Soundchair-bed
The double instrument:
chair and bed
Like the therapy monochords, the soundchair-bed is a body sound instrument. It is mainly used therapeutically. One lies or sits on the instrument and another plays. The lying surface or backrest is slightly curved inwards, which increases the lying and sitting comfort and gives you the feeling of being completely enveloped by the sound.
The special feature of the soundchair-bed is that it is a double instrument. You can build it either as a soundchair or as a soundbed. With just a few simple steps (conversion approx. 10 minutes) the different components can be put together differently.
As a third variant, you can also build up the instrument with the playing level upwards and use it like a stand monochord.
Sound
The effect of the soundchair-bed is similar to the therapy monochords, only much more intense, since the whole body can immerse himself in the sound.
The resonant body of the instrument is very long, so the basic tone is much deeper than with the therapy monochords. The focus of the experience with soundchair and soundbed is the dissolution of physical boundaries, the detachment of time and space and the experience of comprehensive relaxation. Therefore, this sound makes it possible to penetrate into deep emotional areas, as is the case, for example, with the sound-guided trance.
If you build up the instrument as a bed, the effect is much more intense due to the more relaxed posture in lying down and the greater contact of the body with the instrument.
After a treatment while lying down (duration between 10-30 minutes), many people still feel that they have the sound to carry within them hours later.
Some have inner images during treatment, others have the experience of boundless freedom that opens up beyond thought; others come into contact with long-forgotten memories, be they pleasant or unpleasant…
The testimonies of therapists and sound travelers are varied and impressive – to list them all here would be beyond the scope.
Applications
If you work with people who come into contact with body sound instruments for the first time, it can be advantageous to first use the sound chair, because the upright sitting posture creates a less intimate situation than when lying down.
Also, the sound transmission while sitting is less intense, which seems suitable for more sensitive characters, since the power of the sound influence does not carry them as much as it does when lying down. Even people who are more likely to have a problem with developing steadfastness in life are certainly better advised to take a sedentary attitude in treatment.
Many therapists also work in groups with the soundchair-bed. Since the sound of the instrument is very full and powerful, even those who do not sit or lie on the instrument have a very intense sound experience through the spatial sound or, if they lie on a wooden floor also due to the sound vibrations in the floor.
Photos
Dimensions
| Length | Width | Height | Tuning | Number of strings | Load | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound body | 155 cm | 60 cm | 11 cm | A | 60 | up to 130 kg |
| Seat part | 45 cm | 60 cm | 11 cm | |||
| Overall length | 200 cm | 60 cm | 11 cm |
Design
The basic tuning of the instrument is A. There are various ways to string the instrument. Either one decides for a pure monochord tuning (contra A and A) , a tambura tuning (contra A, A, and E) or a chord tuning (contra A, A, E and Cis).
The most proven has been a split of the tuning into two halves. One half of the instrument as monochord and the other half as tambura with the possibility to tune it as a chord. This is how all possibilities have been combined.
In addition, there is the possibility to tune part of the strings to a higher tone with an extra bridge, which can be set up very easily.
And finally, there is a table extension (40 cm long, 20 cm wide) for the soundbed, which can be mounted on the side of the instrument and can be pushed to any position. This is suitable for integrating singing bowls into the sound work.
Due to the fact that the instrument has smaller dimensions compared to the pure soundbed, it can also be transported in a normal car, which can be interesting for therapists who plan to take the instrument with them on trips.