Musical Saw

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Individuals in different parts of the world probably made the discovery independent of one another—that you can make music with a saw! Its tough exterior and ragged jaws melt away to reveal the most sensitive, whining, beautiful sound within. Sound is made by twisting the saw into a subtle ‘S’ shape and bowing the side without teeth. When the saw is more bent, the pitch increases.

How to Obtain

Find or purchase a large hand saw, preferably one roughly 26 inches long that is relatively flexible. Check out your local hardware store or antique store. Professional musical saws have a special handle at the tip that allows the player to twist it more easily, but this is not necessary to get started. Purchase a violin bow and use plenty of rosin on it when playing the saw.

How to Learn

Learning to make a sound and hit specific pitches takes time, practice, and a considerable amount of trial and error until you find the right playing position. Consult multiple video and text sources. One tip to ease the process: Start with a rubber mallet (rather than a bow) as you learn to twist the saw into the right playing position. Hitting the flat part of the saw with a mallet will produce a sound more easily than a violin bow when you are first learning to play.

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