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Monochord
The Musicmakers Monochord is endlessly captivating. Just start strumming and immediately create a hypnotic atmosphere. It's hard to stop!
The monochord delivers a sound that can fill a room without being overpowering. Music therapists, sound healers, and mediation leaders love the Monochord. The repetative nature of the instrument and the enveloping soundscape it creates are perfect for establishing a calm, relaxing, stress free environment.
Our Monochords are hand-built using quality, solid wood. The frame is a rich cherry and you have your choice of soundboard material:
- Solid Mahogany - known for it's stability and warmth or
- Reclaimed Redwood which has a power and richness you can feel.
What's Included
- Monochord with Gig Bag
- Tuning Wrench
Owner's Manual
FAQ
What is a Monochord?
Traditionally, the monochord was a single stringed instrument (zither) famously used by Pythagoras to demonstrate the mathematical ratios between intervals. Instruments like this are still used in classrooms to provide young students hands-on, experiential knowlege of musical intervals.
The monochord that has been adapted and used by modern music therapists and sound healers is an expanded version of the ancient monochord. The modern monochord is simple rectangluar sound box made of wood with anwhere from 10 to 60 strings stretching across the entire length of the instrument. The strings are anchored on one end with hitch pins and anchorded on the other end with tuning pins. All of the strings are typically tuned in unison although some instruments will also include the 5th note of the scale. Repetative struming of all the strings provides a "bed" of sound that soothes and calms.
How do you play the monochord?
There are a variety of ways that you can play the monochord. The simplest thing to do is simply pull your pointer finger toward you across the strings. Do this with the pointer fingers on both hands and alternate hands. With practice you can be quite smooth and create a sound that seems to have no beginning or end.
You can get different tones by engaging your fingernails on the strings or just using the pads of your fingers. Try playing soft or hard. Move your fingers closer and closer to the bridge and notice how the tone changes. Try using guitar picks or try tapping the strings with pencils. Use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.
Key Specs
| Soundboard | Solid Mahogany or Redwood |
| Sides | Solid Cherry |
| Strings | 25 ball-end acoustic |
| Tuning | Varies |
| Length | 32" |
| Width | 8-1/2" |
| Height | 4-1/2" |
| Weight | 8 Pounds |
| Warranty | Musicmakers Warranty |
Monochord Tunings
Our Monochords are available in three different tunings:
Low C tuning
This tuning is an octave lower than the Middle C tuning. So it has 23 strings tuned to the C below Middle C and then two strings tuned one octave lower than that.
String Chart: Strings listed from high to low.
| Note | # of Strings | Gauge | Composition |
| C3 | 23 | .036" | Bronze Wound |
| C2 | 2 | .060 | Bronze Wound |
Middle C tuning
23 strings tuned to Middle C and 2 strings tuned an octave lower.
String Chart: Strings listed from high to low.
| Note | # of Strings | Gauge | Composition |
| C4 | 23 | .016" | Plain Steel |
| C3 | 2 | .036" | Bronze Wound |
Open C Chord
This tuning starts at C2 (2 octaves below Middle C), spans 2 octaves and includes several Gs.
String Chart: Strings listed from high to low.
| Note | # of Strings | Gauge | Composition |
| C4 | 4 | .016" | Plain Steel |
| G3 | 5 | .020 | Plain Steel |
| C3 | 10 | .036" | Bronze Wound |
| G2 | 3 | .048" | Bronze Wound |
| C2 | 3 | .060" | Bronze Wound |
Beautiful monochord
I’ve had mine well over a year now. It sounds amazing I love the vibes. I use it for sound healings and I’ve recorded riffs for my music productions. It adds a great ambience to any music.
Matt Marsiglia
04/23/2024
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A Beautifully Crafted Instrument
This is my first Monochord. I could not be happier with how wonderful it sounds, and how well it is made! I made the right choice going with this quality work of art and sound from MusicMakers!
Alan G.
08/04/2023
Verified Buyer
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Great for Music Therapists!
I have had a reverie harp for several years and have loved using this in music therapy sessions. This year, I added a monochord, shruti box, and spirit flute. These have been so well received by my clients. And I have loved learning these new instruments! I'm hoping to add a lap harp in future years!
Krystine
06/07/2023
Verified Buyer
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Wonderful instrument for chanting, meditation, and healing
I am a repeat customer of Musicmakers having purchased a Voyageur Harp 15 years ago.
I bought this monochord and a Reverie harp recently to go more in the direction of sound healing.
