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One of my favorite multimedia artists is Louie Zong. I listen to his music all the time! One of my favorite things he does on occasion is using a strange/unconventional instrument to create a really cool tune.
Such as this goodwill piano
or this 1987 drum software
oooor my personal favorite: a song made from different nintendo music games!
(There are a bunch more examples on his youtube, I just picked out some of my favorites!)
Do you know of any fun, strange and/or unconventional instruments? Or any songs that really get funky with it? :seal:
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Okay, I FINALLY found these again, so I can respond bwahhaha
these made me think of a Nintendo DS homebrew thingy I saw a while ago!
Rytmik (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n_g4Q88hu4)
I don't know much about music so I can't really say much about either of these but I love fun things! And whatever Louie has going on is definitely SO fun!
Another little one is this Hatsune Miku Pocket Synth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hk-kOPdHAY) that I find so so cute aaa!
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Okay, I FINALLY found these again, so I can respond bwahhaha
these made me think of a Nintendo DS homebrew thingy I saw a while ago!
Rytmik (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n_g4Q88hu4)
I don't know much about music so I can't really say much about either of these but I love fun things! And whatever Louie has going on is definitely SO fun!
Another little one is this Hatsune Miku Pocket Synth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hk-kOPdHAY) that I find so so cute aaa!
New favorite music genre unlocked: whatever the heck people are doing with their 3DSs
Oh I've seen this exact video about the pocket synth! It's so limited compared to regular ole Miku, but WOW it really does lend itself to some creative ways to go about it. Like, to literally use Miku as an instrument...it's so cool (I mean a singing voice is an instrument but I hope you know what I mean hehe :ok: )
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I am prob a basic b**ch here for saying this, but my fave instruments of all time are:
The Theremin - how can anyone not adore and love this instrument? It's been used copiously in horror movies through the '50s-'70s! You hear a Theremin and you know there's gonna be some otherworldly alien crap going down!
I also love the Waterphone... again for similar reasons as the Theremin but the Waterphone holds a closer place in my heart cos I heard the otherworldly, existential sounds of a Waterphone in some of my favorite ever movies and shows... The Fly, Real Monsters, Rugrats, The Matrix etc. One of my fave uses for it was this scene in The Fly (https://youtu.be/H8CvqNCHF9E?si=2CjjTYAPG0ZUkQ-L&t=70) (content warning, horror movie content click with caution) where 'Ronnie looks out of the telepod to see Brundlefly walk by... the otherworldly feel of the situation is captured so perfectly with that one sound!
Honorary mention also goes out to the Hydraulophone!
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Saw the title of this thread and I had to add my sauce in here.hehe :4u:
I wish I myself was the one using weird instruments but the most I have done is sampling stuff from 90's sample packs.
But in that same sample journey I've found this youtube channel
Japanese Toy Piano from 1957 has electric bells inside! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLAzeQfMk4g&ab_channel=DavidHilowitzMusic)
It has a lot of interesting videos and the cool thing is that a lot of these instruments they turn into free sample librarys!
(My fav one is the vinyl (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCuC3fV_fHc&ab_channel=DavidHilowitzMusic) thingy)
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I also love the Waterphone... again for similar reasons as the Theremin but the Waterphone holds a closer place in my heart cos I heard the otherworldly, existential sounds of a Waterphone in some of my favorite ever movies and shows... The Fly, Real Monsters, Rugrats, The Matrix etc. One of my fave uses for it was this scene in The Fly (https://youtu.be/H8CvqNCHF9E?si=2CjjTYAPG0ZUkQ-L&t=70) (content warning, horror movie content click with caution) where 'Ronnie looks out of the telepod to see Brundlefly walk by... the otherworldly feel of the situation is captured so perfectly with that one sound!
Honorary mention also goes out to the Hydraulophone!
I had to check out the waterphone and hydraulophone because I've never heard of them! But I instantly recognized the former!! I'm glad I now know the name of the instrument that makes those classic horror stings! I honestly didn't even known there was a specific instrument to attribute to those sounds, so cool!
And the hydraulophone is so interesting and soothing! It's the perfect instrument for a water level in a video game :ok:
Saw the title of this thread and I had to add my sauce in here.hehe :4u:
I wish I myself was the one using weird instruments but the most I have done is sampling stuff from 90's sample packs.
