My Favorite Music Box

1/7/2012 5:31 PM Music Box by insoundlife

I've heard this tune ever since I was a small child. Every Christmas, my parents hung the large bulbous music box (it resembled a Christmas ornament) on the solid brown door at the front of our house. When pulling the long string to play the song, a sound much like that of a sailboat winch would rip through the bulb.. and then, the soft melody began.

I'm fascinated by how music boxes work. The sound is produced by a tiny cylindrical strip of metal flocked with flat metal prongs. These intricately placed "pins" turn 'round and 'round the cylinder, plucking a steel comb, creating a resonated array of tones at different times. The placement of the pins on the strip determines in which order the teeth of the comb are raked, and, therefore, determines the melody and rhythm of the song. The faster the cylinder rotates, the faster the song plays and vice versa.

Yadda yadda yadda...I'm sure you already know this. But, I thought it would be fun to explain. If you ever want to see it in action, just take a music box apart like I did. Or, just buy a music box where you can see the gears working. It's pretty awesome.

I find the melody of this music box to be particularly beautiful. It's haunting, delicate, and perfect in its simplicity. The notes are blue and aching. A melancholy tune, invoking images of empty dark nights and sorrowful weeping willows.. beautiful..

In my song "Trace of Fuel" on ebro.bandcamp.com , I've manipulated the song by reversing the sound wave timeline and adding various effects to the new sound. You can download and listen to it here: