Creating Music With Wine Glasses

A glass harp produces haunting melodies using only upright wine glasses and wet fingers. By rubbing the rims, musicians cause the glass to vibrate and hum with surprising volume.

This instrument works through a phenomenon called stick-slip friction. As you run a moist finger around the glass, it alternately grips and slides, creating vibrations that amplify through the bowl. Players tune the glasses by adjusting the water level inside each one. While it looks delicate, a skilled performer can create ethereal sounds that mimic a violin or a human choir.