anybody here play anything unusual, instruments that is?

[Barking Spiders]

You might be into a bit of madrigals on the sly and are a dab hand at the lute or cittern. Maybe you took up the zither after seeing The Third Man. I took up bluegrass banjo and Dobro half a dozen years ago after watching The Transatlantic Sessions on BBC2. Now fancy having a go at the oud after listening to Speed Caravan. Maybe not to everyone's taste - they play a mix of modern Arabic, rock and electronica - but might appeal to Womad types.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmynqgnbJCo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmynqgnbJCo[/url]

Edited December 8, 2016 by Barking Spiders

[BigRedX]

I used to play the Balalaika. It's been a long long time since I last picked one up so I don't know how competent I am on it anymore. I even made a solid electric version when I was at school back in 1978, partly as a trial run for making my electric guitar the following year.

[EliasMooseblaster]

I still own a didgeridoo, though I haven't played it for a while. Never did the hang of the circular breathing, mind...

[Earbrass]

I have been playing the nyckelharpa for almost a year and half now - it's a fabulous instrument and I regret not having discovered it several decades ago. I also play the D/G melodeon for morris (though I have taken a break from this for the past couple of months due to health issues).

I also have a bit of a hankering for a kantele, but my sensible side tells me I have too many instruments already.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Earbrass

[pete.young]

There is an 'Other Instruments' forum in the Gear Section.

[Barking Spiders]

yes but it doesn't get as many visitors as here

[Hobbayne]

I play the harmonica on a few numbers with the band. Its not really unusual though.

[paul_c2]

[quote name='Barking Spiders' timestamp='1481198297' post='3190399']
yes but it doesn't get as many visitors as here
[/quote]

I don't visit any forums, I use "View New Content" so anything new, shows up.

[chriswareham]

Harmonium and Tubon. I'd love to learnt to play the sousaphone, but I can't find an affordable one :-(

[BassTractor]

[i]Viola da gamba[/i], back in the seventies.
Never learned it well, but could play some tunes.

[i]Pipe organ[/i], my profession.
I guess the pipe organ's getting more and more unusual, due to fewer churches, fewer concert venues with pipe organs, and the remaining churches investing in electronic alternatives to pipe organs.

[i]Darbuka[/i], as in the larger Moroccan concert goblet drum for males.
[i]Taarija[/i], a related, smaller procession goblet drum for females and children, and played differently.
The darbuka has a head made of ray skin, whereas the taarija has goat skin and resonator ropes under its skin - much like a snare drum.
I love both.
I order to learn to play at all, I went to some djembe courses, even though the djembe traditionally is played differently to both.

Edited December 8, 2016 by BassTractor

[toneknob]

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1481202620' post='3190465']
Harmonium and Tubon. I'd love to learnt to play the sousaphone, but I can't find an affordable one :-(
[/quote]

How much are they typically? I've told Mrs Knob to get me one if she's ever short of present ideas.

[toneknob]

I've got a Doudouk which I can never make sound liek anything except a dying cow.

Turns out, etc

[KingBollock]

I got massively into Irish folk music going on twenty years ago, so I started learning a few things and still dabble with a couple of them. Five string banjo and the penny whistle I still love playing. I could never get the hang of the blues harp or the ocarina (I know it's not Irish, but I was intrigued after it was mentioned in a Robert Rankin novel). I wish I had kept up with the bodhran, but I worry too much about the amount of noise it makes. Actually I don't play any of the acoustic stuff nearly as much as I would like, simply because of the volume issue.

One instrument I have always wanted to play is the glockenspiel or the xylophone, I loved playing them at school, but they're so bloomin' expensive. I've got a small bamboo one, but it's rubbish.

I don't suppose any of them are particularly unusual.

[Conan]

I play a big, heavy version of a guitar. It has fewer strings and those strings are thicker in diameter. They also give a deeper, fuller sound.

I call it a "bass". It certainly gets funny looks when I get it out around "musicians". I don't care though because I love it and the sound it makes.

[ivansc]

Just went and had a look round the other instruments area - never noticed it before.
Bugger, what a lot of tumbleweed!

I own and play at varying levels of proficiency:
Mandolin Mandola Mandouki (in between Octave Mandolin and Bouzouki) square neck dobro lap steel upright bass drums keyboards Ukulele Tenor ukulele Swanee whistle (no really!) Ocarina 5 string banjo (abut to be sold or traded for a Tenor Banjo) assorted acoustic and electric guitars including an alto and a baritone er think that covers it all.
Oh! Forgot to add bass guitar and upright bass!
Wish I could say I played them all well, but I am mostly a dabbler. I actually program brass parts fairly well but cant play much on any of the "blowing" instruments.
And I was once badly frightened by an accordion ...

Edited December 8, 2016 by ivansc

[RhysP]

I used to play Chapman Stick & Pedal Steel Guitar.

[Lord Sausage]

Timple

[tonyquipment]

I play an omnichord.

They are becoming rare these days

[leschirons]

There's apparently something called the "Sillybugger". Which I'm good at.

[Oopsdabassist]

Not me but hows this for a strange instrument?

https://www.facebook.com/jamiedupuismusic/videos/1179709818783466/

[RhysP]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1481230302' post='3190878']
I play an omnichord.

They are becoming rare these days
[/quote]

Aren't they a bit like an autoharp?

[tonyquipment]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1481233100' post='3190912']


Aren't they a bit like an autoharp?
[/quote]

Yes exactly but electronic

Really good instrument and lovely sound - I've had some good evenings with this and a bottle of brandy 😁

[RhysP]

[quote name='tonyquipment' timestamp='1481233881' post='3190925']
Yes exactly but electronic

Really good instrument and lovely sound - I've had some good evenings with this and a bottle of brandy
[/quote]

Hmm, looks interesting.
There's a couple on EBay...

[alyctes]

Nice Speed Caravan link, thank you.

I don't really play anything except bass. I keep buying stuff though... sooner or later something will stick

[mikel]

I used to play the Fool, but the family and neighbors complained so much I gave it up.

My wife used to play the Virginal but I told her to pack it in as at her age it no longer made sense.

I player the Devils Advocate once, but I got punched for that performance.