giving permission, I'd want to know more about your project. If you're still thinking about this, please email me through the contact page on may website at www.barthopkin.com.

@@bhpkn awsome! <3

@@jevinday I understand what you say and kind of agree, but if a human beeing is still the one who has to come up with ideas for prompts it's not 100% A.I the ideas are still mine and of course i will make all the imagies i can myself, the biggest part of the whole thing but I can not afford expensive special effects like they use in hollywood, so the A.I helps me to generate pictures like : " make a tyrannosaurus and a pterodactylus hybrid come out of a time travel portal from another dimension"

Exactly!

Good observation, Claudecharles! I hadn't thought of it before you mentioned it, but indeed, the mechanics of spools & wheels is very similar to that of the intonarumori. (For anyone reading this that isn't familiar with this topic, look up Luigi Russolo.)

Here's something I made at one point with a different string configuration, perhaps similar to what you're thinking of, perhaps not: barthopkin.com/instrumentarium/trillium-harp/

@@bhpkn Exactly what I was thinking!

Can’t be residents this is enjoyable and fun