Musical saw

A musical saw, also called a singing saw, is a hand saw used as a musical instrument. Capable of continuous glissando (portamento), the sound creates an ethereal tone, very similar to the theremin. The musical saw is classified as a plaque friction idiophone with direct friction (132.1) under the Hornbostel-Sachs system of musical instrument classification, and as a metal sheet played by friction (151) under the revision of the Hornbostel-Sachs classification by the MIMO Consortium.[1]

Musical Saw
Someone on the street sitting on a bin playing a saw with a bow and with it between his legs.
A busker playing the musical saw.
Other instrument
Other namesSaw, Singing Saw
Classification Idiophone
Hornbostel–Sachs classification132.1
(Friction idiophone with individual plaque)
TimbreSomewhat like the human voice.
Related instruments
Sound sample
  1. ^ "Revision of the Hornbostel-Sachs Classification of Musical Instruments by the MIMO Consortium" (PDF). Retrieved 22 February 2022.