25 Bizarre And Unique Musical Instruments

We can guarantee that you've probably never used (or even heard of) these 25 bizarre and unique musical instruments.
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Contrabass Balalaika
American Fotoplayer
Stylophone
Pikasso Guitar
Theremin or Aetherphone
Cimbalom
Glass Harmonica
Crwth
Ondes Martenot
Jew's Harp
Wheelharp
Hardingfele
Singing Ringing Tree
Gameleste
Sharpsichord
Holophonor
Hydraulophone
Cajon
Lur
Friction Harp
Branching Corrugahorn
Nyckelharpa
Zeusaphone
Pyrophone
Didgeridoo

[@ewaulinska4959]

How can one present musical instruments without showing how they sound?!

[@garyhundsrucker5430]

Gustavo Salmerón A caliop?!A calliope!A KAL EYE OH PEE to help this ignoramus out a little!

[@MazaAzi]

LAZINESS OVERWHELMING

[@Envergure]

Nor how to pronounce their names :P

[@palmitofreak]

seriously? A list on 25 instruments and no samples of any? -___-

[@therealzilch]

Oh man. Pictures of instruments with a soundtrack featuring none of them? C'mon.

[@max010113]

you should have uploaded the sound of each of these instruments to show us how they sound like.

[@max010113]

Jusu-Tengu exacly

[@F0nkyNinja]

The oldest evidence of the Nyckelharpa is from 1350AD not 1350BC. Far from the oldest instrument in recorded history.

[@williamgriebenow3426]

We (Norwegians) actually stole that Harding fiddle from Italy... all these videos are full of lies.

[@vincenthuang5635]

@@williamgriebenow3426 by smashing a violin and a viola d'amore together?

[@myautobiographyafanfic1413]

It's a shame this is just images.

[@EJericjackson]

would have been 1000 times better if we had a small demo of each instrument

[@user-pq4ol6rc7h]

But no sample of how any of them sound? This video is useless. Might as well be an article on one of those countless list sites

[@bricology]

His pronunciation is terrible. Renowned -- "Re-NO-ned"? No, it's "re-NOW-ned". Aetherphone -- "Atherphone"? No, it's "EEEE-ther-phone". In Greek, "Ae" is pronounced "EE". Crwth -- "Crowd"? No, it's "Crooth". Cajon -- "Kai-YON"? No, it's "Kuh-HONE". etc., etc.

[@Kasumi8779]

The Kokyu should be on the list. It's a catskin Japanese bowed Banjo, kind of like a smaller version of the Shamisen, played like an Erhu. It's sound is hard to describe, but it's as if you took the sound of a broken Violin, and made it sound, IDK, GOOD! I'm serious! Look up Kokyu Fiddle

[@jacksainthill8974]

Your description: _We can guarantee that you've probably never used [these] instruments._ Probably? What sort of a guarantee is that?

[@The_Butler_Did_It]

Jack Sainthill I've heard of most of these, seen about half of them played and actually own and play the Jews harp (or now more commonly called jaws harp), Didgeridoo and stylophone.

[@jacksainthill8974]

The Butler Did It Pretty impressive! Now that you've mentioned it, I'm reminded that I own a Jews harp myself. (I think I must have felt so irritated by the video's meaningless 'guarantee' that I declined at first from watching it at all!)

[@DoubleADwarf]

...and because you didn't bother giving any samples what they sound like, they still haven't heard them either. Well done.

[@KlausVonMork]

I try and only leave positive comments on KZbin. I'm positive this was very poorly done. A trawl through Wikipedia turned into a video clip. Could have been 100 times better.

[@backtothenether3600]

instead of music in the background you should have gave a sample of each instrument

[@brianesau315]

whats up with the "bizarre and unique" sexy sax playing underneath the voiceover?? hilarious!

[@macsnafu]

That was a list all right. Too bad it doesn't really give much detail about these instruments. No samples, and even some of the pictures didn't represent the instruments very well.

[@suzukablade]

Leon Theremin also invented the first bugging device that was known for years simply as "The Thing". The glass Armonica was also used in quack medicine by Franz Mesmer giving rise to the term "mesmerized" in reference to hypnosis.

[@42hunterhall42]

I own a Cajon, it's a pretty cool instrument, except its modern and made from various woods. When you slap the centre it sounds like a bass drum, and the top section sounds like snares.

[@MrLaklander]

FYI: The modern pronunciation of "calliope" is "kə-ly-ə-pee" with the emphasis on "ly".

[@derekgam3broz285]

I love the Robot Devil's hands under the Holophoner.

[@INUN0TAISHO]

Uh, it's not pronounced "callie yopp". It's "Kah-lie-oh-pee" or calliope. Circuses and merry-go-rounds used to feature steam calliopes.

