Music Banter - Weird/Unconventional/Lesser Known Instruments

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What I call the "ten dollar drumset"

http://images.hobbytron.com/XT-28805-lg.jpg

It's basically so underappreciated in music that I have yet to hear of any musician use this in a professional setting... it produces sounds that are akin to hitting paper with sticks, and produces a very intense reaction to most of the audience, which can most accurately be described as "acute annoyance." Sells for about ten to twenty dollars at anywhere from Eckerd to Toys R' Us.

Ah.... Meg Whites drum set of choice.

Ok.

The Harp Guitar:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...arp_Guitar.jpg

http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/gibsonharp.jpg

The name says it all. Though this instrument is not too common or well known. Its not new, in fact this instrument is at least two centuries old. The idea is simple, an accoustic guitar but with an extra neck which supports unstopped open bass strings like that of a harp. The guitar pictured at the top is a classic 12 string model. While the ones at the bottom are modern designs with up to 20 strings. Notice that on them the sound hole takes a more oval shape and leaves more room for the fretted strings to be plucked and played openly as well.

Harp guitar is a great instrument for those who specialize in accoustic music, its picked up a following with jazz players as well. One notable harp guitar enthusiast was the late Michael Hedges, one of the greatest accoustic guitarists who ever lived. Other notables include Muriel Anderson and Andy McKee.

YouTube - Michael Hedges - Because It's There
Hedges giving a perfect demonstration of the instrument. Take note the various techniques he is using. And pay no attention to the hair.

YouTube - Andy Mckee - The Friend I never met
Andy McKee. Pay no attention to the beard.

YouTube - Andy Mckee - Into the Ocean
MeKee again.

YouTube - Andy Mckee - Harp Guitar
And again.

YouTube - Muriel Anderson - Lady Pamela - CAAS 2006
Muriel Anderson. Pay no attention to the estrogen.

YouTube - Muriel Anderson - Waterfalls - CAAS
Anderson again. With Julie Adams (fat redhead chick) on Cello.

Thats hella badass, I want one.

Ok. This one is a real brainf*ck. Presenting the most pretentious overblown instrument ever made.

The Pikasso:

http://www.everythingweird.com/images/42_guitar.jpg

The first thing that comes to mind is, how in the hell does someone play that? How do you even pick the damn thing up? Indeed it does look like something the great Pablo Pikasso would cook up. But it was actually cooked up by Linda Manzer, one of the finest luthiers in the world, and it was custom made for Jazz fusion great Pat Metheny. It was Mathenys desire to play a guitar with "as many strings as possible".

A true freak among guitars. 4 necks, 5 main bridges on the body, 2 sound holes, 2 access doors and 42 strings. It took 2 years to create. Its rather heavy, it weighs around 6.7 kg or 14 3/4 lbs. It features a state of the art pickup system. The fretted six string section features hexaphonic pickup which allowed Metheny to control synthesizers and samples, simply by playing this instrument.

Only two Pikassos have ever been made, one for Metheny, and a strictly accoustic version for the late Scott Chinery, it is simply known as the Pikasso II, and was recently on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

No videos. Sorry. :(

I'd srrsly like to see someone play that.

Siamese twins connected at the hip.

Yes. The result of guitar incest.

The Bazantar:

http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/bazantar.jpg

The Bazantar is a relatively new creation, invented by Mark Deutsch (pictured above). Its essentially a 5 string upright accoustic bass, but with 33 strings added, 29 sympathetic strings and 4 drone strings. Adding a whole new sound and texture to the classical instrument.

The sympathetic strings range spans at 4 octaves, but the instrument itself has an impressive 5 octave range. When the melodic, sympathetic and drone strings are played together, it creates a very rich, complex soundscape.

YouTube - Mark Deutsch Playing the Bazantar
Demonstration by Deutsch.

http://www.oddmusic.com/clips/bazantar.mp3
Sound clip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo (Post 372763)

Next up. Not quite as obscure.

The Theremin:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/theremin.jpg

Invented by Léon Theremin in 1919. The Theremin truly is a freak among instruments, it's often associated with the 1950s and science fiction movies. It is unique in that it is the first instrument to be played with out touching. Its made up of two radio frequency oscillators and two metal antennae, which are very sensitive to even the most subtle vibrations and movement. One of the antennae (the one that looks like a loop) controls volume, the farther your hand is from it the louder it gets, and vice versa. The other one controls pitch and is the one used to play notes. Players offen shake their hands to get a clean vibrato sound, which is what Theremin more than anything else is known for, it's tone and effect is very similar to that of the musical saw.

The instrument never became a real commercial success. It did however gather a large cult following and it's influence and impact on modern electronic music can still be heard today. Robert Moog was a theremin enthusiast and he studied the instrument before creating his own masterpiece, the Moog synthesizer.

Rock bands who have used or experimented with the Theremin include Jimmy Page, Pere Ubu, The Decemberists, Patrick Wolf and Fishbone among others.

A demonstration.

YouTube - Theremin Lesson One

Leon Theremin's life story is actually very interesting, there's some of it here: LÃ©on Theremin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , and there's a movie about it that I really want to rent.