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Lithophone


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"The Original Rock Band, 1880s
~This photograph is of the Till Family.The seated gentlemen is Willing Till. The big xylophone looking instrument is a Rock Harmonicon, often referred to as a "Rock band". The largest of these was able to produce sounds spanning seven octaves. 
The Edinburgh Courant reported of the following of the harmonicon in 1882,
 "an instrument whose upper tones are as sweet as silver bells, and whose lower ones have the depth and resonance of an organ".
~The bars of the Rock band are crafted from, you guessed it, rock. The rock used is the Skiddaw stone. It was only available in the English Lake District. A few musical groups formed, all from Keswick (where the stones were sourced). These groups played this instrument accompanied with other instruments and often vocals."

 

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How interesting. I played  vibraphone for a while, took lessons on it and used it in college. I was a percussion major. Never finished my degree though. Great instrument. Lionel Hampton made it pretty famous. 
This Rock Band instrument is really interesting.

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