The Cool/Rare/Weird Instrument Appreciation Thread

**Frownland** · 01-31-2016, 12:11 PM

Post instruments that you think are interesting, preferably ones that are kind of uncommon. Expecting to see a lot of great stuff here. I'll get the ball rolling with

Umrhubhe

The mouth acts as a resonator where you can change the overtones of the bowing, making a whistling sound. It originated with hunters using their bows as instruments before it took off throughout various tribes.

The Fluid Piano

Great for ragas and other styles of music that uses microtones.

Viola Organistra

One of the more infamous unique instruments since it was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci, but wasn't built until long after his death. It uses the organistrum design (better known as a hurdy gurdy) and applies it to the piano, with the foot pedal controlling the "bows". I have wet dreams about the drone music that this one can make, I find the classical approach in this video to be a little sterile tbh.

TheLhix · 01-31-2016, 12:18 PM

contrabass balalaika

Picasso Guitar?

grindy · 01-31-2016, 12:56 PM

Daxophone

Spoiler for YT:

Paul Metzger's Modified Banjo

Spoiler for YT:

Paolo Angeli's Sardinian Guitar

Spoiler for YT:

Bazantaar

Spoiler for YT:

Bowhammer Cymbalom (the cymbalom isn't that unusual, but the bows are)

Spoiler for YT:

Nyckelharpa

Spoiler for YT:

Domra

Spoiler for YT:

Glass harmonica

Spoiler for YT:

Duduk

(Also some nice hang and sintir playing there)

Spoiler for YT:

TheLhix · 01-31-2016, 01:01 PM

This is some of the freakiest crap I've heard. I love it.

**Frownland** · 01-31-2016, 07:08 PM

The semantron: a long piece of wood played as a melodic percussion instrument.

Aloysius · 02-01-2016, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLhix

contrabass balalaika

This brings back some memories. About 10 years ago I played bass for a Russian Gypsy band. They all wanted me to play bass balalaika (rather than the fender precision copy I was using). It sounded cool but was just too hard for me, I wasn't even a real bass player, just a guitarist pretending to be one. This is the first I've heard of a contrabass balalaika though.

One of my faves is the octabass - lowest notes are below the range of human hearing.

grindy · 02-01-2016, 07:08 AM

Pedal piano

Basically a two story piano with a full pedalboard.

Here's Alkan's wonderful "Benedictus" played on one. Although I have to say that I slightly prefer this piece being played (contrary to the composer's intentions) on an organ.

Spoiler for YT:

Pencilina

Spoiler for YT:

**Frownland** · 02-01-2016, 10:16 AM

"Yaybahar is an electric-free, totally acoustic instrument designed by Gorkem Sen. The vibrations from the strings are transmitted via the coiled springs to the frame drums. These vibrations are turned into sound by the membranes which echo back and forth on the coiled springs. This results in an unique listening experience with an hypnotic surround sound.

What you hear in this performance is captured in realtime without any additional effects and with no post audio processing."

grindy · 02-01-2016, 10:32 AM

^That thing is awesome. Hope some music that utilizes it well will be released soon.
Couldn't find anything besides four tracks on soundcloud.

**Frownland** · 02-01-2016, 10:35 AM

There's this little bit. I'd like to see that played with someone like Stephen O'Malley, I could see that working out well.

And now, this

01-31-2016, 12:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	The Cool/Rare/Weird Instrument Appreciation Thread Post instruments that you think are interesting, preferably ones that are kind of uncommon. Expecting to see a lot of great stuff here. I'll get the ball rolling with Umrhubhe The mouth acts as a resonator where you can change the overtones of the bowing, making a whistling sound. It originated with hunters using their bows as instruments before it took off throughout various tribes. The Fluid Piano Great for ragas and other styles of music that uses microtones. Viola Organistra One of the more infamous unique instruments since it was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci, but wasn't built until long after his death. It uses the organistrum design (better known as a hurdy gurdy) and applies it to the piano, with the foot pedal controlling the "bows". I have wet dreams about the drone music that this one can make, I find the classical approach in this video to be a little sterile tbh. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

01-31-2016, 12:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
grindy . Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: . Posts: 7,201	Daxophone Spoiler for YT: (Sadly no good videos of actual playing) Paul Metzger's Modified Banjo Spoiler for YT: Paolo Angeli's Sardinian Guitar Spoiler for YT: Bazantaar Spoiler for YT: Bowhammer Cymbalom (the cymbalom isn't that unusual, but the bows are) Spoiler for YT: Nyckelharpa Spoiler for YT: Domra Spoiler for YT: Glass harmonica Spoiler for YT: Duduk (Also some nice hang and sintir playing there) Spoiler for YT: __________________ *A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.* Last edited by grindy; 01-31-2016 at 01:04 PM.

01-31-2016, 07:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	The semantron: a long piece of wood played as a melodic percussion instrument. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

02-01-2016, 07:08 AM	#7 (permalink)
grindy . Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: . Posts: 7,201	Pedal piano Basically a two story piano with a full pedalboard. Here's Alkan's wonderful "Benedictus" played on one. Although I have to say that I slightly prefer this piece being played (contrary to the composer's intentions) on an organ. Spoiler for YT: Pencilina Spoiler for YT: __________________ *A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.* Last edited by grindy; 02-01-2016 at 07:16 AM.

02-01-2016, 10:16 AM	#8 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	"Yaybahar is an electric-free, totally acoustic instrument designed by Gorkem Sen. The vibrations from the strings are transmitted via the coiled springs to the frame drums. These vibrations are turned into sound by the membranes which echo back and forth on the coiled springs. This results in an unique listening experience with an hypnotic surround sound. What you hear in this performance is captured in realtime without any additional effects and with no post audio processing." __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

01-31-2016, 12:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheLhix Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Under the keys of my keyboard like a troll under a bridge Posts: 81	contrabass balalaika Picasso Guitar?

01-31-2016, 01:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheLhix Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Under the keys of my keyboard like a troll under a bridge Posts: 81	This is some of the freakiest crap I've heard. I love it.

02-01-2016, 10:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
grindy . Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: . Posts: 7,201	^That thing is awesome. Hope some music that utilizes it well will be released soon. Couldn't find anything besides four tracks on soundcloud. __________________ *A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.*

02-01-2016, 10:35 AM	#10 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	There's this little bit. I'd like to see that played with someone like Stephen O'Malley, I could see that working out well. And now, this __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x