A Sympathetic Nail Violin?

[@WatchMeSayStuff]

500 years from now students will learn about this instrument in a middle school music class and invariably one child will always raise their hand to ask why the base of the instrument is called the "footrest."

[@thereinthedeep]

Why is it called a footrest?

[@thegreatwebstar]

And they will also consider why he "din't" use his nails on the nails ... nailed it

[@Nishye501]

I would ask “where the hello can I get one”

[@starbournehero771]

Get it at your local hardware store... duh!

[@bradhoward9701]

@@starbournehero771 *some assembly required.

[@cherryrozeartz1232]

You really nailed that instrument

[@bread9276]

E

[@mothersgauri4137]

😂🤣😂😂😂

[@soyocanin]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@DonylynKnives]

"I really don't want to practice this a lot to be able to play this." - Me about any instrument I've ever wished I could play.

[@NicolasBras]

That's why I build only instrument I can play quick!

[@Hayes1411]

I would love to have time an money to do this. Need help?

[@John3_17-21]

40 hour a day minimum of practice

[@sonycatr]

Just sample it, and play it digitally

[@user-ei5kt7in3k]

As a violinist, watching that bow go across the nails makes me crying in an unimaginable way. But he put alot if work into that and it sounds cool!

[@NicolasBras]

I use bows that a music store gave me, they were no longer good for playing the violin, so no regrets!

[@kittywrath6121]

@@NicolasBras oh thank goodness

[@and7barton]

I prefer to say "Cringe" !

[@socialxperiment3162]

I like how most of the instruments you make end up sounding awkward on their own but when you layer them in a song you make each one sound amazing. A truly unique talent!

[@NicolasBras]

Thank you!

[@QWeirdness]

Nicolas - you, uh, nailed it!

[@jonrau5988]

I've been playing the saw for 50 years. Now I can also play nails! YES 👍

[@cw4608]

Too bad the group Carpenters was already taken.

[@aaronazagoth6373]

I wonder if brass nails would sound warmer. Or maybe if you polished the nails to a fine mirror polish with a polishing wheel and some polishing compound. You never know!

[@ulrichkalber9039]

imagine the wheel of a hurdy-gurdy rotating, and an arangement moving nails against it. if you have a melody of nails on a second wheel you might also build a device that plays a melody by turning the second wheel against the first.

[@klaasbil8459]

Can be done with a single wheel. You could have a melody 'nailed' on a wheel, and rotate the wheel so that the nails rub against a stationary bow that this brings the nails in vibration one by one.

[@ulrichkalber9039]

@@klaasbil8459 yes, but the idea of a rotating wheel is long notes played, not just short notes. nails that rub against a stationary bow are a nice idea, imagine you create a doorbell that plays a short melody, whenever somebody opens the door.

[@klaasbil8459]

@@ulrichkalber9039 But then you would have to vary the speed of the wheel with nails, which makes it complicated. With the single wheel, long notes could also be done by repeating the same note so that one takes over from the other. Or alternatively by inserting rests, as the nails will have some sustain anyway. The doorbell would be a nice idea for a weird music shop entry door.

[@centraldivisionseniorsband1013]

Maybe you could add extra nails for the longer notes that are all tuned to exactly the same pitch.

[@scruffmaster0185]

Interesting idea. Having just recently (about a month ago) learned what a hurdy-gurdy is, I would be interested to see this happen 🤔

[@UncleRedd87]

he could do an entire Legend of Zelda soundtrack with this instrument

[@jeremysmith9291]

Yeah definitely getting some hardcore wind waker vibes. That or like an old cartoon such as the raining scene in bambi.

[@NicolasBras]

Could be fun!

[@tinamelton7175]

Soundboard for any kind of background music from Starships to ancient tribes. You could do a lot with that instrument and fantasy music.

[@timothyjenkins9247]

The bow on the strings sounds exactly like some of the music in Red Dead Redemption 2

[@BrushesOfMagic]

I thought that too!!! Lol

[@PaulFisher]

The instrument is cool and I really appreciate how you edited the construction to match the beat of the background music.

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@dliessmgg]

Tbh playing it with fingers on the nailheads looks to me like a more intuitive & natural way to play this than with a bow. Maybe you could try making a layout of nails that is centered around that, so you can play it sort of like a piano?

[@NicolasBras]

Yes I could! But for this one I focused more on the bowed playing

[@roymakesmusic]

Basically a kalimba at that point haha

[@txikitofandango]

I wonder how it would sound with a bass bow and bass rosin. Nails probably need more grab to get the lower frequencies. Just a guess

[@NicolasBras]

The sound I play are the fundamental frequency of each nail, but for the lowest ones could be better with a bass bow! I only have violin and cello bows at home for now, I'll have to equip myself!

[@pete_nana]

@@NicolasBras Curious about how this would sound with the standard nails swapped out for different metal such as brass rods.

[@brionfranks478]

yeah, stickier rosin and file or sand the nails length wise to put tiny grooves in them to catch the hair on the bow better

[@BestKCL]

I’m sure Inon Zur would love to use this in his compositions for Elder Scrolls 6, it honestly totally fits his music-making tastes, i.e his love of non-traditionally using instruments, such as bowing a guitar for example.

[@thePGraph]

An awesome folk instrument with rich possibilities! My great respect and best wishes!

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@benji.B-side]

So versatile, so many ways it could be played, even as a sort of drum to tap on. So much possibility of making creative, beautiful music.

[@spustatu]

This is my first time hearing a nail violin. I like how the bowing of the nails produces a flute-like sound. Very interesting!

[@Linus-nq2op]

The german translation of the video title says "a violin out of likeable nails", idk if that is correct lol

[@sebastianzaczek]

Yeah the problem with words with multiple translations haha

[@Linus-nq2op]

@@sebastianzaczek I guess they thought "sympathetic" means "sympatisch" because they are so similar

[@Angelopisci]

Same with portuguese lol

[@NicolasBras]

Google translate, sorry!

@@NicolasBras Sans doute déjà trop souvent posée, mais pas trouvé de réponse : quelle est cette application pour l'accordage ? Merci pour les vidéos.

[@64t120r]

Make your bridge curved. Make the neck longer and more narrow. You may also make it curved. That's so you can run the bow between the bridge and pegs while hitting one string at a time. It will be faster and easier transitions between notes.

[@niemand262]

What a great little instrument for animations. The sounds are so familiar but so foreign.

[@fCauneau]

Splendide résultat ! Avec l'avènement des synthétiseurs, on aurait pu croire que l'on ferait le tour de l'acoustique musicale, mais vous démontrez fort heureusement que non ! Au-delà du musicien talentueux et inventif, on sent la maîtrise de tous les corps de métiers. Ici l'art de retrouver le centre d'un cylindre, ou de diviser régulièrement le quadrant, tout ça à la règle et au compas inspire le respect !!

[@livu69]

The edit on these videos is amazing. This instruments are amazing. Damn! even this guy is amazin, he has a particular charm that makes you want more videos with him making and playing those weird instruments!

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks a lot!

[@flutechannel]

Ling Ling would be proud!

[@elliotmadethis]

crimge

[@nukebuster]

cribge

[@mysigt_]

Craig

[@jblakeplays2541]

You have to practice at least 40 hours a day on it to get good on it though

[@davidparker8978]

Ge

[@ralizek497]

That thing is amazing, it reminds me of the stuff sound engineers build for movies to get some new sound. It made me think of the old 70's and 80's cartoons when you were plucking both sides of nails

[@mutably]

C'est bluffant, j'aurais jamais cru qu'un truc pareil était possible!

[@MikMech]

This is Nail Biting! I think you nailed it...

[@jboz780]

This guy is the most creative and interesting dude on KZbin. You Rock! Very inspiring! Thanks for the vids.

[@oletrenner]

Your videos always make me smile. Wonderful, thank you!

[@chaosgremlin]

Wood worker and musician? Never thought that would work together so well

[@enderlord5412]

It sounds really nice. Can't wait to hear a full song on it

[@joeemenaker]

Back in the medieval times, you would have been the king's personal instrument inventor.

[@VS-zi9dp]

Merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo et pour tout ce que tu fais Bravo Tu es un véritable génie

[@NicolasBras]

grand merci!

[@StrickenGhoul]

I feel like such a new and unique instrument needs a bow designed just to play it. Really cool.

[@yuss-robertojoseph2037]

Salut Nicolas, voilà, c'est un peu Ça le futur. Génial comme d'habitude. Don't stop . Yuss

[@NicolasBras]

Hello Yuss, merci! Passe à la maison, ça me ferait tellement plaisir!

[@shinigami1315]

Why is this the coolest thing I've ever seen

[@aniquinstark4347]

This is ridiculously interesting. I love anything to do with sympathetic strings or in this case, sympathetic nails. I've always wanted a banjo with sympathetic strings inside the drum head so it would have an Indian sitar sorta tone.

[@NicolasBras]

Everything is better with sympathetic strings!

[@ezrafouts1842]

The editing is great!

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@noamtsvi]

This is so cool!! I never would have guessed that nails could sound like that!!

[@h2o1969]

That sounds way better than I expected.

[@leihmoon555]

C'est vraiment impressionnant ce travail ! Bravo !!

