Using unusual elements to create music is nothing new to creative people. The invention of the musical saw is a great example of this type of inventiveness. Here are some interesting facts about the musical saw and how it’s used in different types of music.
The musical saw is a real saw, which many people are surprised to learn. The musical saw is typically a hand saw that can be found in hardware stores all over the world, and it is accompanied by a violin bow and, on occasion, a mallet. When paired with the bow, this simple saw for sawing through small sections of wood is often considered part of the idiophone family. The musical notes produced when the blade and the mallet make contact as the bow moves across the blade are used to classify the blade.
While traditional singing saws have been plain old handsaws, today’s musical saw can also be a handsaw specifically designed for the purpose. Musical saws designed specifically for this purpose usually have a longer blade, allowing for a wider range of notes. Instead of being a separate piece, they may include a small mallet attached to the top section of the unit. The blade may also be made of a thinner metal than that used in traditional musical saws, resulting in a mellow tone that is difficult to achieve with traditional musical saws.
When striking the blade with the mallet or running the violin bow across the smooth edge of the blade to change the pitch on a musical saw, the blade bends slightly. The pitch and tone of the note produced are determined by where the bow or mallet is placed on the blade’s surface, just like on a stringed instrument. People who know how to play the musical saw can easily produce a wide range of notes, allowing them to use the saw as a substitute for a guitar, banjo, or piano.
The musical saw is used in a variety of styles of music. The musical saw is well-known among bluegrass and folk musicians. In concerts and recording sessions, traditional country and western music has been known to include the use of the musical saw. There is some evidence that the musical saw is making inroads into more contemporary music genres such as modern country, hip hop, and pop music.