Flexiphone Keyboard Build [Part 2/2] - Bell Carriage

Above all else, this is an elaborate proof of concept. Bells are rich with harmonics, so playing anything more than a couple notes brings out a pretty shrill sound. I really just wanted to show that you could make a manual & analog transposing instrument and I think I was successful.
I really want to make multiple carriages with different sets of chromatic pieces (these bells, chimes, tuning forks, a few other odds and ends that I've got laying around) but I didn't want to overload this video. I really just wanted to showcase that you could make interchangeable carriages that make this instrument pretty versatile.
As it stands, this carriage itself allows you to remove it and replace the bells with something else because of the t tracks. It also allows you to tweak the positioning of the bell bar's height/proximity to the hammers in case you ever need to go in and refine the feel of the instrument.
I learned a lot and I already have a ton of improvements for v2.0. For example, a lever mechanism to lift & shift the carriage rather than lift it up (by hand) and place it into position, a damper system connected to the chromatic set rather than part of the action, an alternating hammer configuration so you can spread out the chromatic pieces over a larger area (sort of how some celestas are laid out). But, for now, this works for me. The cabinet is beautiful, I got to practice some new woodworking techniques and it's a more than playable instrument.
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[@nashbridges2773]

these are the videos that people watch at 1 in the morning, half asleep

[@Amelia0dacutiegirl]

nash bridges I'm waitching this at 5 am, half asleep. 5 am in my 1 am. I agree. Greatly.

[@bengregory9267]

1:42 and completely half asleep

[@ellis3349]

nash bridges I’m watching and it’s 1:35 am😂😂😴😴

[@randomstranger7481]

2:23. thank you very much

[@littlelegorobot6646]

How tf do you know that

[@fnersch3367]

I really appreciate your wonderful woodworking techniques. I've been making musical instruments myself for over 50 years. I want to build a wheel harp but that will be a monster challenge. I bet you could build a fantastic one with all your skills. Thanks for sharing your adventure here.

[@LukeandHawtrey]

Shoot, primitive technology has come along way since I watched it last

[@unadomandaperte]

In years; I have not had the privilege the get blown away by a video like I saw this evening. This took a hell of a lot of laboring, imagination and heart to become what it has. Very much an inspiration.

[@AdelsonDePaulo]

I love the sound of the tools. No song playing. Amazing.

[@IIGrayfoxII]

7:55 the opening chime to "All I want for Christmas" popped into my head when hearing it

[@mspo_]

personally i think the bright sound is really cool and unique, and the craftsmanship is gorgeous per usual! Such a cool idea!

[@10MANOEL]

It sounds like when sonic loses him coins.

[@user-ox6oh2zv2s]

Well said

[@ZITOUNI32]

him coins hhhh

[@JonSpeedArts]

his rings*

[@arrivederciheheeeeee5809]

You uncluttered swine

[@ky-gp4sz]

RedKanto uncultured

[@zetacon4]

Excellent implementation of a fine idea. Now, to gain volume, a micro pickup could be positioned back of each bell. Then, the pickup signal can be amplified and sent to speakers. That would really complete your fine instrument. Your cabinet design is lovely.

[@nuberiffic]

A pickup for each bell seems a bit excessive. just mic it

[@zetacon4]

If you take a second, think of all the sounds you will amplify if you use an acoustic mic. You don't want to amplify the sound of the wooden keys and action mechanics. You only want to amplify, and possibly filter or modify the sounds being generated by the bells. That's why I recommended using special pickups for each bell.

[@nuberiffic]

I would want to pick up the sound of the wooden keys and action. You realise you can adjust mic settings and EQ right? That many pickups just seems like a massive fuck around

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

nuberiffic electric pianos let you hear the sound of the mallet, yet they use pickup.

[@nuberiffic]

....yes.... ...and?

[@giraffewithtattoos2770]

Great job! It really sounds like you're playing piano on a music box. Creative way to reuse old materials.

[@SSmith-fm9kg]

inside every brass bell lurks a silver bell waiting to get out. Great piece of work.

[@YouCrossedMyPath]

This is wonderful, it combines some of my favorite things, woodworking and instruments. A suggestion I have is putting some padding under the keys so you don't hear the tapping of the keys against the wood, otherwise this is perfect

[@arthursousasoares6933]

Josefa ARTHUR ARTHUR 9 Wilcken -

[@eugeniosolari]

absolutely!

[@JuniorR_1672]

I don't know why but I like watching videos like these

[@merchillio]

You made me spit my drink with your subtitles about brass bells. Awesome work!

