The musical saw is a distinctive instrument that produces a haunting, ethereal sound unlike any other. Its voice—simultaneously human and otherworldly—has found a natural home in experimental music, where it bridges the gap between folk tradition and avant-garde exploration. From early vaudeville stages to contemporary electroacoustic compositions, the musical saw has maintained a uniquely persistent presence, defying categorization and continuing to captivate audiences with its fragile, singing tone.

Origins and Early Use: From Workshop to Stage

The musical saw traces its roots to the early 19th century in the United States, where it emerged from the simple act of a woodworker or carpenter discovering that the blade of a hand saw could produce a musical tone when bowed. The earliest documented instances of the saw being used as an instrument appear in the 1830s, though it remained a novelty for decades. By the turn of the 20th century, the musical saw had entered the vaudeville circuit, often performed as a parlor trick or comic interlude. Its eerie, sliding pitches were delivered with a theatrical flourish, and audiences were astonished that a common tool could create such beauty.

One of the earliest known performers to popularize the saw as a legitimate instrument was the American violinist and bandleader Elie Siegmeister, who incorporated it into classical and folk arrangements. However, it was the work of performers like Marlene Dietrich and Les Paul that began to shift public perception. By the 1920s and 1930s, the musical saw was appearing in phonograph recordings, often as a novelty solo instrument in dance bands or as accompaniment to sentimental ballads. Its vibrato-laden tone was considered deeply expressive, capable of mimicking the human voice or the cry of a distant train.

Despite its initial popularity, the musical saw faced a decline in the mid-20th century as new electronic instruments and changing musical tastes pushed it to the margins. Yet it never completely disappeared. Folk musicians in Appalachia and the Ozarks kept the tradition alive, and a small community of dedicated builders and players continued to refine the instrument's design and technique.

Construction and Design: The Anatomy of a Saw

While any hand saw can theoretically be used as a musical instrument, dedicated musical saws are specially crafted for playability. They are typically made from high-carbon steel, which offers the flexibility and resonance needed for sustained tones. The blade is often wider than a standard carpenter's saw, and the handle is designed to be held with one hand while the other hand bends the blade into an S-curve using the performer's thumb and fingers. This bending action is crucial: it determines the tension and curvature that produce specific pitches.

Musical saws range in length from about 24 to 36 inches, with longer saws offering a greater range of notes. The instrument is played with a bow—usually a violin bow, though cello and bass bows are also used—drawn across the straight (unbent) edge of the blade. Some performers instead use a wooden mallet or even a rubber-tipped stick to strike the saw, creating a percussive tone that decays into a pitched hum. The pitch is controlled by the degree of bend: a deeper bend raises the pitch, while a shallower bend lowers it.

Contemporary makers have introduced several innovations. Electric musical saws incorporate piezo pickups mounted on the blade, allowing the instrument to be amplified without feedback. Others feature onboard preamps or effects loops. These advances have made the saw more practical in loud ensemble settings and studio environments, where its delicate acoustic sound might otherwise be lost.

Playing Technique: The Art of Bowing and Bending

Learning to play the musical saw requires a combination of physical dexterity and a well-trained ear. The performer must hold the saw between their knees (or on a stand) with one hand gripping the handle and the other hand applying pressure along the blade to create the curve. At the same time, the bow must be drawn across the edge at a consistent speed and pressure to produce a clear, singing tone. The most challenging aspect is maintaining a steady pitch while adjusting the bend—any slight movement alters the note.

Common techniques include:

  • Sustained bowing — producing a continuous, legato sound that resembles a theremin or a female soprano voice.
  • Glissando — sliding from one pitch to another by gradually changing the bend, often used to create mournful or soaring effects.
  • Pizzicato — plucking the edge of the saw with the finger or a pick, resulting in a sharp, bell-like attack that decays into a pitch.
  • Trills and tremolos — rapid alternation between two adjacent pitches by quick micro-adjustments of the bend, executed with precision timing.
  • Harmonics — lightly touching the blade at specific nodal points to produce overtone pitches above the fundamental, used for ethereal or glassy timbres.

Many performers also use amplification and effects to expand the saw’s palette. Reverb and delay are particularly effective, emphasizing the instrument’s natural sustain and ghostly character. Some experimentalists incorporate distortion or pitch shifters, transforming the saw into a tool for drone-based or noise-oriented compositions.

The Musical Saw in Experimental Music: A Sonic Frontier

The musical saw’s rise within experimental music parallels the broader 20th-century quest for new sounds and textures. Composers seeking to break away from traditional instrumentation found the saw’s unstable pitch and overtone-rich timbre compelling. Its inability to play precisely in equal temperament—due to the continuous nature of pitch control—made it perfect for microtonal music, where quarter-tones and glissandi are central.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the saw appeared in the works of composers such as John Cage and Morton Feldman, who appreciated its unpredictable acoustic behavior. Cage’s Water Walk (1959) featured a musical saw as part of a theatrical set of everyday objects, blurring the line between music and noise. Around the same time, David Lynch famously used the musical saw in his early multimedia performances and later in the soundtrack of Eraserhead (1977), where its eerie whine became synonymous with the film’s surreal industrial nightmare.

