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OF NAHUATL
HUEY = OH GREAT MECATL = STRING
The Huey Mecatl is a giant harp
of ten strings long
deployed in commercial containers
that act like sounding boards.
Thus forming a surround acoustic sound space
where the public is placed inside the instrument.
BACKGROUND
The first thing we did was to conduct experiments with long strings,
this allowed us to see the large resolution of the instruments notes,
sounds and methods of playing and execution.
After doing several tests,
we realized that the container was the most appropriate sounding board.
1st CONTAINER THEATRE FESTIVAL VALPARAISO 2008.
Upon arrival to Chile the first thing we did was to make an acoustic analisys of the containers,
this helped us to define the note in which the strings of the instrument had to be tuned.
After this piano strings held together by wooden bridges were installed.
These transmit the vibrations towards the lower side of the walls
into the cutt out “mouth” directing the sound towards the audience.
On this occasion the performers consisted of ten musicians.
For the execution of our projects we had to develope a musical notation system
that involves placing colored marks on the strings.
We also manufactured bows,
sticks and various specific objects for playing the instrument.
10 Containers
10 Musicians?3 Composers
183 Meters of steel cables 120 Meters of wood
28 Managers of production
6 trials of 8 hours