Our Five Favorite Uncommon Music Instruments

In no particular order, here are five of our most favorite uncommon instruments.

"The Nightmare Machine"

This "instrument" is a combination of multiple knick-knacks and household items carefully crafted to produce eerie, creepy sounds (think spectral melodies from your favorite horror flick). Watching an individual play these machines is an art in and of itself. The delicate, timed motions are something to behold. Keep your ears open the next time you watch a spooky movie; you might just be listening to the product of one of these "Nightmare Machines."  Listen to the sounds of "The Nightmare Machine" here.

Cimbasso

Is it a trombone, a baritone, or a tuba? And what's with that kickstand? An instrument with an identity crisis that truly belongs in the trombone family, the cimbasso is odd not because of how it sounds, but because of its overall appearance. It's typically equipped with 3 to 6 rotary valves that the player can press and produces a sound that has the ability to range from a low, mellower tone to a brighter more in-your-face sound. Some credit the instrument’s development to Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, who strove to combine the more blending timbre of the trombone with the depth of the heavier-sounding tuba, and thus developed a new instrument with the brass instrument firm Pelliti. Several outgrowths of the bass brass experimentation lab of the time survive in the history books, all with varying degrees of creativity in their nomenclature and varying degrees of irrelevance in today’s performance practice. Today, it is used primarily in operas by Verdi, such as Il Trovatore and La Traviata.  Check out Classic FM's YouTube channel here to see a Cimbasso in action!

Theremin

You may have heard of this instrument in some old-time movies like The Lost Weekend or The Day the Earth Stood Still. The theremin produces a sound that can only be described as "other-worldly." Notably created to amplify eerie situations in films, the theremist (player of the theremin) will use their hands to produce sound without actually making physical contact. One hand controls the volume while the other manipulates the frequency with the use of antennae. A great deal of science went into the creation of this instrument and playing one takes a lot of creativity, with a dash of just-a-little-bit-odd.  Learn more about the Theremin and it's unique sound here via German composer and musician Carolina Eyck.  

Xun

The Xun is an ancient Chinese vessel flute which dates back around 7,000 years, and has continued to fascinate audiences through both its unique appearance and playability. The Xun contains up to 10 smaller holes with a larger hole at the top to blow in. It's also created in many dimensions depending on whether the player wants to create a more high or low-pitched sound. The Xun often functioned as a member of the ritual orchestra, as part of the earth group in the bayin (“eight sounds”) classification. The instrument temporarily fell into disuse in the early 20th century, but has since been revived. Modern Xun, commonly in a nine-hole version with a wider range, can be solo instruments or part of Chinese orchestras, and elaborately decorated have become highly coveted musical instruments.  To hear one in action, check out woodwind musician Ashley Jarmack's rendition of the Metal Gear Solid theme song a la Xun!

Otamatone

Since its invention in 1998, the otamatone is perhaps as creepy as it is satisfying. With the anatomical structure of a music note and a face that shows a blank expression at the bottom, the player slides their fingers up and down the thinner part of the instrument to select a note while using the other hand to open and close the "mouth" on the "face" in order to bend the sound and alter the volume. The otamatone is an electronic instrument equipped with different settings to change the pitch and loudness. They also come in a variety of colors and can be found online. Multiple videos have surfaced over the years on Youtube featuring otamatone ensembles. The otamatone lives on as one of the oddest instruments! Check out PM Music Center’s selection of Otamatone’s to begin your uncommon musical instrument journey today!