(Tuned Anvils, Metallblock, Metal Block, Yunque, Amboss, Enclume, Incudine)
Mfg. by Kolberg
Made in Germany.
Tuned anvils are hollow, but thick, square tubes made from steel alloy and chromed. Emil Richards bought the tuned anvils at Kolberg Percussion in Germany in the early 2000s. They are chromatic and two octaves in range, from C6-C8. Emil played the tuned anvils a couple of different ways. First was as a sound effect – simply hitting certain pitches to give a metallic anvil sound. Second, was as a melodic instrument. Having them tuned chromatically enabled the melodic performance with an orchestra.
Tuned anvils play a melodic role in this excerpt from I Heart Huckbees (2004) by composer Jon Brion.
Please note: these are just examples, as playing technique and mallet/stick choices often have a great effect on the timbre.
These sound excerpts, to the best of our knowledge (unless otherwise noted), include this actual instrument from our collection. To hear the instrument yourself, or to let us know of any errors, please contact us.