Blog | Robert Lopez-Hanshaw

Building a Partch Adapted Viola - Part 5 (How To Build It Yourself, Sensibly)

I hope this blog series has piqued the reader's interest, such that they might be spurred to do this themself. To that end, I have...

Building a Partch Adapted Viola - Part 4

Upon that initial string-up, it's true that the viola played more or less like a viola. But the string action was very high. I had not...

Building a Partch Adapted Viola - Part 3

To clarify what follows: I am about as much of a woodworker as I am a violin player. My carpentry isn't at a fine level. I'm also prone...

Building a Partch Adapted Viola - Part 2

It's time to dismember the instruments! I have never taken apart a violin-family instrument before, but I've done so with guitars, to...

Building a Partch Adapted Viola - Part 1

My earlier blog article about chords is destined to lack a sequel for a while longer. Very inconveniently, my understanding of chords as...

WHY EVEN ARE CHORDS – PART 1

Chords are everywhere – even where they shouldn’t be, historically speaking. The concept of a “chord” grew out of European polyphony. But...