How does music box work?

A music box is a mechanical device that plays musical tunes. It produces sound by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc that pluck the tuned teeth or prongs of a steel comb. When the cylinder or disc rotates, the pins cause the corresponding prongs on the comb to vibrate and produce notes.

The origin of the music box dates back to the 18th century in Switzerland. The first music boxes were developed in 1796 by Antoine Favre and were typically larger tabletop instruments. In the 19th century, manufacturers miniaturized the mechanism, allowing music boxes to take the form of smaller objects like jewelry boxes, toys, and clocks. Some common types of music boxes include the cylinder music box, disc music box, and contemporary electric music box.

Cylinder music boxes have a metal cylinder with pins that rotate and play the tuned teeth of a comb. Disc music boxes have a circular metal disc that produces music similarly through plucking pins and a comb. Electric music boxes use an electric mechanism rather than mechanical parts but produce the distinctive timbre of traditional music boxes.

Main Components

The main components of a music box include:

• Metal comb – This is the flat metal piece with tuned metal tines attached.
• Pins/teeth – These are small bumps on the cylinder or disc that pluck the tines to produce notes.
• Tuned metal tines – Each tine is precision cut to produce a specific musical note when plucked.
• Wind-up key – Turning the key stores tension which provides the power.
• Cylinder or disc with bumps – As this rotates, the bumps pluck the tines to play the melody.[1]

The tines vibrate and produce musical notes when plucked by the pins on the rotating cylinder or disc. The tune is encoded by the placement of the pins, and the comb combined with the tuned tines creates the distinct sound of a music box.

How the Cylinder Music Box Works

Cylinder music boxes are the original and most common type of music box. They produce musical notes by rotating a metal cylinder covered in small bumps. As the cylinder turns, the bumps pluck the tuned metal tines of a steel comb, creating the notes and melody.

The main working mechanism of a cylinder music box involves three key components:

• The cylinder – This is a metal cylinder with small bumps carefully placed along its surface. Each bump corresponds to a musical note.
• The comb – This is made of a flat steel plate with tuned metal tines of varying lengths attached. Each tine is tuned to vibrate at a certain musical pitch.
• The crank – Turning the crank causes the cylinder to rotate against the comb. This movement makes the bumps pluck the tines to produce music.

When the crank is turned, it rotates the cylinder at a steady speed. As the bumps on the cylinder come into contact with the tines, they pluck them like the plectrum of a guitar plucking the strings. The tines then vibrate to create their corresponding musical note. In this manner, the precisely placed bumps play back the programmed melody.

According to this Popular Mechanics article, the sophisticated interplay between the cylinder’s bumps and the comb’s tines is what creates the recognizable tinny sound of a music box.

How the Disc Music Box Works

Disc music boxes produce their melodic tunes through a series of precisely placed pins that pluck metal teeth on a comb. As the name implies, these music boxes utilize a round metal disc rather than a cylinder. The disc has small bumps placed at precise intervals along its surface. As a crank turns the disc, these bumps cause pins to rise and fall, plucking the metal teeth of the comb in sequence. The varying lengths of the comb’s teeth produce different musical pitches. The specific placement of the bumps on the disc’s surface corresponds to the notes in a song’s melody.

In more detail, here is how a disc music box creates its musical tones:

– Turning the crank rotates the disc at a steady speed. The disc’s bumps are arranged to match the tempo of the song.

– As the rotating disc raises and lowers the pins, the pins pluck the metal teeth of the comb in a sequence that matches the melody.

– The plucked metal comb teeth vibrate to produce distinct musical pitches. The combined sequence creates the tune.

Pinning the Cylinder or Disc

The pinning process is how the cylinder or disc is prepared to play the correct melody. Small bumps or pins are carefully positioned along the cylinder or disc. As these pins rotate and strike the comb, they produce the sequence of notes that create the melody.

The process of pinning the cylinder or disc requires expertise and precision. The artisan studies the sheet music to determine the correct placement of the pins to match the notes in the melody. Pins are inserted into the cylinder or disc at precise intervals that correspond to the timing of the notes.

Some key steps in pinning the cylinder or disc include:¹

• Studying the sheet music and planning pin placement
• Measuring and marking pin locations
• Drilling small holes for the pins
• Hammering pins into the cylinder/disc at the marked locations
• Testing and adjusting pin positions to tune the melody

It requires great skill, precision, and musical knowledge to correctly position the pins so that beautiful melodies emerge when the cylinder or disc rotates. The sequence and spacing of the pins is the “secret code” that produces each unique tune from a music box.

Crafting the Comb

The comb is one of the most important parts of a traditional music box. It is a flat piece of metal with numerous tuned metal teeth protruding up. As the cylinder or disc rotates, the pins pluck the teeth of the comb, producing the distinct melodic tones of the music box.