[@MarlonBragaLeite]

This is an amazing job! WELL DONE! This is more than just workshop, but artistry! Congratulations!

[@Santiaghost.]

this channel is like how to basic but without the crazy hands

[@ephraimwarrior6766]

the worlds first MIDI Controller l0l this is sick! congrats nice build

[@Wizard-ol6vw]

Really like the addition of the detailed captions. Keep up the good work.

[@andrewbarrett1537]

Some Shoninger reed organs have a set of tuned saucer bells like this, known as the "cymbella" stop. I think they add a beautiful, otherworldly dimension to the already nice tone of their reed organs. Since too many reed organs are parted out or junked today, I hope readers can rescue a few, and NOT just to harvest the bells or turn them into a desk. I think they deserve to be restored as they were built, and there's nothing preventing anyone from playing music as contemporary as they want, on them.

[@xjohnjoe7219]

Imagine this being played middle of the night and you are home alone

[@bepsibev]

Imagine it being attached to a music box mechanism that plays it at random times

[@russellzauner]

@@bepsibev imagine leaving it hidden outside at the edge of your yard under a diffusing baffle somewhere so people can't tell where it's coming from #thankyoutubealgorithmforthiscommentonanoldcomment

[@no_peace]

I can't find even basic hardware for everyday projects so I'm astonished that he's been able to hold together the beautiful things he makes. I always get shut down by the stupid hardware

[@DidNotReadInstructions]

Time spent on this was incredible. Talk about chill life. Good job. I couldn't do it. Plus, the high frequency of this instrument wasn't pleasing to me, but mad skills!!!

[@abe_nuh]

10:47 captions: "I know they're brass bells, so sue me"

[@korumann]

I'm mad how long it took me to recognize silver bells, I knew it was a Christmas song, and I even remembered some of the lyrics, AND IT WAS PLAYED ON BELLS but it still took me forever to figure it out.

[@bepsibev]

You want that to last? Use cork on the bells to prevent denting and use felt to lower the noise on the hammer and a second row set of hammers that can be used to sustain the sound if a sustain pedal is added to it

[@fireringdeath]

i almost fell asleep due to how calming some of the noises are

[@TheNathannator]

This is a very good project. The bells are a little flat as far as I can tell (from A440 tuning), but they're all about the same, so it's not much of a problem.

[@davidezanatta9211]

Someone tag Martin Molin from Wintergatan! That’s beautiful to play live

[@TheDragonballboy]

I love the little christmassy feel they have to it.

[@shyamrastogi3479]

Perfectly done, sound can be more better if resonance stay more longer, smooth and micro tone perfectly match with c.

[@MsGibatur]

Hello, I'm Brazilian ... your work was wonderful. congratulations!!

[@user-ox6oh2zv2s]

Well said my man

[@matheussouza-me8tq]

Um lindo trabalho mesmo

[@nvlel]

You forgot too capitalize the C in congratulations. Anyway, nice English.✌️

[@Matweaver7]

"I know they're brass bells....so sue me" -- hahaha this is why I always watch videos with captions on.

[@drawingdownthestars]

Love this! Please do a follow up vid with different carriages, such a cool design.

[@bodzsartamas]

This is SO AWESOME!!!! I would consider putting some electronics to make the sound better, like in a Rhodes.

[@nuberiffic]

Putting in electronics completely defeats the purpose of an instrument like this

[@ceo4cet]

Beautiful Work my Friend. Thanks for sharing your craftsmanship!

[@stevenmayhew3944]

One thing that I observed overtime. No bell is perfect, and so there are slight flaws in them, causing them to create wavering notes. However, there is a way to adjust their positions to make clear notes. First of all, grab a teacup and flick a spot opposite of or perpendicular to the handle, and it will play a slightly lower note. Now, flick a spot 45 degrees from the spot which you had flicked previously, and it will make a slightly higher note. The reason is because the handle increases the inertia of the orthogonal antinodes of the teacup vs. the diagonal antinodes. Same with these bells. The thickness and the quality of the metal varies, and so each bell plays two slightly out-of-tune notes (eg high-C+.001% and high-C-.001%). So, just turn each bell until it plays only one of the two tones, and you get a fuller, richer, clearer sound (just like with hand bells).

[@MichaelHartleyBambooStudio]

Love the comments! and your woodwork teaching! The instrument would drive me crazy! Give it to the 5 year old daughter of my enemy!