Matt, as always, was very accommodating to my request and strung and tuned the harp to A, as I wanted a key that would be comfortable for me for chanting.
I ended up tuning it down to F#, and it sounds wonderful in both keys.
I also added a few Feeltone bridges (sanded the bottoms down a bit to fit) to the top strings to add a little harmony when I am playing alone. It is an exquisite instrument and everyone who hears it agrees!! You will be very happy with it.
Willa Keizer
04/30/2023
Verified Buyer
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Monochord
I bought the monochord.
It is a beautiful instrument with a sound that conveys calm and allows you to enter deep relaxation!
Michele
01/08/2023
Verified Buyer
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Amazing!
I received my monochord on Saturday. It is absolutely beautiful, and I love it ! And incredibly, it was still in tune after all the shipping. The sound is both soothing and mesmerizing. I'm really glad I chose the Low C tuning, though each of the tunings have a captivating sound. I'm going to enjoy it with the original tuning for awhile before tuning it down to go with the B Celtic Minor RAV. I'm still enjoying the B Celtic tuning of my Reverie Harp, and am playing it every day. Am looking forward to trying all three together once I get the monochord tuned down.
Thank you again Matt, for all your help, and for creating, and making available all of these incredible instruments.
Bonnie
05/04/2022
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Beyond Expectations!
Iâm so pleased with my Monochord, there are no words to express the joy I feel while playing. Matt was wonderful to work with. I was under a time crunch and he made sure that I received it on time; actually it was received a few days earlier than expected. The Monochord was securely packaged and I love that it came with a gig bag.
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BETTY BOYD
04/24/2022
Verified Buyer
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Great and Speedy Service
I am so pleased with my monochord. I am new to the sound healing world , and fell in love with monochords after I sampled them. The team was great with my needs and requests to specialise the notes . I also was on a short timeline when I would be in America ðºð¸ for the package to be shipped . They were great ! Thanks again :)
tricia wolanin
02/09/2022
Verified Buyer
1 of 1 customers found this helpful.
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Well made and sounds beautiful
Matt was attentive to my questions and requests and I now have a beautiful looking and sounding monochord. I chose to upgrade to the Redwood sound board, paid for a custom stand and I asked for tuning in D/A. All accommodated by them. I love it. So easy to play which allows for me to easily tone and chant with it. Well done.
Angela
10/04/2021
Verified Buyer
2 of 2 customers found this helpful.
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Amazing sound and resonance.
I purchased this to use with my amazing Reverie Harp. The two sound wonderful together. I am a Sound Therapist and have been looking at Monochords for some time. I bought the low C model. I set it up on a keyboard stand as suggested by a musician friend. Everyone that hears it wants it. They love it and I love it. It has a beautiful sound and a lot of resonance. It's great for vocal toning and chanting too. I play it alone and with the incredible Reverie Harp. I also add in a large tongue drum too sometimes. I can also use the mallets from the drum for a different sound both on the harp and monochord. The bag it comes with is well made and an extra bonus. Musicmaker instruments are beautifully made and the company is a joy to deal with. I recommend them to all my students and clients.
Barbara Spaulding
09/25/2021
Verified Buyer
2 of 2 customers found this helpful.
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recent purchased monochord
This is an awesome instrument. I'm seeing more youtube videos popping up where people are using it, so clearly seems to be catching on. Versitile and it seems it can be used in a lot of different ways....not only for music healers, but those who are interested in unusual and wonderful sounding instruments. I fall somewhere in between. I already have a reverie harp and the 2 instruments go beautifully together. So I am going to have so much fun putting this to use.....hard to not just sit and strum it forever !!!
ani
03/03/2020
Verified Buyer
5 of 5 customers found this helpful.
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Great tool for Sound Healing!
I have a private massage/sound healing practice here in LA. So I use different instruments to re-align brain waves, calm the central nervous system, and balance the energy centers (Chakras) before I do a full body massage (healing).
I currently use my Reverie and Angel harps by placing them directly on the body and the various sounds help to calm and re-align the energies. I also use it for hospice or hospital work.
The Monochord is a specific sound instrument that would be most beneficial for meditation and breath work. So when I place it on the body, the constant key of C, especially the lower notes, vibrate strongly in the body (even stronger than the harps) and help the individual reach
a more deeply meditative state. As your video highlights, they can also be used with other instruments like the Hapi Tank Drum.
As an individual, I can sit in the lotus meditative position on the floor, and place the monochord on my knees and strum it as I do breath work to myself.
Tom
02/04/2020
Verified Buyer
10 of 11 customers found this helpful.
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