TECHNOLOGY - HARMOS GUITARS

INSTRUMENT BODY AND THE HARMOS SOUND

Solid body instruments (of either wood or aluminum) typically have fundamental natural frequencies starting below 200 cycles/second (Hz). Although there are many natural frequencies in an instrument body, the low frequency modes attenuate or absorb higher fundamentals and harmonics. In addition, low natural frequency modes are the cause of dead spots in the instrument, and may distort the fundamental by splitting it into tones slightly above and below it's natural tone.

By comparison, for an instrument body with natural frequencies over 800 Hz (see figure 2), the fundamental tones and low harmonics are on the unity side of the resonance curve. This provides support for the fundamental and it's overtones. In addition, splitting of the fundamental does not occur and dead spots are minimized or eliminated.

Due to it's lightweight carbon fiber construction and stiff space frame design, the Harmos guitar is the ONLY guitar that has fundamental natural frequencies calculated above 800 Hz.

The unique timbre of the Harmos instrument comes from the volume of space defined by the structure, and the geometry of it's construction.

Listen to the Harmos guitar- it provides clear fundamental pitch
support with sweet harmonics and excellent tonal balance.


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CARBON FIBER SPACE FRAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS	Harmos Music, Ltd. 1950 Crestview Circle Excelsior MN 55331 info@harmosmusic.com 612-382-5393 orders 702 995-8908 fax	US Patent 6,787,688 ©2006 Harmos Music, Ltd. All rights reserved Developers and Designers of Harmos MATRAX^tm Electric Guitars and Harmos Steel Guitars site design & hosting 4insight.com

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TECHNOLOGY - HARMOS GUITARS
Space Frame Technology	SPACE FRAME TECHNOLOGY
	The carbon fiber space frame is the heart of the Harmos instrument. The frame struts geometricaly intertwine tetrahedra and octahedra together. This design pattern, called the Octet Truss, was developed independently by R. Buckminster Fuller (with Kenneth Snelson) and Alexander Graham Bell . As a musical instrument body, the Octet Truss has such high efficiency that it's natural frequencies (as described below) yield clear, transparent fundamentals and harmonics. When combined with carbon fiber (graphite), the instrument supports very long sustain times, pure transmission of string energy, and has great strength. Carbon fiber is also extremely stable, and is not affected by changes in temperature and humidity like other materials.	image by Richard Hawkins
Resonance	NATURAL VIBRATIONS
	Everything in nature moves. The natural frequency is the rate at which a body vibrates most readily. Each of us can experience this by 'sounding'- striking an object and listening for it's natural pitch. The pitch we hear is typically the fundamental natural frequency of the object- the lowest natural frequency. SOUND TRANSMISSION In addition to understanding natural vibration, we all have experienced sound transmission. The can and string telephone and the guitar soundboard demonstrate sound transmission. When transmitted, certain pitches come through louder than others do. For mechanical objects and structures, the pitches that 'sing' occur at natural frequencies. Reducing the mass or increasing the strength (stiffness) of a mechanical object will increase it's natural frequency. In other words, removing weight from a guitar soundboard or stretching the old can & string telephone more will change the natural frequencies of the sound that comes through. By the laws of physics, (see Figure 1) a driving voice or string moving at frequencies less than 1.4 times the natural frequency of the structure will be supported/amplified. Similarly, for voice or string frequencies greater than 1.4 times the natural frequency, the structure will attenuate or absorb the sound, which may even disappear from the hearing range.
	INSTRUMENT BODY AND THE HARMOS SOUND Solid body instruments (of either wood or aluminum) typically have fundamental natural frequencies starting below 200 cycles/second (Hz). Although there are many natural frequencies in an instrument body, the low frequency modes attenuate or absorb higher fundamentals and harmonics. In addition, low natural frequency modes are the cause of dead spots in the instrument, and may distort the fundamental by splitting it into tones slightly above and below it's natural tone. By comparison, for an instrument body with natural frequencies over 800 Hz (see figure 2), the fundamental tones and low harmonics are on the unity side of the resonance curve. This provides support for the fundamental and it's overtones. In addition, splitting of the fundamental does not occur and dead spots are minimized or eliminated. Due to it's lightweight carbon fiber construction and stiff space frame design, the Harmos guitar is the ONLY guitar that has fundamental natural frequencies calculated above 800 Hz. The unique timbre of the Harmos instrument comes from the volume of space defined by the structure, and the geometry of it's construction. Listen to the Harmos guitar- it provides clear fundamental pitch support with sweet harmonics and excellent tonal balance.

Check out the new Harmos MATRAX^tm Electric Guitar
HARMOS STEEL GUITARS and ACCESSORIES
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TECHNOLOGY - HARMOS GUITARS

Space Frame Technology

SPACE FRAME TECHNOLOGY

Resonance

NATURAL VIBRATIONS