# Musicians playing instruments in unusual ways **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 11, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440 "2023-12-11T19:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/41 "2023-12-14T00:06:25Z")
Dizzy Gillespie played trumpet with his cheeks puffed out. Most instructors will tell you NOT to do that. > **[Dizzy Gillespie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Gillespie#/media/File:Dizzy_Gillespie01.JPG/)** > > John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (/ɡɪˈlɛspi/ ghil-ESP-ee; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of the new music called bebop. His beret and horn-rimmed spectacles, scat In ... [![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/22/6f/df/226fdff466d9a971b3282faefb8f312d.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/22/6f/df/226fdff466d9a971b3282faefb8f312d.jpg) In 1953, he dropped his trumpet, and had to play with a bent bell. He got it repaired the next day, but he liked the altered sound so much, he had a trumpet custom-made with an upturned bell, which also became a trademark. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/42 "2023-12-14T00:29:16Z")
Gaelynn Lea plays violin in an unconventional way because of her disability: [See her play here](https://youtu.be/OLUbalCJ3co?si=v6TnAvy1RNIjH_bG) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/43 "2023-12-14T02:23:29Z")
This fellow plays music via a machine fueled by marbles. The Wintergatan Marble Machine > **[Wintergatan - Marble Machine (music instrument using 2000 marbles)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q%2F)** > > Check out Speldosa - The Wintergatan Music Box!https://youtu.be/jPuJGW7NuzoAvailable as AU/VST/AAX: https://klevgrand.comAnd on App Store for Ipad and Iphone... ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/44 "2023-12-14T02:37:30Z")
I barely consider what [this guy does](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc7a2DpnWUI) to be making music, but he does experiment with ways to get just about every conceivable noise out of his instrument. Some really weird stuff going on around 10:30. Not at all my cup of tea. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/45 "2023-12-14T02:45:02Z")
ELO has really hit the skids. 😉 The one noise he hasn’t made is the one I’d like to hear the most: smashing that bastard into a thousand pieces. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2023, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/46 "2023-12-14T03:31:06Z")
Two people playing Tico Tico no Fubá on one guitar: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NVitgDEh_tw/hqdefault.jpg "Tico Tico no Fubá - Duo Siqueira Lima - 4 Hands") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVitgDEh_tw) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/47 "2023-12-14T04:31:49Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lBGanEveGVc/hqdefault.jpg "Danny Gatton Solos With A Beer & Towel") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBGanEveGVc) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/48 "2023-12-14T04:32:07Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/w7AzzgqMI9Y/maxresdefault.jpg "The Most Skilled Types of Pianists in the World!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AzzgqMI9Y) ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/49 "2023-12-14T14:50:03Z")
Married couple Mike Watt of the Minutemen and fIREHOSE, and Kira Roessler of Black Flag, both bassists in their respective bands, released at least one album under the name “Dos” which was just bass duets. As a cruddy amateur guitarist myself, I was always admiring and a bit envious of guitarists who had such an affinity for their instrument that they could use bizarre tunings to compose great songs. Not just talking about drop-D like Keith Richards uses a lot. I mean like Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon” being in CGCFCE with a capo at the second fret (Cadd9, I think, but I’m not sure), or Dallas Green’s “Save Your Scissors” being in EBDGC#E. Or the mother of all tough pickings, Richard Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lighting” which is I think is EBGDGC. How the hell does a person’s mind work like that? ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/50 "2023-12-14T14:54:41Z")
Hendrix is famous, of course, for playing guitar at times with his teeth [Jimi Hendrix Plays Guitar With His Teeth (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiR36mDzqVI) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/51 "2023-12-14T20:21:33Z")
Frank Zappa - **Chunga’s Revenge** : Ian Underwood plays sax through a wah wah pedal. Mildly interesting. - **Yellow Shark** : “…there’s an awful gurgling sound. That’s Catherine Milliken, the Australian horn player, sticking a Didgeridoo into a spitoon full of water with Vermiculite floating on the surface.” Result mildly funny visually and sonically. - **Steve Allen Show 1963** : Young Mister “Zoppa” plays a bicycle like a musical instrument. To his credit, Allen doesn’t diss it as cheap humor, ends up participating. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/52 "2023-12-14T20:23:33Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > Cadd9, I think, but I’m not sure) C add4 (or add11). C add9 would have a D instead of an F in the tuning. I’m not really a guitarist —- keys are my instrument — but alternate tunings are so much fun to play with. Just lay down some shapes on the fretboard, go up and down trying different things, see what works what doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/53 "2023-12-14T20:41:26Z")
copycat [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bfIVnzpj1vM/hqdefault.jpg "Chico plays the piano with an apple") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfIVnzpj1vM) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/54 "2023-12-14T20:41:32Z")
Ritchie Blackmore “played” his guitars all kinds of ways at the [end of Space Truckin’](https://youtu.be/YA4VM_8Lzow?feature=shared&t=1066) at California Jam. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/55 "2023-12-14T20:45:32Z")
Of all the things to compare 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/56 "2023-12-14T21:00:50Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Some country/bluegrass bands do a novelty act where they’ll switch instruments mid song and just keep passing them around. Or two pickers will each be playing 1 hand on their instruments and the other on the other instrument. Sorry I don’t have a specific example in mind to share. [Leahy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BJSnP2NpW8) used to do that back when they were at full touring strength. 7 brothers and sisters, and every one of them except maybe the drummer played at least 4 instruments. They’d usually do an extended medley where everybody rotated instruments so that they all had a fiddle solo. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440/57 "2023-12-14T21:31:46Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Leahy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BJSnP2NpW8) used to do that back when they were at full touring strength. 7 brothers and sisters, and every one of them except maybe the drummer played at least 4 instruments. They’d usually do an extended medley where everybody rotated instruments so that they all had a fiddle solo. It should be called “playing musical instruments.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-playing-instruments-in-unusual-ways/994440.md?page=2)