[@KyAnnZorain]

So beautiful! Reminds me of my all time favorite music boxes. 😊

[@jamesrossi8442]

You got some mad skills. And I’m stressing making a wall clock from a kit!

[@arjunrajendran4826]

Woah that looks like a lot of work..! Really appreciate your effort and efficiency.

[@hugostiglitz6914]

To all the people who are very critical of this musical instrument, please upload the one you made that sounds right!

[@HockadayMath]

I’ve watched enough adult swim to know that when someone’s quiet for a long time, something weird is about to happen. I keep expecting the table to fall apart, or for a lost finger, something! That said, i’m glad he still has all his fingers

[@nocturnal7345]

I'm having a lot of Christmas vibes on this one. I want one for Christmas.

[@Propainus]

The world needs more people like you. Fantastic Job! I also like how the E sounds like a typewriter when it's time to move the slide back into position. made my day.

[@christianlopez552]

Wow sí que es increíble el trabajo y la dedicación que inviertes en tu canal de KZbin

[@christianlopez552]

Sigue así seguro que llegas lejos

[@pixelee3890]

This is such an adorable instrument

[@CharlieHooperWilliams]

After watching this, all of life is like this kind of explainer video

[@CharlieHooperWilliams]

And god, amazing woodworking / making skills. Well done!

[@travonace8675]

+Larkhall I think the proper term is craftsmanship.

[@rvpj]

I just don't understand how anybody would have enough patience to do this!

[@wagnerluis764]

fabulous part 2....👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Well done...👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@anshulsharma2503]

It's good but irritating also

[@mzx4166]

Yes, all that work and let down by the sound of it at the end. Needs extra work.

[@pathaze4299]

Has a very sharp tone ya, but I think it sounds cool. I give this guy some serious props cause he built his own instrument almost from scratch

[@morgannoodle9345]

Why it’s amazing

[@jafferyjaffery2982]

Tone has knocking sound there is no harmony , but craftsmanship excellence

[@alanm3438]

I saw this video a while back but I still love it now.

[@jvebarnes]

A masterful piece of craftsmanship, and a beautiful instrument. Someone mentioned the key noise when the keys are pressed . And I went back to part one to check and you do have dampeners on the key posts. I am wondering if it is because you have it on a flat wooden surface. Is that acting like a drum skin and enhancing the sound. If placed on a denser platform such as a slab of marble, or raised on rubber legs, using thicker softer dampeners would that deaden the key press sound.

[@rickb9238]

Beautiful craftsmanship.👍👍

[@michakalinowski9328]

It is really awesome what you have done! I can't believe that you are so talented... Congratulations!

[@daveprice5911]

god those bells sound magical

[@Yogi.........]

It's really "MEASURED" Work..🤩

[@pascalrichard2902]

Génial bravo. Merci pour la superbe vidéo également de grande qualité.

[@Tayhddhemm]

OMG!! I'm confused with these many tools!! Amazing!

[@MarcosThunder]

Well sir, this is beautiful, congratulations for the great work and video!

[@Joe_Yacketori]

I think it's hilarious that the first demo song was the wedding march with the abrupt ending - it's a really corny song, appropriate for a very interesting and eccentric instrument.

[@ra.aaynnnnn]

BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT FOR CHILDREN!! 🎹❤️❤️

[@SUPER_PROPER]

That was so satisfying to watch. What a great job! Thank you or this!

[@MilkyMoo808]

My man just invented an instrument All I can do is eat cereal without getting it on my chin.

[@CJWarlock]

The amount of precise hand work that went into making this video! Astonishing. :) Congratulations! Oh, and a pleasant to watch video it is. Thanks. :) I paste my comment from under another of your video but it's 100% sincere. :) I just have the same thing to say! :D Cheers.

[@daxshell242]

the engineer inside me is very impressed. the musician inside me wishes it was an octave lower.

[@thatelectropig8678]

This sounds pretty darn cool

[@iamaioshi]

sounds beautiful!!

[@a_tamayo_3427]

Sean Hogan oh look It’s you

[@adenmcdooflez]

Wait...

[@muniraju6695]

ಮಗ

[@वंटीवंटी]

@@prodbanjax र

[@777fiddlekrazy]

****awesome!***** Is there however, a way to go back in and felt dampen the key(plastic/ivory) attack? I HAD TO SUB!! I MYSELF LIVE ALSO BUILDING INSTRUMENTS ESPECIALLY ONES NOT DEPENDENT ON ELECTRICITY. (in case SHTF). LOL I STILL ADD THINGS LIKE PIEZO ETC. BUT TO FUNCTION THE INSTRUMENTS WITHOUT NEEDING ELECTRICITY IS, TODAY, A MUCH NEEDED THING. AWESOME CRAFT YOU DO! LOVE IT!!! And... Thanks for Sharing!!!

