Mucical interlude

August 28, 2020 3:03 PM

JS Bach on a wooden xylophone in the forest A small youtube video of the sinple, yet complex musical instrument.

Sometimes, a visit to nature is a good thing.

posted by mightshould (14 comments total)

Just lovely. I don't care that it was an ad--It brought me Joy!
posted by agatha_magatha at 3:16 PM on August 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

I had a very strange feeling when that familiar melody rose up out of the noise; it was like hearing the voice of a dead loved one in the rumble and hiss of filling the bathtub.
posted by jamjam at 3:25 PM on August 28, 2020 [4 favorites]

Wherein legumes on crockery are excessively considered: I was wondering why the music seemed to slow and speed up all the time. Towards the end I think you can see why - when the ball rolls further out from the centre of the V, it ends up on a shallower gradient and so slows and takes longer to roll to the next note. But when it's rolling cleanly down the centre of the V, it's on the steepest gradient, so speeds up. And the motion naturally drifts between those two states, causing that slightly odd rippling tempo.
posted by pipeski at 3:41 PM on August 28, 2020 [7 favorites]

I'd want that phone even without this incredible ad.
posted by queensissy at 3:44 PM on August 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

Previously
posted by boudicca at 4:06 PM on August 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

The internet and youtube have engendered the most useless musical/video experiments ever. This is one of them. I appreciate the ingenuity of this experiment, but ingenuity could be channeled to more creative endeavors.
posted by kozad at 4:52 PM on August 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

is ingenuity a finite resource?

ads will be made and many will be silly or will seem to co-opt or corrupt and it's okay to point that out

sometimes by accident or good timing they bring or propel people to seek out or create other good things

example - the vw nick drake commercial that brought me to his music

ads will be made so maybe weave in some goodness and beauty where possible

(friday night drinkin thots)
posted by Caxton1476 at 5:31 PM on August 28, 2020 [6 favorites]

Could have used a design consultant.
posted by flabdablet at 5:35 PM on August 28, 2020

Mod note: This is a double but it's from so long ago and it's just so dang enjoyable we're going to let it stand. :)
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:02 PM on August 28, 2020 [5 favorites]

if a bach plays in the forest and no one’s around...
posted by LeviQayin at 3:24 AM on August 29, 2020

What would have been really neat would have been if they had just left it there with a bunch of wooden balls at the top. Imagine walking in the woods and finding it! Thinking, I wonder what will happen if I drop a ball down this? and getting a fabulous surprise.
posted by pangolin party at 5:55 AM on August 29, 2020 [3 favorites]

The links to the Japanese versions in the previous are gone, so here's a beautiful, moderately slow Japanese performance.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 6:56 AM on August 29, 2020

Little lonely ball
what a long way you've come
through the ups and downs
bringing us lovely music as you roll.
How much farther will you go?
posted by cynical pinnacle at 12:29 PM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]

I have a small playlist of Bach played on things following on from this one, although there were few enough "things" examples that I branched out into fun instruments too. (None are as chill and lovely as the forest. Perfection.)
posted by lokta at 2:18 AM on August 31, 2020