Bradford Reed

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Bradford Reed
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Background information
Genres Experimental
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s) Bells, drums, drum programming, guitar, kranton, melodica, organ, pencilina, percussion, piano, sampler, synthesizer, vocals
Years active30
LabelsManifatture Criminali, Shimmy Disc, Instinct

Bradford Reed is an American multi-instrumentalist, experimental luthier, and member of the avant-garde band King Missile III. In the 1980s he invented the pencilina, a custom made string instrument. [1] [2]

Contents

Discography

Reed at the unveiling of the Mucky statue in Gowanus Muckygowanus2025 05.jpg
Reed at the unveiling of the Mucky statue in Gowanus
Inventor Bradford Reed playing his pencilina BradfordReed03.jpg
Inventor Bradford Reed playing his pencilina
ArtistAlbumRecord LabelRelease Year
Bradford ReedUltra Fresh Super VibeFt.Lb. Records 1992
Bradford ReedLive! At HomeFt.Lb. Records 1996
John S. Hall The Body Has a Head Manifatture Criminali 1996
King Missile III Failure Shimmy Disc 1998
Bradford Reed and Hoppy KamiyamaThe BubblemanHoren 1999
Bradford Reed and Hoppy KamiyamaThe Bubbleman 2 (A Day of the Iron Sausage)Consipio/God Ocean 2000
Bradford ReedThe Stars My DestinationFt.Lb. Records 2001
Bradford ReedSolo Live SongsFt.Lb. Records 2003
King Missile III The Psychopathology of Everyday Life Instinct Records 2003
King Missile III Royal Lunch Important Records 2004
OHMSLICEConduitImaginator Records2017
Bradford ReedWhat's Good for the Goose Is GoodYoungbloods2019
Satellite and the HarpoonistSatellite ManTonic Records2020

Pencilina

the pencilina BradfordReed Pencilina p-rotated.jpg
the pencilina

The pencilina is a custom-made string instrument that Reed invented in the 1980s. The instrument is a double neck 3rd bridge guitar.[ citation needed ]

The pencilina is similar in construction to two long connected thin zithers. Its two "necks" each have a bridge, tuning pegs, and a set of strings; six strings on one neck and four on the other. Both are open tuned. The treble tuning is adjustable via a multiple tuning bridge. Wedged over and under the strings is a wooden drum stick for the treble/alto/tenor strings and a metal rod for the bass strings, which divide each string into two segments with different pitches. The divided strings can be then played separately, resulting in various harmonic overtones. There are four built-in pickups: two are contact mics mounted in the bridges at one end of each neck, and two are guitar-style electromagnetic pickups which are placed under the strings toward the opposite end. It's played by striking its strings with sticks and may also be plucked or bowed. [1] [2]

The Pencilina was featured on the book/album Orbitones, Spoonharps and Bellowphones (Elipsis Arts) [3] and is described in Nice Noise by Bart Hopkin and Yuri Landman. [4] [ page needed ]


References

  1. 1 2 "Bradford Reed Music Residency". Pioneer Works . Summer 2017. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Gottschalk, Kurt (March 7, 2008) [June 29, 2006]. "Bradford Reed, Pencilina Inventor and Musician". Gothamist . Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  3. ↑ Sparber, Max (April 23, 2002). "Zgamoniums and Pencilina". Minnesota Daily . Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  4. ↑ Hopkin, Bart; Landman, Yuri (2012). Nice Noise: Modifications and Preparations for Guitar. Experimental Musical Instruments. ISBN   978-0-9727313-6-2. OCLC   1303915499.




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