This is the thread where we name as many WEIRD INSTRUMENTS as possible!

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And maybe give a little description of what it is they do / what sound they make, how you play them.

GO!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 08:13 (twenty-one years ago)

The jug... makes sort of weird burbling sound (check out the 13th Floor Elevators). Think you play it by blowing into it but, uh, really I'm not too sure.

My friend has a great South American ukelele-type instrument, the body of which is made out of a dead armadillo. Which is nice.

The Javanese coconut flute sounds like a cross between soprano sax and an arse-trombone.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 08:22 (twenty-one years ago)

The dictaphone, as played by my good friend THF Drenching.

He records himself on improv vocalese and then manipulates the tapes on the dictaphone, amplifies the machine, winds them back and forth, to sound like a horn and/or one-man rhythm section. He's a virtuoso.

He usually works in tandem with his partner Sonic Pleasure, who plays bricks as drums.

Together they act as the "rhythm section" for Derek Bailey's current group Limescale.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 08:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Eugene Chadbourne's "electric rake" - he attaches a pickup to an ordiinary lawn rake and plucks the tines. Makes a hell of a cool noise! Best recorded example I know of is his cover or "Batman", re-titled "Rakeman", from '87's Vermin Of The Blues.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

What's that stick that makes a noise when you whir your hand around it without touching it? I like that one.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Theremin!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 09:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The Finnish trio Cleaning Women plays amplified percussion and string instruments made of laundry drying racks.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:06 (twenty-one years ago)

tone tube - long plastic tube with small holes cut along the sides.
whirl it about and a windy note comes out the end.
whirl it faster & the note changes! (there are about 4 or 5 different notes)
best example - in the background of "like spinning plates" by radiohead.

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The khaen is a wind instrument with anywhere from 8 to 32 reeds that can be up to a meter long. It makes a great, hypnotically droning sound, a little like a psychedelic accordion. It's native to Laos and Northern Thailand, and features prominently in a style of music called molam.

http://agenda.liternet.ro/imagini01/khaen.jpg

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm trying to think where it is where they just yell into someone else's open mouth and the sound resonates in their throat and it comes back as this big booming noise. I think I might have dreamt this though.

Also...
Stylophones
Noseflutes
Bowed saw
And I've heard a few things about Matmos playing wired-up bird-cages.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:10 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.uta.fi/festnews/fn2003/kuvat/perjantai/aelita_360px.jpg

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Inuit throat singing (different from Tuva etc) is very similar to this.
Two people face each other, and i think in the past they might have
used the other persons mouth as a kind of amplifier.

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:17 (twenty-one years ago)

A couple of Norwegian acts, starting with 60s beat group, The Pussycats, have used the mouth harp, a traditional Norwegian folk instrument that has later been used to great effect by techno/electronica act Ari Thunda on his "Grim Berg"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:20 (twenty-one years ago)

hans reichel's "daxophone" - have a listen at his web site.

― phil turnbull (philT), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah, Hans Reichel. He has this thing that's two guitar necks stuck together with pick-ups in the middle.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I am not sure if I can name all the "instruments" used on the debut album by United States of America. But weird they were anyway

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Harry Partch was a composer who invented instruments.

http://home.swipnet.se/sonoloco2/Rec/Innova/IRPartch2.jpg

At left are the cloud chamber bowls; some other instrument names include the xymoxyl and the harmonic chord.

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:28 (twenty-one years ago)

fire organ

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The Chapman Stick... (...is it only weirdos that play this thing?)

http://4.avatarreview.com:8084/pictures/dragoncave/fezgig31.jpg

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

No mention of the Gizmo yet, it seems.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Just a few words about the Gizmo then. It looks like a guitar, but sounds like kind of a synth. Was developed by Kevin Godley & Lol Creme, used on some mid 70s 10cc albums, later on various Godley & Creme albums. Not certain whether it was ever used by anybody else.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh how could i forget Jon Rose, who plays fences that are miles long in Australia.
Watch his quicktime movie near the bottom of the page!

