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Constance Demby is an early maker of large Steel Resonator instruments. She collaborated with Robert Rutman in the 1960s building various experimental steel sound sculptures that were used in various Happenings in New York City, these experiments eventually led to her highly idiosyncratic instruments and performance method.
Space Bass
The Space Bass is made from large sheet of stainless steel (likey 4 x 8 feet) that is formed into an arc shape and attached to a bent metal rail that is about 3 inches wide. Onto the rail are several 1/4inch steel rods that cut to different lengths and clamped to the rail to tune them to a chromatic scale. The instrument is played by tapping or bowing the rods as well as the metal sheet directly.(details can be seen in the above video)
Similar Instruments
Robert Rutman'sSteel Cello
Jan Heinke's Stahlcello
Tom Nunn's Crustacean
Whale Sail
Notes
Interview 1)
Bio 2)
Another interview 3)
There is another artist by the name Marilyn Donadt that has a very similar instrument, is there a relationship? 4) 5)
What is the relationship to the Crustacean by Tom Nunn, Robert Rutman's Steel Cello, Jan Heinke's Stahlcello, ect.
There seems to be several large bowed steel instrument makers who are interested in a kind of Cosmic sound.