“SensErhu” – UBC Capstone Project 2019/2020
Cindy is particularly interested in exploring with the acoustic sounds of the “two-string Chinese fiddle” (Erhu) because it is the instrument most closely associated with the human voice! The Erhu can mimic the human voice, horse neighing and even whining! The instrument has a very special timbre relating to a sorrowful emotion.
Cindy attached touch sensors on the neck of the Erhu, generating data to have more control of the overall musical experience. The data is taken into Max/MSP for various sound processing effects.
One of the difficulties of making an Erhu would be to find an eco-friendly fabric replacement for the python skin membrane on the sound box. The instrument depends on the vibration of the membrane to generate its unique sound timbre.
For this capstone project, Cindy used
3D Printing Technology to build the soundbox.
(front view)
As a reference for the capstone project, Cindy took measurements from a real wooden Erhu soundbox to assist with the 3D print.
These are pictures of a wooden Erhu soundbox that is hexagonal shaped.
For simplicity and for durability of the plastic, the 3D printed version is simplified to a cylinder.
(back view)
Cindy visited the Museum of Anthropology at UBC
to research about the “Banhu” for a physics of music project
