Unusual instruments.

Hi Howard,



Perfect for playing 'Harold the Barrel', I'd have thought.

Chief,I would have bet on Lontano beating you to the punch on that one.

I've seen that twin before but never realised it came apart, I assume you could have had other sides made up, 6 string mandolin etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Chief Chirpa:
Perfect for 'Harold the Barrel',

who cut off his toes and he served them all for tea

As invented by, made for and played by Pat Metheny

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
Lontano did you get a shot of John H's "bent" flute?

No i did not but here is a pic

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:

quote:

Originally posted by Chief Chirpa:
Perfect for 'Harold the Barrel',

who cut off his toes and he served them all for tea

Yeah, him. Probably not heard it, or any of their albums (or early PG and SH) since I was about twelve, but I could probably sing along to that song if I heard it now.

H, It was only a hunch - I must've seen it somewhere before, and a little googling confirmed it. I'm more of a Strat man myself:

When I first saw this guitar monstrosity, I didn't think 'Wow, he must be a great guitarist.'. I though 'Small p***s.'

A quick search, there are more:

http://worldmustbecrazy.blogsp...st-guitar-model.html

Although some of favourite musicians are not immune:


Within reason some music demands that musicians change tunings, and between different instruments quickly, but some of the above are just way beyond that.

What would probably be the most unusual instrument I have seen live is the large telephone exchange looking box at the back of this photo from Redshift's setup at the Hampshire Jam a couple of years ago. For about 95% of the set Mark Shreeve played that only, no use of keyboards, just adjusting the settings the create sound, rhythm and melody through the interaction of the switches/controls.

The wonderful Gryphon with Brian Gulland and Richard Harvey on Crumhorns.

The Gizmotron

The queen of Electronic Music - nobody ever did it as well again - Miss Delia Derbyshire.

ROTF, loving the Delia Derbyshire. I saw some great footage of her live mixing all kinds of tape loops a while ago, and very handy with a VCS3 synth too, by the looks of it.



When I saw the thread title earlier, I immediately thought of 1975, and these lads in Dusseldorf...





Ralf: Behind us, there is an experimental light-activated drum cage. Do you think you can handle it?

Wolfgang: I'll have a go...

I think this is the earliest electronic instrument would love to get one.







Dean...

I think there are various plans for theramins on the web, apparently they are not too 'hard' to build.

Have seen them played live with some quite different bands, Nine Inch Nails, Mercury Rec (used to be used for the bowed violin sections), Jean Michel Jarre. Sadly never saw Mr Page playing one.

Jarre's lazer harp might be included, but it is just a mime, and although it could be an instrument, it isn't when you see him live.

Radio 4 had a great programme on Delia Derbyshire a couple of months ago, amazing musician.

Unusual to most on this and other forums but in certain circles the greatest "unusual" musical instrument ever made, I bring you......






Dean...

First the Octobass, the lowest note which it plays is the "C" at 16 Hertz!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP1QqtGe8ts

And for comparison, a normal Doublebass, playing some Dittersdorf. And that is hard on the bass, but then some Beethoven, which is emminently playable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...hkLQ&feature=related

I used to play this Beethoven as a warm up sometimes! You have to imagine what the rest of the orchestra is doing! My teacher could play the Dittersdorf!!!!

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by JamieL_v2:
Radio 4 had a great programme on Delia Derbyshire a couple of months ago, amazing musician.

Hi Jamie - yes fantastic programme: I was glued to it.

From the first note I heard Delia play I thought she was amazing and now nearly 50 years on I know of I was lucky enough to hear one of the greatest innovators in music history. Everybody has heard her music, but hardly anybody knows her.

In 1963, Ron Grainer was asked to compose the theme tune to Doctor Who As part of the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, Derbyshire developed Grainer's written notes into the version that was then used on the original show. Ron Grainer was so amazed by her rendering of his theme that he attempted to get her a co-composer credit; when he first heard it he said "Did I really write this?" and got the answer "Most of it" from Derbyshire. Of course, the BBC never allowed Delia to get the credit, it wasn't the done thing.

She also contributed the electronica to this ....



I have most of Delia's easy to get music, but dream of the day they release the 30CD set that contains work of hers that didn't see the light of day.

ATB Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:

As invented by, made for and played by Pat Metheny

This is the 42-string guitar, also known as the Pikasso guitar. It was invented by Metheny and luthier Linda Manzer. Some of the courses of strings are plucked and strummed, others sit below the played courses and vibrate sympathetically, much like a sitar.

Pat Metheny also spearheaded the development of his version of an orchestrion, which is a mechanical orchestra such as those sometimes seen on carnival fairgrounds, with little toy monkeys, etc. playing the instruments, all controlled by a punc-out roll much like those used in player pianos.

In conjunction with a team of engineers, Metheny's orchestrion uses real, full-sized instruments, ranging from mallet percussion like marimba and xylophone, to piano, guitar, electric bass, drums, cymbals, plastic tubes filled with viscous liquid ... air is blown across their mouths like blowing across a bottle top (or a flute, for that matter).

All instruments are played with the aid of solenoids and pneumatics, which are controlled by Metheny from his MIDI/computer guitar synth. A mind-blowing technological achievement.

quote:

All instruments are played with the aid of solenoids and pneumatics, which are controlled by Metheny from his MIDI/computer guitar synth. A mind-blowing technological achievement.

A bit of a bugger to keep running , apparently.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

All instruments are played with the aid of solenoids and pneumatics, which are controlled by Metheny from his MIDI/computer guitar synth. A mind-blowing technological achievement.

A bit of a bugger to keep running , apparently.

Conked out towards the end of the concert I saw so Metheny had to resort to solo guitar which was no bad thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

All instruments are played with the aid of solenoids and pneumatics, which are controlled by Metheny from his MIDI/computer guitar synth. A mind-blowing technological achievement.

A bit of a bugger to keep running , apparently.

Conked out towards the end of the concert I saw so Metheny had to resort to solo guitar which was no bad thing.

Yes, fortunately Metheny can actually play the guitar.

quote:

Originally posted by Lontano:

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

All instruments are played with the aid of solenoids and pneumatics, which are controlled by Metheny from his MIDI/computer guitar synth. A mind-blowing technological achievement.

A bit of a bugger to keep running , apparently.

Conked out towards the end of the concert I saw so Metheny had to resort to solo guitar which was no bad thing.

The thing worked fine at the concert we saw. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but think I would have been very disappointed had the sound been coming from real musicians. It was clever, but not the tightest nor most coherent sound.

He did do a guitar set, too. He even played the Pikasso!