[@NicolasBras]

Un grand merci !

[@leihmoon555]

Mais de rien !

[@Damsel_In_Distress_528]

Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I love this video. You are a nerd and I love that. 【Side note】 : I also like your voice.

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@Alexander.Shipkov]

A brilliant idea ! The author is a real fanatic of music and musical instruments, as well as a genius of invention. Thank you for the magical ideas and wonderful videos !

[@keeponpainting]

It has a lovely tone .

[@ComplexVariables]

It’s sound is beautiful with a dash of magical

[@PedroCarneiroJr1971]

This is really something new! Congratulations!!!

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@saleh_beats]

You are a true artist my friend

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@erikhiser6600]

Nice work. Looks like it was a fun build. This is a first cousin to the Waterphone. If you are thinking of playing with the design a bit more, you could follow that lead and aim to refine it for resonance and not necessarily overall tuning.

[@kahiliband4442]

double bow sounded amazing! super RAD!!!!

[@godzilla7382]

if you were to incorporate some of the automaton violin tech into this device like the spinning bow cylinder (infinite draw) and implement one of them per nail note you could in theory rig them on a travel system like a hinge with a travel stop and a string to pull the sleeved shaft of the rotating drum and have those strings attached to a keyboard type system to effectively adapt this to a very usable instrument.

[@prns1]

Nail violin.. I can't believe.. Where is the limit of imagination... Your work of art will change the mind of the people who will change the world...

[@hlommersottana9236]

I love this channel. I love unconventional instruments.

[@shanebeaudrot777]

Well, you nailed it!

[@Parmesana]

this is SO cool. I have recently moved..but if I were at the old house..I WOULD be in the shop trying to make one. Maybe in the future. I love making music from non-ordinary things

[@warren8344]

Nicolas, I love your videos just keep making them ! In an idle moment in my workshop I had a go at building one of your pipe instruments, I've got to say it was a lot of fun and very satisfying.

[@guitfidle]

Nice!! I like how the stringed part works like a psaltrey. I actually made a few years ago with long thin rods. The root notes are too low to hear, but the overtones are amazing!! I mounted a piezo pickup to it, and it sounds wild through my collection of guitar pedals. Incidentally, I found steel wire (I used baling wire) worked better than nails for me- I could chuck the wire in my cordless drill and use the drill to drive the wires in to the wood.

[@NicolasBras]

You have to send me video!

[@guitfidle]

@@NicolasBras I need to make a video 😁 I have a KZbin page, Instagram and Facebook, and I never post videos of my stuff- not really sure why not....

[@MrBsUkuleleChannel]

A really interesting video, seeing how you took a simple concept and made a really complex instrument at the end - it really sounded great. I loved the part towards the end when you played it with two hands without the bow.

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@donbrooks8479]

I so love your creativity and thank you for sharing your amazing instruments.

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@funwithmadness]

I like it! I might try a similar experiment. The sympathetic nails definitely help give it a fuller sound. I'd be tempted to go over each nail with a high grit sand paper, maybe 320-400 range, to give the surface a little more tooth. Not so much that you end up with gouges, but just to the shine off of them. You could run into issue of rusting with that idea, but the rosin might minimize that.

[@NicolasBras]

I'm experimenting those days, I'll try sanding, I know rusty nails are not so good

[@movingparticle3835]

Nice build! An idea: you could try buckled springs to put on the nails and make them easily tunable. Like in a Fender Rhodes.

[@pattyluss]

So cool! Great build!

[@janebundy6480]

absolutely beautiful and creative!

[@fnersch3367]

Neat idea. I plan to build a 4 octave version laid out in a linear chromatic fashion to play classical music on. There have been kalimbas made like this and are wonderful instruments to play on (and easy).

[@irishaquarist]

This has so many applications for soundtracks and effects for movies and games. The opportunities are endless.

[@NicolasBras]

Right!

[@frankH117]

you did it again! so nice that you took time to explain us how that works. this violin has a really good sound, hope you make good music with it.

[@NicolasBras]

I will!

[@zakaria1514z]

Vous m'avez... Cloué! Great job

[@cristianoibaportoalegre5026]

a cada instrumento fico mais fascinado, eu vi as flautas adorei o projeto parabens

[@flautalee3090]

So glad to meet you through KZbin. I’m thinking of Harry Partch’s instruments and music and Jelle Hogenhuis flutes right now - I hope you knew Jelle - great flutist and flute maker - nice guy.

[@EpIcHoBoGuY]

i love the sound, it reminds me of the whistler used to call songbird in bioshock

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

Bloody genius!! Music with Aquaman!

