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| INSTRUMENTS created by Paul Rubenstein |
| The Mechanical Monk (above) is a two stringed, motorized instrument played with two steel rods as slides. It sounds like a cross between Tibetan monks and an alien spaceship (as opposed to the government spaceships-- they sound completely different). |
| The Chariot in motion: the chariot consists of two motorized bicycle wheels with shakers attached. The speed of each wheel can be adjusted and the shakers can be moved. |
| Bombay Down: Paul Rubenstein (left, playing the ubertar), Jeet Thayil (center, poetry) and Senti Toy (right, vocals). |
| The m'birangi: thirty-two metal tines suspended over a two foot long electromagnetic pickup. The tines are plucked with the fingers. The eight strings are vibrated by magnets spun by a motor. |
| The cellotar (left): one of the precursors to the alumitar (right). The alumitar has ten strings and is played with a bow or plucked. The cellotar has six strings. Other instruments in this series include the viotar (four strings); the invisitar (five strings, made of clear acrylic); and the ubertar (see Bombay Down above), (eight melodic strings plus two automatic drone strings). |