The comb is carefully crafted out of a piece of steel or brass. The size and thickness depends on the size of the music box. Small combs may only be a few inches long, while larger combs can be over a foot long. The metal is cut to size and holes are punched where the teeth will be located. Each tooth is individually cut and filed down to size from pieces of hardened steel wire. The length and thickness of the teeth determines the pitch and volume of the note. Tuning each tooth is a delicate and laborious process, requiring a keen ear and specialized equipment.

After tuning, the base of each tooth is inserted into the punched holes and soldered into place on the comb. The comb is usually mounted on springs or rubber bands inside the box, which provides tension and reverberation as the teeth vibrate when played. Fine adjustments to the length of individual teeth may be made even after mounting to perfectly tune the notes. With all teeth precisely tuned, the comb produces the unique, ethereal tones that make the music box so distinctive.

Sources:

https://www.ehow.com/how_7813411_make-music-box-comb.html

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/how-to-make-a-music-box-comb–116812184056544718/

Assembling the Full Music Box

Once all the individual components of the music box have been carefully crafted, it’s time to assemble them together into the final working music box. This process requires meticulous attention to detail and fine adjustments to ensure everything operates smoothly.

The cylindrical comb or disc are mounted onto the main plate or frame of the music box. Small pins are precisely placed into the comb or disc to pluck the tuned teeth in the proper sequence to play the melody. The cylinder or disc is fitted to the shaft and clockwork mechanism that will turn it at the correct speed as the music box is wound up. The linen book of perforated paper is affixed above the comb or disc so the pins will pass through the holes and strike the corresponding teeth.

The trained craftsman will methodically turn the cylinder or disc through multiple rotations, listening carefully to each note played by the comb or disc. Even minute deviations in the position of the comb, disc, or paper book will be adjusted until every note sounds perfectly in tune with the desired melody. The tension on the spring and speed of the winding mechanism is calibrated so the music plays at the ideal tempo.

The final music box must withstand repeated playing over many years without losing its tune. The precision and skill required to assemble all components into a flawless finished music box is what makes these instruments so prized by collectors and music lovers today. As cited on the Musicboxmaking Experience in Nagano, Japan (source), “Assembling a music box machine is a very delicate task.”

Modern Electric Music Boxes

Electric music boxes work differently than traditional wind-up music boxes. Instead of using a mechanical cylinder or disc with physical pins that pluck the teeth of a vibrating metal comb, electric music boxes use electromagnets and digital music files.[1]

The electromagnets are positioned where the teeth of the comb would be. Then, when a digital music file is played through the device, the electromagnets are selectively turned on and off. This creates a magnetic field that causes the spring-mounted teeth to vibrate, producing the same sound as a traditional plucking comb.

Many modern electric music boxes allow you to connect digital audio sources via MIDI or USB inputs. This means you can play MIDI files or MP3s containing any song you want through the electric music box. The mechanism interprets the digital audio file and activates the correct electromagnets to reproduce the song.

Electric music boxes offer more flexibility and control than old wind-up models. You aren’t limited to short pre-pinned songs, and can program the box to play unlimited tracks from a digital library.[2]

Unique and Creative Music Boxes

While traditional music boxes are mechanical devices with a classic cylinder and comb design, modern craftspeople are pushing the creative envelope to make truly unique and one-of-a-kind music boxes. These creative boxes utilize unusual materials, shapes, and custom mechanisms.

One example is hand-carved wooden boxes shaped and painted like animals or nature scenes that play a melody. Wooden eggs, carved bears, owl figures, and more are brought to life with an interior music movement. Wrapboxx makes musical eggs and animal-shaped boxes including a charming music box duckling.

Jewelry boxes provide another canvas for unique music boxes, such as heart-shaped boxes or vintage-style jewelry cases adorned with filigree designs. Companies like Netique offer a wide selection of musical jewelry boxes made of materials like glass, acrylic, ceramic, resin, and wood in fun shapes.

Custom music box mechanisms allow choosing a special meaningful song to be played. Music Box Attic provides personalized music boxes that can play anything from pop songs to sound clips.

These creative touches show that while the interior mechanism is based on a simple design, music boxes can take limitless shapes and forms for gifts that will be cherished for years.

Conclusion

In summary, the inner workings of both cylinder and disc music boxes rely on pinned cylinders or metal discs with bumps that pluck the teeth of a comb. The comb then resonates to produce the melody. While traditional music boxes were mechanical, modern electric versions use solenoids and circuit boards but recreate the characteristic tinny sound. Music boxes have a unique charm and continue evolving with modern designs and creative innovations. More than just a novelty, they are considered musical art that provides aesthetic and entertainment value.

Music boxes capture the imagination and connect us to history. Many view collecting fine antique music boxes as appreciating art. The distinctive sound is unmistakable and stirs nostalgia. Music boxes will endure as artwork that delights the senses, brings joy, and reminds us of simpler times.