You’ve seen them at High Zero Festival. Now, you can try them yourself.

The daxophone is an instrument based on amplifying a bowed piece of wood. This free event provides instruction on the fundamentals of daxophones: bowing, controlling pitch, methods for constructing daxophones, and observational acoustics of wooden shapes. Here’s an opportunity for inspiration to start your first major wood-working project. Composers will find the expressive possibilities and awkward limitations of the daxophone exciting.

Samuel Burt has been building daxophones since 2011, corresponding with the originator, Hans Reichel, and refining his designs since meeting with dax virtuoso Kazuhisa Uchihashi and fellow builder Daniel Fishkin. See many varieties, tripod-standing, desk clamp, and now acoustic body daxophones. This is not a sales event and no daxophones will be sold. Enthusiasm and scene building is the aim.

Event location:

Red Room at Normals Books and Records

The Red Room is a volunteer-run space in Baltimore dedicated to mind-expanding experimental culture, headquartered at Normals Books and Records.