But in that same sample journey I've found this youtube channel
Japanese Toy Piano from 1957 has electric bells inside! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLAzeQfMk4g&ab_channel=DavidHilowitzMusic)
It has a lot of interesting videos and the cool thing is that a lot of these instruments they turn into free sample librarys!
(My fav one is the vinyl (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCuC3fV_fHc&ab_channel=DavidHilowitzMusic) thingy)
I'm curious as to what's the strangest thing you've sampled!
I love toy pianos! The way they sound a little bit "off" really scratches a certain itch in my brain juuust right. And this one is so neat! Seeing the mechanisms that make it work and getting a little history lesson is super cool too!
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I had to check out the waterphone and hydraulophone because I've never heard of them! But I instantly recognized the former!! I'm glad I now know the name of the instrument that makes those classic horror stings! I honestly didn't even known there was a specific instrument to attribute to those sounds, so cool!
And the hydraulophone is so interesting and soothing! It's the perfect instrument for a water level in a video game :ok:
I am real glad I could inform! I know I was SUPER excited and happy when a friend told me about the waterphone years ago, and I finally realised the instrument behind some of my fave sfx! I dunno what it is specifically about a waterphone but, hearing it just instantly makes me think I am witnessing some sort of 'beyond the veil of human comprehension' type of nightmare/eldritch thing! It's great!
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First thing I thought of was people using the GameBoy to make music, with something called the Nanoloop. You can apparently hook up the GameBoy to effect pedals for even more creativity. It's a very interesting way to make authentic chiptunes.
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The theremin Is one of my Favorites that comes to Mind, but I'm sure a Lot of people Know about it Already LOL ...
I am also fond of the Saw, or the Musical Saw in case Things get mixed up :ok: It's really Neat how people Were able to get something Musical out of Something that's commonly Recognized as a tool! The sound It makes Has similarities to those From a theremin, Which is probably One of the main Reasons why I like it as Well :grin: !!!! There's even Saws out there that Are customized Specifically for being an Instrument with some Nice decoration, though still with their Signature serrated Edge ... (I've recently Read that some Sawists modify their Saw so that it Doesn't have a Sharp side, though!) Real interesting Stuff ^_____________________^
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briefly skimming this thread, i don't think anyone has mentioned the oscilloscope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscilloscope#:~:text=An%20oscilloscope%20(informally%20scope%20or,debugging%2C%20analysis%2C%20or%20characterization.) (my personal favorite machine to ever exist) as a means for music. the oscilloscope displays soundwaves visually and is a pretty useful for checking amps for debug, which is the only thing i've personally used it for but i'm sure they have many other important uses. anyways, last year i went to a local music fest and one of the artists there showcase how he used the oscilloscope to both make music as well as create the album covers for his songs. i seriously wish that I caught the name of his band but there are plenty of other examples online as well!
this site by eric lennartson (https://ericlennartson.com/scope.html) does a pretty good job explaining how the process works as well as provides examples of the sound, totally recommend checking it out if you're interested. also, some pictures of the fabled o-scope because they just look sick too!
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Lissajous_figure_scope_1.jpg/640px-Lissajous_figure_scope_1.jpg) (https://www.paleotechnologist.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Scope_setup_clean.jpg) (https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vrCjeQGavSE/maxresdefault.jpg)
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Do acoustic instruments count?
The Contraguitar is a instrument mainly in use within Austria, and it is hard to find even footage of it in usage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraguitar
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I have some asian mouth-organs here. A Bahu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bawu) and a Khene (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khene); both are - at least in the area where I live - most exotic!
The Bahu got a great sound, almost like a Oboe. The Khene is damn difficult to play, and since the reeds are long (so you inhale your used air again, since it is played two-way), I get dizzy when using it. I've heard that it is played for purpose of meditation in Laos. There is another asian mouth-organ that incorporates a squash!
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There is, to my knowledge, only a handful of Glass-Organ players existent on the planet, and the instruments are basically unfindable:
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The portative organ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portative_organ) is a miniature organ, and the only records I know using it are some of the works of Shirley Collins with her sister. The sound is great!
