HAINBACH and the String Armonica MK2: Overtone Dreams and Sonic Glasswork

The String Armonica MK2 emerges as a spectral presence—its body reminiscent of an ancient psalter, its heart pulsing with modern ingenuity. HAINBACH draws us into its orbit, tracing the instrument’s lineage back to Benjamin Franklin’s glass armonica, yet revealing a machine that feels both timeless and startlingly new. This is an acoustic synthesizer that doesn’t just play notes; it exhales fog and fractured light, each tone a ripple in a pool of sonic ghosts.

From the first touch, the String Armonica seduces with overtone-rich sound, inviting us to lose ourselves in a nebula of harmonics. The creators at Merkaba Electronics have conjured an instrument that feels like a secret passage—one that beckons arrangers and sound designers to explore its depths. HAINBACH’s approach is immersive, letting the instrument’s character unfold in layers, each bloom of resonance hinting at stories yet untold.

At the core of the String Armonica MK2 lies a harmonic engine built from scratch—a top octave generator, painstakingly reverse-engineered from the ghosts of obsolete organ chips. This crystalline brain divides a master oscillator into 48 discrete square waves, each one a thread in the tapestry of overtones. The result is an instrument that spans four octaves, with each note swelling and shimmering through primitive VCAs and transistor amplifiers that set the strings alight.

The sonic palette is vast: from delicate, glassy highs to a shimmer that sits low in the mix like a memory. HAINBACH demonstrates how the instrument’s modes—normal, staccato, harp, and arpeggiator—open up new dimensions, allowing notes to bloom, stutter, or cascade like rain on metal. The tactile act of playing or manipulating the strings adds another layer of intimacy, making the String Armonica less a tool and more a living, breathing companion in the studio.

Yet, to coax these spectral tones from the String Armonica, one must embrace its idiosyncrasies. This is a hybrid beast—part synthesizer, part stringed instrument—and it demands the care and attention of both worlds. The acoustic strings require tuning and adjustment, much like a guitar or harp, and their placement must be exact to unlock the instrument’s full resonance. For those unaccustomed to stringed instruments, this ritual may feel arcane, but it is essential to the armonica’s magic.

Every instrument with a soul has its shadows, and the String Armonica MK2 is no exception. Its overtone-rich signal demands a generous helping of gain—up to 50 decibels—posing a challenge for many audio interfaces. HAINBACH reveals the necessity of a DI box to bridge the gap, and warns that any touch, intentional or accidental, can send shockwaves through the mix. The instrument’s brightness brings with it a persistent hiss, a spectral presence that lingers but can be tamed with EQ or simply embraced as part of its character.

Power, too, becomes a ritual. The included switched power supply hums contentedly on American soil, but in Europe, it conjures a nasty buzz—a reminder that every machine is haunted by its own geography. HAINBACH’s solution is poetic: a heavier, linear brick from Electro-Harmonix, banishing the noise and restoring clarity. For those who hoard old power supplies, this is a moment of vindication. The String Armonica asks for patience and adaptation, rewarding those who listen deeply.