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Prosthetic Bow Holder

Koalaa has developed a prosthetic that is lightweight and breathable like clothing, and has a range of easily interchangeable tools.  This tool allows a violin or cello bow to be gripped and the position adjusted to suit the player. 

Guitar Plectrum Holder

Koalaa has developed a prosthetic that is lightweight and breathable like clothing, and has a range of easily interchangeable tools.  This tool allows a plectrum to be gripped and the position adjusted to suit the player.  It can be purchased here.

Cello Bow Holder

This bow holder has been designed by Clara Rionda Rodriguez and consists of a number of elements:
  • A white 3D printed section that fits along the wood of the bow.
  • A blue 3D printed section that supports the hand on one side
  • A moulded red FIMO section that supports the hand on the other side
  • A Velcro strap to attach the bow holder around the hand.
 The bow holder was made specifically for an individual with a particular hand difference and allows her to play the cello effectively.  The white section could be fairly universal.  The blue and red parts need to be made for each individual but the use of FIMO makes this reproducible in a domestic environment.  The Velcro strap is also universal. 

The Chapman Stick 

​A conventional stringed instrument, like the guitar, requires the player to use one hand to select a note on the fretboard and another to actuate the strings through plucking, picking or strumming. In contrast, notes on Emmett Chapman's Chapman Stick can be generated by a simple and direct tap of the string on the fretboard with the finger of one hand. Note selection and actuation of the string are combined in a single one-handed action.

The Cello Stand

photo of cello stand
​This stand allows the cello to be played with feet. The stand is a slightly raised platform that uses threaded rods and fittings to hold the cello at a proper height for a seated musician to work both the bow and fret the strings. The stand is fully adjustable: the cello can rotate about its long axis and be tilted in from pin to neck, thereby allowing the cellist to achieve proper bow to string contact.

​​Bass Guitar

Jacob Harrison's development of a one-handed bass guitar was the subject of his PhD studies at Queen Mary University, London. He investigated three approaches: (i) Replacing the functionality of the fretting hand with linear solenoid actuators placed directly above each fret; (ii) replacing the functionality of the picking hand using a mechanical picking mechanism; or (iii) augmenting the fretboard of a bass guitar to extend the `hammer-on/pull-off' technique.

Donate to OHMI

There are so many disabled people who are desperate to play music with their peers. We can help to make that happen – but we can only do that with the wonderful support of our funders and donors.

As our instruments have to be hand-made by experts, they can only be produced in small numbers and are therefore expensive.
Every little really does help.

Contact us

If you have a query or wish to contact us, please use the contact form available here.

You can also write to us: The OHMI Trust, ​29 Woodbourne Road, ​Harborne, Birmingham B17 8BY​

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​All content © OHMI - Enabling Music-Making for Physically Disabled People
The OHMI Trust is a registered charity (Registered in England and Wales Charity No. 1143623,  Scotland Charity No. SC052047).
​Registered office: 29 Woodbourne Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 8BY