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I'm a little shocked to see that nobody has mentioned the stylophone yet considering how fairly mainstream they are! they started as a children's toy but have gained a bit of musical prestige over the past 60 years thanks to their usage in songs by artists like david bowie and kraftwerk. they're essentially a small handheld electric keyboard with a built in speaker and several tuning options, but the most unique thing about them is that they are played using a little attached stylus which creates an electrical contact signal with the keys. I have one of the basic models, which hasn't changed in design much since 1967, and it's incredibly fun to play. there are all sorts of models now, including one with expanded technical synth capabilities and a couple of small drum machines, as well as a theremin model releasing soon.
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i like when people repurpose common objects into something musical. an example i have on hand is this person who modified an industrial fan into an instrument.
i've also seen barcode scanners and crt tvs be used! i think it's super creative to be able to transform objects into such fun sounding instruments :dive:
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gosh, how have none of you mentioned the omnichord yet?? i LOVE mine. or the autoharp for that matter (which i don't have... yet...!).
they're not just gorgeous-sounding, but super accessible instruments. i genuinely don't think i'd be as into music as i am if i didn't have my omnichords.
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The theremin Is one of my Favorites that comes to Mind, but I'm sure a Lot of people Know about it Already LOL ...
I am also fond of the Saw, or the Musical Saw in case Things get mixed up :ok: It's really Neat how people Were able to get something Musical out of Something that's commonly Recognized as a tool! The sound It makes Has similarities to those From a theremin, Which is probably One of the main Reasons why I like it as Well :grin: !!!! There's even Saws out there that Are customized Specifically for being an Instrument with some Nice decoration, though still with their Signature serrated Edge ... (I've recently Read that some Sawists modify their Saw so that it Doesn't have a Sharp side, though!) Real interesting Stuff ^_____________________^
I love the musical saw!! it's always the first thing I think of when someone brings up 'unusual instruments' :happy:
it's so neat how the musical saw/singing saw can create such eerie, horror-movie quality sounds... but also be used to make something kind of goofy & cheerful like one of the Spongebob background tunes, lol :)
i like when people repurpose common objects into something musical. an example i have on hand is this person who modified an industrial fan into an instrument.
i've also seen barcode scanners and crt tvs be used! i think it's super creative to be able to transform objects into such fun sounding instruments :dive:
that's so clever!! crazy, it sounds so similar to electric guitar :omg:
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This thread reminded me of the 2015 Guthman musical instrument invention competition from Georgia Tech. The prototype instruments from there are wild & wacky! Check them out :ozwomp:
The Nomis from John Sparks is probably my favorite out of the competition :happy: It plays with shapes, colors, and motion while staying capable of chords & melodies with a queue system for adding & editing timbres mid-performance. I could see music from this instrument being used on a MelonLand site, and it'd feel right at home!
The Voice-controlled Guitar (VCG) from Greg Hendler, Mark Crowley, and Raja Raman really plays with what it means to be a guitar! I've actually been to shows with Greg before, and he does shred on the more standard electric guitar. The VCG is an instrument made with a skilled guitarist onboard, to get an experimental sound out of an almost familiar way of playing.
The GePS from Cedric Spindler & Frederic Robinson is something I see so much potential in as a way of creating a full-body theremin. It uses glove-tracking technology, usually used for VR, to control the sound from the device. It may have still been a work in progress at the time of its entry, but I think there's a lot that can be made off of this concept, both in music performance and in VR audio design!
The Turner Winch from David Turner Matthews is a more analog instrument that encourages real-time re-tuning and is relatively accessible to actually play yourself :happy:
The D-Box from Andrew McPherson & Victor Zappi is another instrument that plays with the idea of modularity in sound! The performance here doesn't capture it, but the magic of this device is that it can be rewired to create whole other sound experiences. I've spoken with Victor, and before this, he was making theremins! He's a habitual tinkerer, and this instrument is a peek at his passion for assembling & inventing new creative devices :wizard:
There were several more entries in this competition, and you can see the top 10 by going to Georgia Tech's "Music Reinvented" article (https://news.gatech.edu/archive/features/guthman-music-competition-top-10.shtml) :goL: :dive: