Don't know, Uncle John. But, I just discover this on Wikipedia:
The bladder fiddle (also known as bumbass or poispil) is a folk instrument used throughout Europe. The instrument was a simple large monochord made with a long stick, a thick gut string, and a pig's bladder. It is bowed with either a notched stick or a horsehair bow. It is known under different names; in Germany it was called the bumbass, in France the basse de Flandre, and inEngland simply a drone, "drone and string" or Bladder Fiddle. In Germany sometimes a bell or cymbal was added to the top for decoration or additional sound. In England it was used by traveling musicians.[1]
The drum, made of an inflated animal bladder or taut animal hide is secured to the centre of a long stick. A thick string is then attached to each end of the stick, securing the bladder. It is usually played standing upright by drawing the bow over the string. [2]
A related instrument was preserved amongst the Pennsylvania Dutch (German immigrant to the rural Eastern United States), and is known as a boom-ba.
Comments
Don't know, Uncle John. But, I just discover this on Wikipedia:
The bladder fiddle (also known as bumbass or poispil) is a folk instrument used throughout Europe. The instrument was a simple large monochord made with a long stick, a thick gut string, and a pig's bladder. It is bowed with either a notched stick or a horsehair bow. It is known under different names; in Germany it was called the bumbass, in France the basse de Flandre, and inEngland simply a drone, "drone and string" or Bladder Fiddle. In Germany sometimes a bell or cymbal was added to the top for decoration or additional sound. In England it was used by traveling musicians.[1]
The drum, made of an inflated animal bladder or taut animal hide is secured to the centre of a long stick. A thick string is then attached to each end of the stick, securing the bladder. It is usually played standing upright by drawing the bow over the string. [2]
A related instrument was preserved amongst the Pennsylvania Dutch (German immigrant to the rural Eastern United States), and is known as a boom-ba.
How is that tuned?