[@User-wq9ri]

That's super cool. I like all the instruments you make. Very interesting.

[@NicolasBras]

Thank you very much!

[@VondaInWonderland]

Your video was so refreshing. I'm absolutely in awe ♥

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@williamsilva5024]

Wow qué ingenioso hermano, es asombroso lograr que algo tan complejo como la música tan sólo requeriría de materiales ordinarios y mucha creatividad, increíble. Congratulations bro.

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@nigelm.steele9329]

This is a great instrument to create incidental music or effects for video and film, even plays and theatre

[@casperbjerkehagen9386]

Some notes are really asmr inducing, would wanna hear a long soundtrack with the gentle playing (:

[@abwolf2975]

You do such wonderful projects

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@DeadXDove]

When will TwoSetViolin take a look at this thing ...?

[@BanjoBasement]

I really enjoy your incredible musicianship, your inspirational instruments and craftsmanship, and also your brilliant video editing. Is there anything you are not good at? So grateful - many thanks!

[@rbeehner2]

You really nailed that chordophone!

[@woodstoney]

A most interesting sounding instrument. I like it! In for a Penny, an allusion to the United States measurement describing the length of a nail is designated by its penny size. Nice creative work!

[@NicolasBras]

Thank you!

[@PaintByMonster]

I just found you today and I love what you are doing. Great video. I think I will steal from you. I think I must steal from you. My gosh, GREAT WORK!!!

[@NicolasBras]

No stealing, only inspiration!

[@MiskyWilkshake]

I wonder if aligning sympathetic nails according to the overtone series of the played nail's fundemental might give a richer timbre?

[@BarryMikokinju]

Absolutely amazing! Glad I dug into your uploads

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@bighominid]

I have only begun watching your videos, but I think that, if you really have a love of constructing such esoteric instruments, it would be nice to see you working with the likes of Hans Zimmer. Zimmer has talked about how he basically had to invent instruments in creating the otherworldly score for _Dune,_ and I think he would deeply appreciate your inventiveness. Bravo!

[@jkbarz841]

You are brilliant I love any music instrument even I don't how to play.

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@lionelyork4960]

J'en rêvais, vous l'avez fait ! ;0) Vous êtes le Marc Rebillet de la boîte à clous 🍾🎉🔥🔥🔥

[@laurawalker546]

Very clever and creative ❤

[@daphneraven9439]

Tyvk, Nicholas! This is fascinating, and answered a lot of questions! Of course, I have subscribed, and can hardly wait to treat myself to another of your videos!

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@OfficialRainsynth]

You may have made a lot of custom instruments, but you nailed this one.

[@codascheuer8426]

I never considered that you could bow a nail, but seeing as you can bow a vibraphone or a waterphone, it makes total sense that nails can be bowed too!

[@antonia4722]

Ive just found you and have watched several of your videos. Ive come to the unavoidable conclusion that you are mad. Utterly, beautifully, fantastically, incredibly, gorgeously mad! So glad that I bumped into you whilst navigating a KZbin rabbit hole! :o) xx

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks a lot!

[@JoshuaMolotov]

This is really incredible man, I enjoy all your videos! I am a professional violinist, and also into music production and building stuff. I am going to try and make my own version of this instrument you built and make music with it. Thanks a lot for this awesome inspiration!

[@NicolasBras]

Awesome, thank you! Send me videos!

[@ivanmarkulak2903]

i love u broo!Do not give up.U are my inspiration for homemade staf.......

[@rowanwills9698]

I wonder if you could make an instrument based on this principle that has a number of bows held in fixed position on the outside of circles of those nails that rotate with each nail tuned so that as the circle turns it plays a tune, by adding more cirlces you could have more layers to the tune. On a side note you may find you get more tuning stability by adding some epoxy at the base of the nail, or ideally where it pokes out the other side if at all possible.

[@NicolasBras]

that could work!

[@loganquin4919]

wow. this is genuinely awesome

[@icebluscorpion]

freaking awesome, I heard about this nails in this video. the tuning is a bit inpracticable but still fucking awesome 😍

[@michaelsorensen7567]

I mean, steel drums tuning is impractical too, and when you play it you're constantly knocking it out of tune. And people still love that instrument. 🤷‍♂️

[@erict2899]

Sounds a little like a daxophone. Great video!

[@NicolasBras]

Thanks!

[@AnnSnowfrost]

Beautiful sounds!

[@Julia-qf8eh]

Amazing work and instrument. I enjoyed your video.

[@NROS2012]

You have recreated the sound of a Bowed Sultry! Nice.

[@paulosouza-iluminador]

Fantastic, I loved this instrumento!

[@NicolasBras]

Glad you like it!