Left 1

 Fractal Harp Mark2

Prototype 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Left wide Right Full  
VidStill1

 

 Vidstill2  
Swiss Army Bass Egotar
     
Harp basics - original prototype
The Harp: The player’s right hand controls the pivoting slide/bridge while simultaneously picking, plucking and effecting pitch and modulation. The slide brings the harp's relative notes and scales through exponentially fluid chromatic increments. Additionally, a foot pedal acts independently on specific harp strings in order to bend/manipulate pitch and intervals in a way reminiscent of a pedal steel guitar. Single or two-handed play is possible and allow for the simultaneous playing of other instruments manipulation and effects.  

The range of expression possible when weighted with the simplicity of the design is noteworthy.

The harp uses standard electric guitar strings with a 14 inch wide custom built pickup mounted close to the upper (left) bridge.

http://www.helpinstill.com/   (pickup for Mark 2  prototype)

 

 Pitch for Fractal Harp
 		 Combo pedal for Fractal Harp Markii
I've modified cry baby pedal and combined It  with the  hardware for the pedal steel aspect of the fractal harp. Using a single pedal in this way allows for seamless transitions between the keyboard and guitar elements of the instrument w/o the clumsy task of switching pedals. The pedal also has a instep momentary push-switch that when depressed works through a custom Reaper action command  as a manual gate for vocal - to minimize unwanted noise an feedback. Having experimented  with conventional Keyboard  midi/cc control pedals for this task , it turns out that narrow throw of the pot   on the Cry baby is much more adept at the task of wha -thus it's been hardwired to a usb interface and controls -NI guitar rig -running inside DAW Reaper
 
Audiofront- MIDI Expression Quattro interface provides usb pedal functions- cc64 sustain and expression wha-wha control 
 
      Reaper:

Because of it flexibility and customization features, Reaper is the primary DAW. The ability to utilize reaper's learnable  "actions" custom commands  is crucial  to control the rig's many functions.  Reaper handles digital audio from the bass and harp as well as midi from the keyboard and trigger modules in the rig. Running Inside Reaper is NI Kontakt as the primary sound source for midi elements. The majority of patches, sample sounds I use, including drums are all my own custom patches and library set up in complex routings, key groups and spits specifically laid out for the harp. Many of the sounds and  patches I use now  have been migrated from samplers I developed my own libraries foe years back . One of my main keyboard (fake guitar)  sounds is a holdover from pre computer (sampler and synth days) is a dx7 Clavichord  put through distortion and wha wha as my signature Johnny Skilsaw "slide guitar" sound that's been adapted to Kontakt.

 		  
 
   
     
  Controls

An Ipad via wifi is used running  a program called Hexler Touch OSC for midi cc control as well as rudimentary mixing  and transport functions of  Reaper's settings.  I've developed a setup with basic DAW controls, program change by midi channel and a set of buttons  of mute toggles  and other that allow adding additional voices on top of the selected preset. This aspect of my rig has taken a lot of thought, time and effort to develop. 

Reaper "actions"  also enable utilization the  row of buttons for control  functions such as harp distortion/FX on off  as well as drums on off. The half rack unit below the right keyboard is an Alesis Trigger i/o - The unit is used to trigger velocity range (midi 0-127)reactive drum/percussion sounds in unison with notes played on the the harp.

  Main Reactor

My rack has become somewhat sparse..  Reaper seems to favor the PC platform so I use a powerful  AKY i7 with 32 gigs of ram as a computer.  I currently use a Focusrite  interface with independent systems of  gates, limiters and stompboxes  for the harp and bass and vocals. The rack also contains a few more Alesis I/o trigger interfaces (drum trigger interfaces) I've adopted to use for midi cc (sustain) and other reaper commands as well as additional midi triggers  from the harp/bass. 

 

  
 Drum triggers via string 

There are a series of piezo guitar saddle style transducers cable tied to harps lowest 12 strings/  This factor does not mute of effect  the sound of stings on the pickup side of the slide yet allows the transducers to generate  a surprisingly accurate pulse that feeds into the drum interface. This translates into playable drums and percussion. As an example , a note on a particular string  picked with a  velocity under 80 might sound a kick drum with a simultaneous ride cymbal. The same string picked hard might be snare drum at it's loudest together with a crash cymbal. The setups that I've developed in Kontakt  are an extremely  intricate network of poly/mono key groups complete with canceling snare ruffs and drags.  The setup also feeds a a similar layout of accompanying percussion sounds  mirrored from a separate midi channel.

an example in a performance situation here and here

The keyboard aspect of the instrument shares the same approach of velocity range generated drum & percussion that seamlessly integrates transitioning between the harp and keyboard.  This approach is and ever evolving and draws upon a disciplined musical playing technique & ability . It's done with  deliberate knowledge with certain mindset that "loops" are for little fucking pussies and being able to change tempo on the fly it the most basic aspect of musical expression most often robbed by  " technology"

 

Coming and going to the setup through a vacuum hose style cable manager are all the fun filled wires including Midi, USB, AC & line level audio.

 
 
  http://www.helpinstill.com/