# What Is This Instrument?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** music\
**Created:** [February 12, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383 "2022-02-12T22:50:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383/1 "2022-02-12T22:50:12Z")

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[Here](https://youtu.be/GQQbjpomexo?t=6). Note that I’m referring to the… stronger (for lack of a better choice of words) instrument, not the tinny bells in the background.

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**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383/2 "2022-02-12T23:04:11Z")

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Credits lists what’s being played, gives you some possibilities.

> **[Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts | Credits | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/summer-breeze-mw0000644043/credits)**
>
> Find album credit information for Summer Breeze by Seals & Crofts on AllMusic

ETA I’d say “strings.”

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**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:** [February 12, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383/3 "2022-02-12T23:24:53Z")

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Do you mean the bass guitar (Which is playing with the toy piano)?

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**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383/4 "2022-02-13T00:44:43Z")

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In this live version linked below, it seems to be a Mandolin. Your version doesn’t sound as ‘plucked’ though…

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t7Dt0cNgOEM/hqdefault.jpg "British guitarist analyses Seals and Crofts 'Summer Breeze' live in 1973!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Dt0cNgOEM)

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2022, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-instrument/959383/5 "2022-02-13T07:48:52Z")

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Sounds a bit like a clarinet to me. That motif is played by an electric guitar later on but I don’t think it’s a guitar in the intro.