# Bizarre Musical Instruments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306 "2011-06-04T14:20:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/1 "2011-06-04T14:20:21Z")
Just got this link in email and wondered how many other such things are used to produce “music” of some sort or other. Links to the sounds, if you please. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/k26nt3Y4cmg/hqdefault.jpg "Peacherine Rag") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k26nt3Y4cmg) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/2 "2011-06-04T18:23:41Z")
Buddy Rich playing a theater. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf9muJjmI2g) ---
**Author:** ![Dietrich\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/3 "2011-06-04T18:27:21Z")
My first exposure to the [stylophone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHgziac87-Y). ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/4 "2011-06-04T21:50:53Z")
Most STOMP performances would probably qualify. [E.g.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYXUm8GgPjE&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/5 "2011-06-04T22:51:16Z")
The Beach Boys [Good Vibrations](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnf8CbswEss&feature=related) features an electro-theremin. Or you can watch [Leon Theremin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5qf9O6c20o)play his invention. The harp guitar is beautiful as is the sound. Tony Seeger plays[The Messenger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqeyvKQKEq0&feature=related). Stephen Bennett’s Hendrix cover [The Wind Cries Mary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1EANf1ydjc)is also nice. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/6 "2011-06-05T03:29:31Z")
You want bizarre? I got bizarre. The Daxophone. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5RmKTASJufc/hqdefault.jpg "Daxophone - Hans Reichel") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RmKTASJufc) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jGxyuPefhZY/hqdefault.jpg "Daxophone - Hans Reichel") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGxyuPefhZY) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efc1maXTmDo) Website [start](http://www.daxo.de/index.html) (sound; Flash required; possibly long load times) ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/7 "2011-06-05T05:00:13Z")
Theremin is what I came in to say. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-ywH1Vj8_U)’s my favorite performance. Epicness ensues at 2:45. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/8 "2011-06-05T07:55:23Z")
Here are the [Mound City Blue Blowers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfLs-jREjpk) performing I Ain’t Got Nobody and My Gal Sal on guitar, banjo, comb, can and suitcase. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/9 "2011-06-05T08:52:11Z")
Many normal [instruments](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC3UvJpxXO8&feature=related) have [weird](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNyb3FzXZrs&feature=related) [versions](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwTorKNmED4&feature=related) of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/10 "2011-06-05T12:18:11Z")
Before checking out some accomplished eefing first see/hear [Rolf Harris-Eefing Chimp](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73_cmyuUG-M) and scout out the “related videos” until you get to [Hee Haw’s Jimmie Riddle and Jackie Phelps Eefing and Hambone act](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQWsebvY7A) or further. I suppose it’s a stretch to call those effects “instruments” but why not? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/11 "2011-06-05T13:38:40Z")
I was always impressed with Fleegle of the Banana Splits when he played the Caliopo Saxaphio Trumparimba Claribaso Trombophone. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/12 "2011-06-05T17:12:51Z")
[Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26eyBmUwi6w) ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/13 "2011-06-05T22:56:57Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > Theremin is what I came in to say. Theremin? Try the [_Thor_emin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivxhv3yRaPw). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/14 "2011-06-05T23:31:20Z")
[The left-handed sewer flute, the double-reed slide music stand, and the Hardart (from the Concerto for Horn and Hardart). Oh, and also the Tromboon, the Lasso DaMore, the windbreaker, and the slide windbreaker. And let’s not forget the _Pandemonium_.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._D._Q._Bach) ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/15 "2011-06-06T15:44:06Z")
No discussion of bizarre musical instruments is complete without a mention of the Waterphone. Lots of YT videos, here’s one: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFyv6t3OS3c) I discovered it because of its use in the music for one of my favorite movies, “Let the Right One In.” ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/16 "2011-06-06T16:08:54Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > Theremin is what I came in to say. I find pre-Moog synthesizers (or electronic music instruments) kind of fascinating. The first was the [Telharmonium](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telharmonium), from 1897. Others include the [Ondes Martenot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondes_Martenot), the [trautonium](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trautonium), the [Ondioline](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondioline), the [Clavioline](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavioline), and the [Hammond organ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammond_organ). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/17 "2011-06-06T16:49:21Z")
No love yet for Ben Franklin’s [glass armonica](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D9BBMDWoNM)? It’s like a rotating stack of loosely-nested glass bowls you play with wet fingers. And let us not forget the [Great Stalacpipe Organ](http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/om25450.html). Unfortunately, that one’s not very portable. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/18 "2011-06-06T23:46:06Z")
Harry Partch wasn’t content with the sound of typical musical instruments, so he invented and built whole orchestras of new ones. Check them out here: [http://www.harrypartch.com/](http://www.harrypartch.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/19 "2011-06-06T23:48:32Z")
The [Large Hot Pipe Organ](http://hxcmusic.com/search/large-hot-pipe-organ/2/mp3), which is a [pyrophone.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrophone) Kinda sounds like a woodwind Taiko drum. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306/20 "2011-06-09T06:33:48Z")
A Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) invention - the [lagerphone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WswG6z16mz8). Enjoy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-musical-instruments/584306.md?page=2)