If you want to read about the history, construction, sounds and playing techniques of, say,
the tympani, or any other instruments of the classical symphonic orchestra, Vienna Symphonic Library's
Instruments Online pages are good reading and a handy resource for orchestrators.
posted by Wolfdog
on Sep 30, 2011 -
4 comments
The most famous Steinberger design is the L-series instrument... made entirely of the Steinberger Blend, a proprietary graphite and carbon fiber mix in two pieces: the main body and a faceplate. It had no headstock for tuning, tuning instead at a redesigned tailpiece using micrometer-style tuners and special strings with a ball at both ends.
posted by Trurl
on May 13, 2011 -
43 comments
folktek do beautiful things with sound and sculpture that are so unique as to defy description
posted by mhjb
on Dec 20, 2010 -
10 comments
Let's say you're me and you're in math class, and you're supposed to be learning about factoring. Trouble is, your teacher is too busy trying to convince you that factoring is a useful skill for the average person to know with real-world applications ranging from passing your state exams all the way to getting a higher SAT score and unfortunately does not have the time to show you why factoring is actually interesting. It's perfectly reasonable for you to get bored in this situation. So like any reasonable person, you start doodling.
[more inside]
posted by ErWenn
on Dec 3, 2010 -
27 comments
Surely this must be a double, right? I mean, you've got this great and strange program, Addi's Inflatable Minute, and this incredibly strange but somewhat haunting instrument and its all in
one You Tube Link? People don't actually make this sort of content in real life, do they?
posted by Ogre Lawless
on Jan 11, 2008 -
30 comments
If you're interested in musical instruments from all over the world, Wesleyan University's
Virtual Instrument Museum should not be missed. Instruments are searchable by
type (idiophones, aerophones, etc.), by
materials (wood, bamboo, etc.), or by
geographic region. The photos are very good, and many instruments are represented by excellent MP3 audio clips. And the
exhibits (QTVR movies: drag your mouse to see the instrument from all angles) are wonderful.
posted by flapjax at midnite
on Sep 25, 2006 -
11 comments
Dewanatron : a family of electronic instruments ‘which hazard unpredictable behaviors and self playing tendencies.’ See, for example, the
Alphatron, the
Dual-Primate Console, and the
Courtesy Modulator. Besides his work as an instrument- and furniture-maker, the Dewanatrons’ co-creator,
Brian Dewan, is a
musician and
singer who has collaborated with
They Might Be Giants, among others. He is also a visual artist, who has created numerous
filmstrips, and who was responsible for the ‘flying victrola’ design for the the Neutral Milk Hotel album ‘In The Aeroplane Over the Sea.’
posted by misteraitch
on Apr 21, 2005 -
9 comments
The piatarbajo, the chromelodeon,
the trimba,
cloud chamber bowls,
the simeon,
the pyrophone,
the virtual rhythmicon,
cigar box guitars,
the skatar, and all the other assorted instruments by musical visionaries who find guitar, bass, drums, and the symphony orchestra too confining.
posted by jonp72
on Sep 23, 2004 -
10 comments
The Optigan: OPTIcal orGAN. Long before synthesizers, ProTools, and Cubase, Mattel released a bizarre contraption called the 'Optigan' which operated by assigning each key to a track on an optical disc on which were recorded sounds of real instruments playing every individual note. This site is one guy's obsession with the instrument that may well be dead and forgotten if not for him. Check out
his mp3s of his own, reasonably successful, band based around the instrument, to see how it sounds.
posted by wackybrit
on Jun 30, 2003 -
18 comments
A little plastic toy piano discovered at a flea market becomes the focus of
Twink, the whimsical all toy band. Listen to or download the slightly surreal, sugary and surprisingly complex mp3s to hear the piano and the accompanying toys; hurdy-gurdies, musical saws, busy boxes, speak 'n spells, squeaky toys and giggle sticks. The happy-go-lucky yet vaguely sinister "
Hoppity Jones" is a personal favorite.
Twink is the
brainchild of Mike Langlie, icon maker extraordinaire at Yipyop.
posted by iconomy
on Apr 19, 2002 -
16 comments
it's the strangest noise ever. it's called a
daxophone and as far as i can make out it seems to be some kind of wooden bowed instrument. there's more stuff on the inventor
here (this does require flash) and a video clip of hans playing it
here. some of his guitars are
odd too.
please note that i have not accused anyone of anything as yet this year.
posted by Spoon
on Jan 7, 2002 -
7 comments
Yahama has made the Rolls Royce of pianos.
'Built around an Intel Pentium III computer chip, the piano allows functions to be controlled by a user's voice and lets the user watch an artist's performance stored on disc while hearing the concert. When the disc is inserted into a built-in DVD player, the performance is displayed on a computer monitor as keys and pedals move up and down recreating the piano part.'
And only $333,000, where do I sign up?
posted by Mark
on Apr 5, 2000 -
2 comments
