Hopkin Instrumentarium: Rattletines

Rattletines is a set of unique hand-crafted tuned percussion instruments created by instrument designer and sound sculptor Bart Hopkin. These one-of-a-kind instruments each produce their own special flavor of rattle or buzz, with every note having its own warmly resonant flavor. Rattletine includes two rows of tines. The upper tines hammer against “anvils” as they vibrate. The lower row is clean, for a clearer tone quality. Mahogany and Hacksaw Blades both feature tongues with holes and small pieces of metal wrapped through. When plucked, the metal wrappings rattle as the tongue vibrates, producing a unique buzzing sound. Aptly named, Hacksaw Blades uses actual hacksaw blades for the tongues.