Weirdest instruments to ever find mainstream appeal

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Tap shoes and turntables?

― Curtis Stephens, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:26 (twenty-three years ago)

mandolin.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:28 (twenty-three years ago)

That thing that Peter Frampton has

― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:30 (twenty-three years ago)

the talk box?

how about it's distant cousin that has made the rounds in all the lastest pop songs: the vocoder

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:41 (twenty-three years ago)

what about the dijeridoo?

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:42 (twenty-three years ago)

hullo...THEREMIN

"Good Vibrations", y'all

Talkboxes are a fuckin' bitch. Cool as hell, but good GOD talk about hassle.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:44 (twenty-three years ago)

tb-303... remember, it was only made to be a bass synth to accompany guitarists!

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:46 (twenty-three years ago)

when you think about it ... isn't there something pretty weird about electric guitars?

― phil jones (interstar), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Those mouth harps that go Boingboingboingboingboing.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 19:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Theremin, by feet.. but also:

Guiro, Moog (descendent of theremin), Tape loops

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Pseudo Turing Machines

― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:06 (twenty-three years ago)

The kazoo, sadly (but briefly).

― DavidM (DavidM), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:12 (twenty-three years ago)

accordion
people love that accordion

― Bruce Urquhart (Bruce Urquhart), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:13 (twenty-three years ago)

All I can think of that hasn't been mentioned is the bass harmonica (see Pet Sounds).

― Lee G (Lee G), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:14 (twenty-three years ago)

The sitar?

― Aaron W, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:16 (twenty-three years ago)

The saxophone?

― Orange, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Hondo Guitars

http://www.mbtinternational.com/hondo/history.htm

― steve k (stevek10), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Augustus Pablo took up that kids' toy called a melodica and helped to invent dub reggae.

And let's not forget the great orchestration of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Band.

― Matt C., Wednesday, 18 December 2002 20:46 (twenty-three years ago)

human beatbox

― bob snoom, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh yeah.

"Ground control to major tom..."
http://www.stylophone-sales.fsnet.co.uk/boxed/IMAG007A.JPG

― Aaron W, Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:14 (twenty-three years ago)

beer bottles

Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:15 (twenty-three years ago)

That video-game solo in "The Logical Song."

― mike a (mike a), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:16 (twenty-three years ago)

hurdy gurdy
& 'the musical saw' have also had their moments in pop

― t\'\'t (t''t), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:26 (twenty-three years ago)

i own:
mbira (african thumb piano)
melodica
dijeridoo
snake charmers flute
jaw (jew's) harp-those mouth harps that go Boingboingboingboingboing
cuica - Brazilian drum w/stick decending from drum head. you rub the stick so that the head vibrates and then you tighten and loosen the tension of the head w/your other hand. it makes a sound like a monkey breathing really hard.
Banduria - filipino 14 stringed mandolin
ukelele

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Re: Stylophone

http://www.littlerobot.co.uk/style/

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 21:50 (twenty-three years ago)

you rub the stick so that the head vibrates and then you tighten and loosen the tension of the head w/your other hand. it makes a sound like a monkey breathing really hard.

!!!!!!!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:03 (twenty-three years ago)

it sounds odd as f*uck, and it looks just as obscene
http://www.brazildrums.com/cuica.htm
read this, it shows a picture and has a little bit more consise description than the one i gave.

i found a real audio clip of it
http://www.maria-brazil.org/audio/cuica.ram

― JasonD (JasonD), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 22:42 (twenty-three years ago)

The cuica is a fucking BRILLIANT instrument. No instrument can sound like it's having sex as well as the cuica. (maybe it's a brilliant fucking instrument then?)

The saxophone is pretty weird when you think about it, it used to be considered a gimmicky contraption.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 23:15 (twenty-three years ago)

what is the name of that thing you hold in one hand, hit it with the other, and it goes brrrrrrrrrrr in a really nice, smooth way? it's made out of metal (i think!) and consists of a ball-like shape connected via a curved metal stick to a horn-shape. cake has used it a lot, especially on 'fashion nugget'. it just sounds sweeeet!
i looks a little something like this:

----<
|
----o

― Jay K (Jay K), Wednesday, 18 December 2002 23:28 (twenty-three years ago)

The hoover. Programmed in the Roland Juno basically as a joke, and even after fifteen years, people still go fucking mental whenever they hear it.

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Its called a Vibraslap.

― Dave Beckhouse (Dave Beckhouse), Thursday, 19 December 2002 00:57 (twenty-three years ago)

MIDI.

― Adam Bruneau, Thursday, 19 December 2002 02:44 (twenty-three years ago)

What about those fucking ridiculous keyboards from the '80s that were designed to be played like guitars. Lame

― William R Henderson (Cabin Essence), Thursday, 19 December 2002 04:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Musical spoons dudes!

Soundgarden - Spoonman

― Mil, Thursday, 19 December 2002 09:47 (twenty-three years ago)

DOUBLE HEADED GUITARS MUTHERFUCKERS!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 19 December 2002 09:54 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.trombone-society.org.uk/images/serpent1.jpg

Serpent.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 19 December 2002 10:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Autoharp (see Lovin' Spoonful)
Jug (see 13th Floor Elevators)

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 19 December 2002 11:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Also, when you think about it, turntablism is pretty damn weird.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 19 December 2002 11:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Cowbells.