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:40 (twenty-one years ago)

A lot of pre-sampler acts used "tapes" as one of their instruments. In fact, so many, and so often, that I guess it doesn't count as "weird"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Eberg uses an eharp, which he made himself and is brilliant - play it here: http://www.eberg.net/eharp.html

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.eranu.force9.co.uk/blowthin.gif

http://www.eranu.force9.co.uk/tubbw.gif

Mulligan & O'Hare, performing "When A Child Is Born".

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Graham Sutton mentioned Harry Partch when I interviewed him back in the summer.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

cue Hugh Davies and his wonderful shozygs (as heard on Spirit of Eden), room harps, and diaphragms.

― echoinggrove (echoinggrove), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Hugh Davies' SHOZYG. Although he has invented many instruments, this is the most famous.

This stereophonic instrument is built inside the covers of a book, Vol. 13 (SHO-ZYG) of an encyclopaedia "The New World Library: Knowledge". All the pages were removed, and a sheet of performance instructions was glued inside. Small resonant objects were mounted in the empty cover on two small "islands", each amplified by a contact microphone.

Most famously, he contributed his SHOZYG playing to Talk Talk's "The Spirit of Eden."

― William Selman, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Which parts?!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Maxime de la Rochefoucald's automates
the Blonk Organ

― echoinggrove (echoinggrove), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Norwegian children's entertainers Knutsen & Ludvigsen once recorded a song playing harmonica through a firehose.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

That is, melodica, not harmonica

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.cse.ogi.edu/Drum/encyclopedia/udu.gif
The udu, a Nigerian clay pot drum. It is played by slapping on it's surface or over one or both holes. Also, cupping one hand over the smaller hole at different increments changes the pitch of the overall sound.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Ondes Martenot. It's basically a theremin with a keyboard, right?

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

For one Parliament-Funkadelic song, after battling for hours to achieve a certain sound on a synthesizer, Bernie Worrell amazed George Clinton & others by running out of the room and coming back with a toilet paper tube, a comb, and a piece of wax paper. Essentially, a homemade kazoo. They used this to record that particular melodic line.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The only Harry Partch instrument I can name off the top of my head is the Diamond Marimba. He also modified a violin or viola where the strings were flattened out so you could bow more than two at once.

The only time I've gotten to see Eugene Chadbourne, he played an amplified toaster (contact mics on the inside, I think), played with a butter knife.

Is Tony Levin a weirdo? I don't think so.

― William Crump (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I beg to differ.

http://mitkadem3.homestead.com/files/Tony_Levin_1982.jpg

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Are you saying Tony Levin isn't a weirdo?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

ha ha I keed

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

But seriously...Tony Levin, weirdo:
http://www.expose.org/pics/levin/funkfingers_sm.gif

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

That's exactly what I'm saying! Weirdo for sure. But I like him...he put out a great record called 'World Diary' a couple years ago which is just him playing improvised duets with all kinds of crazy players he met during his travels.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I've got a Buddy Rich album with him playing bass when he was like 22!

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think anybody's mentioned the skin flute yet....

― jedidiah (jedidiah), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)

The dictaphone, as played by my good friend THF Drenching

Along with the French Horn this is Holger Czukay's favourite instrument

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:44 (twenty-one years ago)

this one always was, and still is, pretty damn weird, you've gotta admit.

http://ens.explanation-guide.info/thumb/b/bd/100px-Keytar.jpg

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:45 (twenty-one years ago)

well, i certainly wish i hadnt thought of this.

vacuum.

― peter smith (plsmith), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

It's always time for Harry Partch!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

the switchyard, one of many gizmos invented and played by the brilliantly weird brian dewan and his cousin leon:

http://www.dewanatron.com/images/img_switchyard.jpg

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Thomas Truax and his hornicator and sister spinster.
The hornicator is an old Victrola gramaphone horn with various attachments and sister spinster is a mechanical sculpture cum drum machine. This guy rules - don't hesitate to go see him live.

