Introduction to The Musical Saw
How to Play A Singing Saw, Unique Holiday Gift or Off-beat Hobby
Give a saw as a present this holiday season , or become virtuoso yourself. This folk instrument, also called a singing saw, is easy to play and never fails to entertain.
With an ordinary handsaw, a bow, and a bit of rosin, anyone can squeak out a few ethereal notes on the saw in a matter of minutes. Producing a recognizable tune like Amazing Grace or Blue Moon takes a little more work, but with practice, you can learn to play the saw, and be entertaining friends and family within a few weeks.
The Gift Package
People have been playing this folk instrument for centuries, but the saw hit its heyday during the Vaudeville era. In the 20's and 30's several companies began manufacturing saws as musical instruments.
One of them, the Messehl and Westshal Company is still in business today. They sell a complete musical package-the saw, bow, rosin, and case for about $80. A perfect gift for the musical Luddite on your holiday list.
Getting Started - The Saw
If you harbor a desire to become a saw virtuoso yourself, there's no need to rush out to the music store. Instead, root around in the garage for a suitable instrument.
The saw should be between 26 to 36 inches long, and fairly flexible. The longer the saw, the lower its tone will be. The thickness of the saw blade and the temper of the steel determines the tone. All saws are not created equally, so experiment with a variety. I
f you don't have a bow, just bend the saw and tap the toothless edge of the blade with a stick to hear the tone. Your ear will tell you when you've found a winner.
The Rosin
Without rosin, the bow won't have enough "tooth" to produce an audible sound. Rosin comes in a matchbook-sized box and costs around $3. Most musical instrument shops carry it. When rosining your bow, don't skimp. It takes a lot of rosin to make a saw blade vibrate.
The Bow
Most saw players use a robust cello or bass bow. These can run anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars, but a beginner can make a perfectly serviceable bow from a flexible stick about 20-inches long, and fishing line.
- Bend the stick as far as possible without breaking it;
- Then wrap the stick with about 75 wraps of ordinary fishing line (see photo);
- Secure the fishing line to the stick by tying, taping or gluing it in place;
- Get out the rosin, load up your bow, and you're ready to play.
The Magical S-Curve
To produce the sound the saw is infamous for, you'll need to bend the saw blade into an S-shape.
- First, sit down and clamp the handle of the saw between your knees.
- Next, assuming you are right-handed, grab the top of the saw with your left hand, knuckles facing away from you and bend the saw downward to the left.
- Finally, use your left thumb to bend the top portion of the saw in the opposite direction (see photo). This is the critical "S".
- Hold the bow at right angles to the saw, and draw it across the toothless side of the blade.
- You'll have to experiment to find the sweet spot that produces the loudest and most pleasing sounds.
- To change the note, change the bend of the saw blade.
At this stage, most saw players have serious doubts that an actual tune can be produced on their saw. To fuel your musical aspirations, watch an aficionado saw his way through Silent Night, then choose a tune, preferably something rather slow, like Auld Lang Syne, or Danny Boy, and start practicing.