― jot eff pe, Thursday, 19 December 2002 12:04 (twenty-three years ago)

I once saw Pharoah Sanders do a bowl solo. He had this bowl that he hit once, held up it up to the microphone and just let it resonate.

Sounded great.

― James Ball (James Ball), Thursday, 19 December 2002 12:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Then there's the bowel solo.

Perfected by Le Petomane - the Windbreaker - who used to fart musically on stage. Now there's someone I'd pay money to see.

― James Ball (James Ball), Thursday, 19 December 2002 12:33 (twenty-three years ago)

I just wish someone would do a mix featuring all these instruments ...

― phil jones (interstar), Thursday, 19 December 2002 13:10 (twenty-three years ago)

The washboard - Lonnie Donegan RIP.

― James Ball (James Ball), Thursday, 19 December 2002 14:26 (twenty-three years ago)

glass celeste, made by Benjamin Franklin, which consisted of thirteen glass bowls full of water and a foot-motor (like on old sewing machines), where you pump the pedal with your foot, wet your fingers, and touch the edges of the spinning bowls

Okay, maybe never used in pop music, but GOOD GOD it's one of the coolest instruments EVAH.

And I'm amazed how many instruments mentioned on this thread I own (melodica, jew's harp, vibraslap, cuica, didjeridoo, accordion, kazoo).

Anyway, jeez-o-pete, Roland Kirk ownz this thread. He played nose-flute, slide whistles, he stretched out saxophones and reworked the fingering and called them 'stritch' and 'manzello' and played them and a tenor sax all at the same time, he played plastic trumpets and saxophones, wooden flutes, gongs, even occasionally picked up a chair with one hand and slammed it on the floor. Not to mention he usually carried or wore all these instruments at once.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 19 December 2002 14:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Tap shoes and turntables?
the two are united in one song, 'don't get it twisted' by jigmastas ft. sadat x

― minna (minna), Thursday, 19 December 2002 15:45 (twenty-three years ago)

what about the alpenhorn? has that ever reached mainstream success outside of ricola commercials?

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 19 December 2002 15:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Vibraslap!
thanks dave!

― Jay K (Jay K), Thursday, 19 December 2002 16:01 (twenty-three years ago)

theremins are pretty darn odd and have mainstream appeal.

― doug (doug), Friday, 20 December 2002 08:54 (twenty-three years ago)

the chapman stick! i saw a video of keith emerson playing a solo on one of these, it was the most ridiculous "musical" performance i ever witnessed.

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Saturday, 21 December 2002 15:00 (twenty-three years ago)

...and abso-rockin-lutely - Ondes Martenot!

― t\'\'t (t''t), Saturday, 21 December 2002 16:59 (twenty-three years ago)

nine months pass...

drumitar!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 25 September 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

i wouldnt consider the theremin so odd (maybe ive been obsessed with it a wee bit too long.
i'd like to put the optigan up for speculation. IT WAS MADE BY MATTEL DAMMIT!

― Felcher (Felcher), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

ha ha the handclap

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 25 September 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't see why nobody has mentioned the bagpipe yet...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 25 September 2003 21:34 (twenty-two years ago)

the glockinspiel comes to mind

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Thursday, 25 September 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if they were ever that popular, but the Brazilian band Uakti has lots of cool self-made instruments. For example, the Aqualung..
http://www.sonsdouakti.hpg.ig.com.br/sonsdouakti/instrumentos/imagens/aqualung.jpg

..which creates notes when water is poured through it. Then there's the Trilobita..
http://www.sonsdouakti.hpg.ig.com.br/sonsdouakti/instrumentos/imagens/trilobita.jpg

..which is a percussion instrument made of PVC pipes. There's also..

..the Grande pan
http://www.sonsdouakti.hpg.ig.com.br/sonsdouakti/instrumentos/imagens/grandepan.gif

..the Garrafão
http://www.sonsdouakti.hpg.ig.com.br/sonsdouakti/instrumentos/imagens/garrafao.jpg

..the Pan inclinado
http://www.sonsdouakti.hpg.ig.com.br/sonsdouakti/instrumentos/imagens/paninclinado.jpg

..and lots of others.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 26 September 2003 06:12 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

should i buy a stylophone?

the answer is obviously yes.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 7 February 2004 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Tap shoes and turntables?
the two are united in one song, 'don't get it twisted' by jigmastas ft. sadat x

De La Soul's Peace Porridge too

― phil jones (interstar), Monday, 11 April 2005 02:38 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.hamerguitars.com/pics/artists/ricknielsen.jpg

― Yngwie AlmsteenMay (sgertz), Monday, 11 April 2005 03:04 (twenty-one years ago)

That bottom neck look real easy to get at...

ocarina - (Troggs - Wild Thing)

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 11 April 2005 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Tap shoes and turntables?
the two are united in one song, 'don't get it twisted' by jigmastas ft. sadat x

De La Soul's Peace Porridge too

That one Kweli song on Quality, too.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 11 April 2005 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Sampler
Vocoder
Drum machine (man, if I were playing jazz in the Twenties I'd be bewildered by it)

― Ian Riese-Moraine. To Hell with you and your gradual evolution! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 11 April 2005 20:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The Harpsichord is probably no weirder than a piano technically, but not many #1 singles feature one swinging so hard as Rosemary Clooney's "Come On-A My House."

And yeah, the Jew's harp friggin' roxx, and a stylophone is a must.

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Monday, 11 April 2005 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.