― Stew S (stew s), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.microsuoni.com/artists/theuser.html

― DougD, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

PDQ Bach used weird/humorous instruments involving bicycles and baloons and stuff like that. will have to dig out "The Four Seasonings" to check names.

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

That 1 Guy plays a giant metal pipe. It's got one string that he plays like a upright bass except he uses a credit card for a pick, and it's got drum triggers and effects pedals.

http://www.that1guy.com/images/mikes.jpg

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I give you
http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0VwCJAkgaPqNvd8*iHCXKlzR0Iia8MM4PcNx8Phb0tfcPl*7mIvvPIYx7kUVlve13rRTRO!P815P853J6!e9pOPLxE!v0uBO4S3zYOzsoR!qkv*E3PZA1!voiPmIENkgt/playing%20the%20sewerphone.jpg?dc=4675404308878363293
the sewerphone.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Nothing's more rock n' roll than an instrument that can give you typhoid!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

...right after they used the paper to roll joints, no doubt!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 19:51 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.nintendoland.com/graphics/screens/smb1_4.GIF

― sometimes i like to pretend i am very small and warm (ex machina), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.tnt-audio.com/jpg/pvc.jpg

Actually has a lovely, bass-y percussive tone.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 13 October 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never heard of anyone else playing the manzello or stritch but Roland Kirk.

― theophilus jones (theophilus), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 20:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Nickalicious, those things on T. Levin's fingers are what he calls "funk fingers" — for a percussive effect on the bass. I don't know if it's damning with faint praise, but I think Levin is the least "weirdo" person who's ever been in King Crimson in 35 years.

― William Crump (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, but anyone who's been in King Crimson is automatically weirder than most of the general populace. Except maybe Pat Mastelleto (he played with Mr. Mister & XTC for fuck's sake).

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 13 October 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

some of these are quite inspiring.

― reo, Thursday, 14 October 2004 02:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i was blown away when i saw matmos in concert, they miked all sorts of stuff, but it was most awesome how everything came together.

― reo, Thursday, 14 October 2004 02:08 (twenty-one years ago)

anybody said hurdy gurdy yet? makes me laugh

― tremendoid, Thursday, 14 October 2004 02:11 (twenty-one years ago)

further research:
http://www.oddmusic.com/
http://www.windworld.com/emi/links.htm

Difficult to believe no mention yet of Bart Hopkin's two excellent compilations of unusual musical instruments, Gravikords, Whirlies, and Pyrophones and Orbitones, Spoon Harps & Bellowphones
. Both are charming and fascinating.

― max davenport (axehead), Thursday, 14 October 2004 02:23 (twenty-one years ago)

There are all sorts of odd sounding instruments credited to members of Sun Ra's band at various times: lightning drums, spiral percussion, sun harps, etc. Mostly handmade or modified versions of existing instruments, such as the spectacularly named Neptunian libflecto, a bassoon played with a french horn mouthpiece.

― max davenport (axehead), Thursday, 14 October 2004 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)

lagerphone

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 14 October 2004 02:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I have that Gravikords, Whirlies and Pyrophones album. It is ace - I think my favourite on that one is the Car Horn Organ (from what I can remember, it is simply a keyboard hooked up to car horns with differing tonalities).

And has nobody mentioned the Simeon yet?

― emil.y (emil.y), Thursday, 14 October 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The lead singer of Cake can often be heard/seen using a vibraslap, which you kind of bang with your hand to get a rattlesnake sound.

― mclaugh (mclaugh), Thursday, 14 October 2004 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Mats Gustafsson plays what he calls the fluteophone -- a flute with a sax mouthpiece jammed in the end.

― William Crump (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 14 October 2004 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

OCARINA

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 14 October 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

i have an ocarina! i've never been able to play anything more complex than scarborough fair on it though.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 15 October 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Eno's "Snake Menace", which is a ...it's this thing that...uh.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 15 October 2004 04:06 (twenty-one years ago)

four years pass...

A guy playing a tree, pretty cool:

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Music-from-a-Tree/263872

― chap, Sunday, 26 July 2009 22:27 (sixteen years ago)

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