Obscure Instruments

Bonus Wikipedia article

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/35995464

The Water Is Wide 広い河の岸辺 スコットランド民謡 #Cantareel #カンタリール

"This attachment is a new invention of mine and is called “Cantareel”. I wanted to create something that would bring a new experience to guitar playing while paying respect to the history of music and musical instruments around the world."

A rare form of a small harpsichord, the folding harpsichord was made to sit on a table. It has a removable keyboard as well as a soundboard in three hinged sections that fold up. This instrument has a limited range of less than four octaves and a quiet sound, which would have been well suited for private music making.

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Not an instrument per se...

More info here

There’s a bunch of videos in this article

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/42820080

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28400774

Created in the 19th century by the French luthier Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, this colossal double bass stands out for its impressive height, exceeding three meters, and its deep tonal range, capable of producing notes that approach the lower limits of human hearing.

Due to its enormous size, the octobass cannot be played like a conventional double bass; instead, the musician must use a system of pedals and levers to press the strings and modulate the sound. Although its use has been limited throughout musical history, some orchestras and composers have explored its potential to add a unique and resonant depth to certain symphonic compositions.

This rare instrument, which was a true feat of lutherie in its time, continues to fascinate classical music enthusiasts and organologists, remaining a remarkable achievement in musical engineering.

Definitely the weirdest sounding instrument I've ever heard.

Here is a video where you see how it works: Daxophone Demonstration 2: Desktop Daxophone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_violin

Two mbiras, a diddlybow, and whatever you call a motor slapping your strings.

This was peak Internet back in the day.