Bass of the Week: The Swedish Harp Bass
From the mind of Joel Illerhag comes one of the most incredible, dreamlike instruments I’ve ever seen. The Swedish Harp Bass is a double bass fitted with a 3D-printed carbon fiber structure to add 39 sympathetic strings and electromagnets that help to make the strings sound.
“The aim of this project is to produce acoustic sound from a musical instrument without loudspeakers using electromagnets,” Illerhag shares on the Swedish Bass Harp website. “The electromagnets can be controlled externally via audio, midi and motion sensors.”
Hearing is believing, so just watch this video of Illerhag talking about the design and demoing its uses:
Illerhag details all the steps in the creation process, so if you’re interested in more be sure to visit the Swedish Harp Bass website.
Swedish Harp Bass Features:
| Double Bass with Carbon Fiber Structure |
| 39 Sympathetic Strings |
| Electromagnets Controllable by Computer |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
