Philomel (musical instrument) Philomel (musical instrument) Philomel (; or "Stahlgeige" ) is the name of a musical instrument similar to the violin, but having four steel, wire strings. It has been invented around Monaco di Baviera in the middle of the nineteenth century and has got some similarities with the Bowedmelodion also known as Streichmelodion The philomel has a body with incurvations similar to those of the guitar; therefore, without corner blocks, the outline of the upper lobe forms a wavy shoulder reminiscent of the viols but more ornate and fanciful. The peg-box sometimes terminates in a fancy head instead of a scroll.
Experimental musical instrument generate a range of unusual sounds and tones. The human body becomes a part of the circuit and determines the range of sounds possible; different people will generate different sounds. The neola is a tenor stringed musical instrument invented in 1970 by Goronwy Bradley Davies, Llanbedr, Wales. Plastics and aluminium were used in the design and the invention was recognized in a British Patent (registered 16 August 1972) and a Design Council award. The name "Neola" was registered for the instrument. The invention is intended as a tenor, replacing an instrument in the viol family that has been surpassed by