The saw also found champions in the experimental rock and avant-garde scenes. The band The Residents incorporated the instrument into their cryptic, theatrical albums, and Captain Beefheart used it as a textural layer on Trout Mask Replica (1969). In the 1990s and 2000s, indie and post-rock groups such as Sigur Rós and Godspeed You! Black Emperor occasionally employed the saw to add a haunting, atmospheric element to their epic compositions.

Today, the musical saw is a staple in the toolkit of many experimental performers. It appears in the works of Natalia Paruz, known as the “Saw Lady,” who has performed with orchestras and on film scores (including The Hudsucker Proxy and Django Unchained). Thomas Bloch, a virtuoso of rare instruments, regularly performs on the musical saw alongside the ondes Martenot and glass harmonica. These artists demonstrate that the saw is not merely a historical curiosity but a living, evolving instrument.

Modern Innovations and Cross-Genre Fusion

In recent years, the musical saw has been embraced by electronic music producers and sound designers. Sampling and digital processing have allowed the saw’s voice to be manipulated beyond its natural capabilities. Producers use granular synthesis to stretch a single bowed note into a long drone, or apply spectral filtering to extract its purest overtones. Some contemporary composers write explicitly for saw and electronics, creating pieces that juxtapose the raw acoustic sound with processed echoes.

The saw has also appeared in pop and rock contexts. Tom Waits used it on Bone Machine (1992), and Bonnie “Prince” Billy included it on several recordings. These appearances, while occasional, have kept the instrument in the public ear. More recently, the Swedish folk-metal band Myrkur integrated the saw into their dark, pagan-infused sound, proving that its melancholy timbre can be heavy as well as delicate.

Technological advances have also led to the development of electric and MIDI-controlled saws. Some builders have attached solenoid actuators that bend the blade automatically, enabling computer-controlled performances. While purists may argue these innovations stray from the instrument’s hands-on nature, they open new possibilities for algorithmic composition and real-time interaction.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

Beyond its musical role, the musical saw carries a symbolic weight. It represents the transformation of the mundane into the sublime—a reminder that art can emerge from the most unlikely places. Its association with rural America, carnival sideshows, and silent film scores gives it a nostalgic, almost mythical quality. At the same time, its intermittent presence in avant-garde circles lends it an air of rebellion. The saw is an instrument that refuses to be polished or standardized; it remains slightly wild, always threatening to squeak or go out of tune.

In film and television, the musical saw is often used to signify unease, memory, or the supernatural. Its sliding pitches can evoke a sense of dislocation, as heard in the score for The Ring (2002) or in the television series Fargo. This cinematic usage further solidifies the saw’s place in the collective imagination as an instrument of strange beauty.

Notable Performers and Builders

Several individuals have been instrumental in preserving and advancing the musical saw. Natalia Paruz (the “Saw Lady”) is perhaps the most visible contemporary performer, having recorded over 20 albums and performed with major orchestras. She also organizes the annual Sawposium, a gathering of saw players and enthusiasts in New York City. Thomas Bloch offers a more classically oriented approach, performing works written specifically for the saw by contemporary composers.

On the builder side, Stephen B. Smith of the Musical Saw Manufacturing Company has produced custom saws for decades, catering to professionals and beginners alike. David C. G. Esterly, noted for his work in the historical restoration of carved plaster, also experimented with saw design. Online communities such as the Musical Saw Forum provide resources for players to share techniques, recordings, and homemade instruments.

Learning and Resources

For those interested in taking up the musical saw, the learning curve is steep but rewarding. Beginners are advised to start with a quality saw designed for music, as standard hardware-store saws often lack the flexibility and resonance needed. Common starter saws include the Musical Saw Manufacturing Company’s “Standard Model” and the Anton Samann saw, which is widely recommended in community forums.

Online tutorials are plentiful. Natalia Paruz offers instructional DVDs and YouTube videos covering basic bowing technique and maintenance. The Saw Lady’s Guide to Playing the Musical Saw is a popular resource. For those seeking a more academic approach, “The Musical Saw: A Complete Guide” by Laurence J. S. G. B. (published by the Musical Saw Museum) provides historical context and advanced techniques.

External links for further exploration:

The Future of the Musical Saw

As experimental music continues to evolve, the musical saw shows no signs of disappearing. Its unique voice—at once ancient and futuristic—ensures that it will remain a tool for composers and performers seeking sounds outside the mainstream. Advances in materials science may lead to carbon-fiber blades with greater durability, while MIDI integration could allow the saw to control synthesizers or visual elements in live performance. The saw’s inherent instability, however, is its greatest strength. No algorithm can perfectly replicate the unpredictable interaction between bow pressure, blade curvature, and human touch.

In academic circles, the musical saw is gaining renewed interest. Ethnomusicologists study its role in American folk traditions, while conservatories occasionally offer workshops on extended techniques. Some composers now write concert works that feature the saw as a solo instrument, pushing its technical limits. The instrument’s fragility and vulnerability are part of its appeal—it speaks directly to the listener’s emotions, bypassing intellectual analysis.

The musical saw’s journey from a woodworking tool to a staple of experimental music is a testament to human creativity and the endless search for new sounds. Its ability to produce haunting, expressive tones continues to inspire musicians and audiences alike. As technology advances, the musical saw remains a fascinating example of how traditional objects can be transformed into innovative instruments in contemporary music.