Octophone
{{about|the stringed musical instrument|the instrument used to dispense perfumes|perfume organ}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox Instrument
|name=Octofone
|names=Octophone
|image=
|caption=An Octophone made by Regal.
|background=string
|classification=String instrument (plucked), (strummed)
|hornbostel_sachs=321.322
|hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone
|related=*Bowed and plucked string instruments
}}
The octophone (or octofone) is a stringed musical instrument related to the mandola family resembling an octave mandolin.{{Cite web|url=http://www.al3abzuma.com/|title=العاب زوما|website=Al3abzuma.com|access-date=20 April 2021}} It was marketed by Regal Musical Instrument Company, who introduced it 21 January 1928, as an "eight-purpose instrument".{{Cite web|url=https://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1928-86-4/24/|title=Music Trade Review: MTR-1928-86-4|website=Mtr.arcade-museum.com|access-date=20 April 2021}}
The name "Octophone" came from the idea that the instrument could take on the "tone combinations" of eight instruments, the tenor guitar, tenor banjo, ukulele, taro patch, tiple, mandolin, mandola and mandocello. Changing from one instrument to another was a matter of changing the tuning. The instrument came with an instruction book that told owners "how to use, how to tune and how to play" the instrument
Construction
The instrument measures 33.5 inches long, 10 5/8 inches wide at lower end, 3 1/8 deep at the end block. It has a scale of 21 3/8 inches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/15276-Regal-Octophone|title=Regal Octophone|website=Mandolin Cafe Forum|access-date=20 April 2021}}
Owners of octophones have said that the instrument is made with birch neck, neck block, sides and back and a top made of spruce.{{Cite web|url=http://www.musurgia.com/products.asp?ProductID=656&CartID=8375361052009|title=Musurgia Musical Instruments, Regal Octofone , c. 1928|website=Musurgia.com'|access-date=20 April 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/31964-Regal-octophone|title=Regal octophone|website=Mandolin Cafe Forum|access-date=20 April 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/regal-octophone-octave-mandolin-48917253|title=Regal Octophone Octave Mandolin | #368917253|website=Worthpoint.com|access-date=20 April 2021}} The neck is attached to the body with a 3/4 inch wooden dowel stuck into a hole in the neck block, rather than a strong joint such as the dovetail used on some guitars and mandolins. The instruments were lightly built and fragile, or have grown fragile with age.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/threads/55679-Regal-Octofone|title=Regal Octofone|website=Mandolin Cafe Forum|access-date=20 April 2021}}
Tuning
The tuning is done with the machine heads located on the headstock, much like other stringed instruments, and the strings are arranged in courses. All pitches shown here are estimates; the book the company provided (to show customers how to tune their instrument) is rare. Tunings are based on the instruments advertised. These tunings using the stringed instrument tunings notation include:
- C3 C3•G3 G3•D4 D4•A4 A4 tuned in fifths as tenor guitar, mandola, tenor banjo
- D2 D2•G2 G2•B2 B2•E3 E3 tuned a fourth, a third, a fourth as a tiple
- C2 C2•E2 E2•A2 A2•D3 D3 tuned a fourth, a third, a fourth as a tiple
- G2 G2•D3 D3•A3 A3•E4 E4 tuned in fifths as octave mandolin
- C2 C2•G2 G2•D3 D3•A3 A3 tuned in fifths as mandocello
- D2 D2•G2 G2•B2 B2•E3 E3 tuned a fourth, a third, a fourth (as a guitar's 4 highest pitched strings, down 1 octave)
Although it can be tuned to the same notes as a mandolin G D A E, it will be in tune an octave lower, like an octave mandolin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.minermusic.com/cc/jbrock.htm|title=National, Dobro and Regal Mandolins, Ukes, Tenor Guitars and Octofone|website=Minermusic.com|access-date=20 April 2021}}
Use in recorded music
- Nathan "Prince" Nazaroff album, recorded in 1945 Jewish Freilach Songs, he sings "with octofone and accordion."{{Cite web|url=https://folkways.si.edu/magazine-winter-2016-yiddish-song-smuggling/article/smithsonian|title=Yiddish Song Smuggling {{!}} Smithsonian Folkways Magazine|website=Smithsonian Folkways Recordings|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-13}}
- Chris Cagle album, Cris Cagle, Jonathan Yudkin is listed with the mandolin, mandocello, fiddle, cello, and octophone.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oldies.com/product-view/27113M.html|title=Chris Cagle|website=Oldies.com|access-date=20 April 2021}}
- Joey Bochenek album "Musical Wizard", the artist Joey plays nine instruments including the octophone.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60322596|title=Music for the Master|date=20 April 2021|oclc=60322596 |via=Open WorldCat}}
- Gurf Morlix plays an octophone on the title song of the Mary Gauthier album "Mercy Now", although the liner notes spell the instrument as octofone.
Perfume organ
An unrelated instrument, also called "octophone" was an instrument invented by a French chemist, in which the keys of a keyboard activated one of 46 perfume fragrances.{{cite book|title=Forum|url=https://archive.org/details/forumnewsletter02leacgoog|year=1913|publisher=Forum Pub. Co.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/forumnewsletter02leacgoog/page/n231 217]–}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://database.ukulelecorner.org.uk/site/ukulelemakers/p-q-r/regal Information on Regal, who made the octophone pictured in the article.]
- [http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1928-86-19-SECTION-2/MTR-1928-86-19-SECTION-2-21.pdf, Music Trade Review advertisement for Octophone.]
- [http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1928-86-19-SECTION-2/MTR-1928-86-19-SECTION-2-21.pdf Picture of store display]
- [http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?55679-Regal-Octofone&highlight=octophone Discussion of Octophone construction with pictures of the inside and the neck joint and bridge.]
- [http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2009/08/c1928-regal-octofone.html Page with photos of octophone and video of one being played.]