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Glass harmonica; sound produced by friction of the fingers against the rotating glass

Glass harp; sound produced by friction of the fingers rotating against the wine glass rims

Terpodion; sound produced by friction of wood or metal arms against a rotating cylinder

Chladni plate example; sound produced by friction of the bow against a plate such as a metal rectangle

Friction idiophones is designation 13 in the Hornbostel-Sachs system of musical instrument classification. These idiophones produce sound by being rubbed either against each other or by means of a non-sounding object. Instruments of this type are not very common; possibly the best known examples are the musical saw and the nail violin.

According to musicologist Curt Sachs:^[1]

... It is essential to distinguish between rubbing and scraping. The latter results in a series of beats cause by passing a stick over a notched surface; [whereas] friction is based on adhesion....On a higher level we find...the glass harmonica.

Friction sticks (131)

131.1 Individual friction sticks.

131.2 Sets of friction sticks.

Nail violin
Cristal baschet, preceded by the euphon

131.21 Without direct friction.

131.22 With direct friction.

Friction plaques (132)

132.1 Individual friction plaques.

132.2 Sets of friction plaques.

Clavicylinder

Friction vessels (133)

133.1 Individual friction vessels.

133.2 Sets of friction vessels.

References

"Idiophone", Music.VT.edu at the Wayback Machine (archived October 17, 2012)
"SVH Classification", Wesleyan.edu.

Notes

^ Sachs, Curt (1940). The History of Musical Instruments, p.456-7. W. W. Nortan & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-393-02068-1

[1] Sachs, Curt (1940). The History of Musical Instruments, p.456-7. W. W. Nortan & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-393-02068-1

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