[@lordvinheteirojr]

The piano bell carriage is a musical instrument of my childhood in 2011

[@sawdustbob.thestatesmen3656]

Boy oh boy, did that make me feel good watching you work, made me want to do it again. Great hands. Like the way you set it up to trans-pose. Hope to see more of your work. Web site?

[@willand5260]

Sin palabras...Simplemente HERMOSO.!! EXCELENTE TRABAJO

[@Infusefps]

Video needs alot of attention

[@gustavgnoettgen]

Literally transponing dat b* Nice thing! Not really my favorite sound, but building this looks awesome!

[@realflow100]

add a small glued/taped foam to each key where it hits the bells so that you only hear the sound of the bell and not the key hitting the bell do that for all of the keys and try different thickness of foams/cushions until its perfect

[@brathajoe1]

I like it. It would be neat to see this turn into an electric piano or something other than bells. With that kind of keybed it would be cool to see maybe a midi Controller too. Just my thoughts.

[@wireworks616]

What a great job. Sounds great.

[@lenisrousaruisteein8844]

Eres un maestro no hay otra palabra te felicito

[@sherwyntan6095]

No wanas anderstandas yu

[@lemonderangello]

fine work!!!! I think it would sound fantastic if the bells were bigger and played an octave lower. it would be more usable imho.

[@Retromania-zq8se]

Nice. I kinda like that this thing has dampers.

[@anastasiocatalan416]

I love your work is inspiring. How can I order one of your instruments?

[@sagemorris5632]

This thing has a nice ring to it

[@maximillianomartinez]

Oh that's just charming, Excellent Work !

[@Whitepaint]

Once your shine up your bells, you should seal them with a spray seal, so that they do not tarnish.

[@katoooq1]

Before you showed the bells I was thinking GLASS like Franklin's Glassarmonica have it spin and have the glass spin in a bed of water and the keys can vibrate the glass while it dspins.

Just wondering how it sounds with a guitar/rhodes pickups

[@franzotto448]

das ist wie " Die Sendung mit der Maus ", sogar das Klappern und das Klingeln passen dazu this is like "the broadcast with the mouse", even the clatter and the ringing fit

[@jessebondmusic]

was psyched until "bells," but truly beautiful work... would love to see this idea applied to a standard piano with more transpose range... maybe take an 88 key piano and reduce it to 61-73 keys with the whole action on a bed that slides left and right, could be awesome

[@andrewbarrett1537]

The James & Holmstrom piano co., in addition to making standard pianos, also built a limited number of transposing uprights which were extra wide and had a handle that would shift the keyboard a number of half steps each direction. Once in a while, one turns up on Craigslist and usually needs saving from the dump. The pianos themselves are medium grade uprights, nothing bad about them. Totally worth getting, and if you have this user's woodworking skills plus Art Reblitz's book "Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding", plus advice from a seasoned piano professional about pinblock replacement, soundboard recrowning, etc, you could restore it yourself.

[@jessebondmusic]

that is awesome--thanks so much for the information!

[@indira-plays8583]

Epic handmade!

[@no_peace]

It hurts my ears but it's wonderful

[@AndyBigDaddyWilkinson]

genius at work....wow.....impressive

[@kazhilly]

What a fantastic idea, Lovely!!

[@sain2472]

that's sum piece of art

[@Nick-sd9wp]

It turned out well

[@monoseq9797]

you've got such a wonderful gift!

[@armstronglance]

We’re the bells from a drummers bell tree set? Cool transpose idea!

[@duck0star]

I was wondering. Why are you using metal drill bits on wood? Since woodworking drills get a better result on the wood itself

[@nostgeoffhi-fi]

I found a tossed digital upright piano. If I chop the keyboard down to only 37 or so keys, could I keep what remains to use as a portable (couchable) digital keyboard?? Or will messing with the keys affect the circuitry? My theory is that the missing piano keys simply wont register on the circuit board since there is nothing to make the sound, and hopefully the rest of the keyboard will still be playable. I would like to salvage this thing, but also make it smaller. Thank you..

[@venkatbalaji8416]

Very good instrument.

[@vipinningthouja5083]

Breathtaking