[@KenGLaP]

I was going to leave the same comment. Posters should always practice pronunciation before posting!

[@userKingal.1917]

Timecods: 0:00 Intro 0:08 Contrabass Balalaika 0:20 American Photoplayer 0:30 Stylophone 0:37 Pikasso Guitar 0:49 Theremin 1:13 Cymbalum 1:20 Glass Harmonica (Armonica) 1:36 Crwth 1:45 Marteno Waves 1:58 Jew Harp 2:13 Wheel Harp 2:28 Harding Fiddle 2:39 The Singning Ringing Tree 2:51 Gamoleste 2:59 Sharpsicord 3:13 Hollophone 3:29 Hydraulophone 3:43 Cajon 3:54 Lur 4:00 Friction Harp 4:09 Branching Courragaphone 4:20 Nyckelharpa 4:37 Tesla Coil (Zeusaphone) 4:41 Pyrophone 4:54 Didjeridoo

[@DieHardThunderhead96]

The musical instrument should have been on there

[@Flyingtart]

Have used or owned: Stylophone Hardangerfela Nyckelharpa (some relative of mine made one and gave it as a gift for my mother and father when they were young) Jew's harp (played around with these as a kid)

[@EvilSl0th]

what? no hurdygurdy?

[@dannys9076]

I was surprised to, I'm not so sure why Hurdy Gurdy isn't included

[@azhurelpigeon]

Everyone knows what a digiredoo is....

[@raymondcortez6373]

I never would have guessed the hollowphoner from futurama would have been on here. :D

[@shiningarmor2838]

It's real

[@walpurgis943]

I think it might be spelled "holophonor"

[@jurassicparkfreak7601]

I know right? When I saw it I was like Futurerama.

[@argonwheatbelly637]

"Crowd?" "Crwth", pronounced "Crooth"

[@gangsterpooh]

Argon Wheatbelly Yeah!

[@TheSentientCloud]

I knew Theremin, Holophone, Zeusaphone, and Digeridoo. I have plans to make a SSTC (SSTCs and DRSSTCs--technical lingo for musical Tesla Coils--Zeusaphones) because they're easier to tune than SGTCs (non-musical, but far simpler as far as parts go). I own/play a digeridoo (lived in Aussie for a year). It's awesome when they MIDI a Theremin to a tesla coil. We in the HV (high voltage) community call it the Thoremin, haha!

[@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH]

The wheel harp is actually an enlarged hurdy gurdy.

[@MissBaggyCoat]

God I love these Videos! =D

[@markhorton8578]

Very Boring, what is the point if you don't know what they sound like?

[@knurd75]

Nice list. Pity you did not find sample sounds. One small correction. The cimbalon is way too huge for the lap and is played standing up. It is also struck with mallets. It is related to the santur and the hammered dulcimer and a predecessor to the harpsicord and thereby the piano.

[@xosharpieloverxo]

I think a lot of people have heard of a glass harmonica, theramen, and didgeridoo, they are like, the well known obscure instruments, haha. You need to make another video like this for instruments used for specific things because of the sound, like how waterphones makes horror movie sounds and the instruments used for sound effects, they normally only make 1 sound, but it's really specific

[@user-ue6iz5nx5y]

is mayonnaise an instrument?

[@DaniEIdiomas]

"mayonnaisophone", "mayonnaisiano", "mayonnaharpa"... Well, maybe :P

[@user-kh9ki3kq8m]

What kind of video doesn't show what the instrument sounds like?????

[@kitkatgirl1224]

i actually have heard and seen a lot of these, all because of a music museum in arizona where i used to live. i actually played the theremin there, and it was really fun!

[@TheAutumnEmpire]

DIDGERIDOO HEROOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

[@susanlize3290]

You forgot the pianocktail from Boris Vian in L'Ecume des jours This famous piano modified to make cocktails out of a melody played on the keyboard is really well known. Several artist tried to make is in real life but there has been no success so far mostly because Boris Vians ecume des jours is played in a fantesic world ( yes that the way you spell it) L'Ecume des jours in English is called froth of the daydream but the real translation would be froth of the days

[@akhenatten]

The nyckelharpa does not date back to 1350 bc, it's only about 600 years old and has undergone several major design changes over the centuries. The oldest known surviving musical instrument is a flute from China dating to about 7,000 bc, although some possible flutes have been found that predate that one by tens of thousands of years. If percussion instruments are being considered, then the date can go back much earlier than that.

[@Oli414]

#16 (Jews harp) is an amazing instrument! Cheap and easy to learn if you're musical. You can get one for less than €2,50

[@Oli414]

Oh hi there me from the past. Didn't expect to see you here!

[@fartwrangler]

Nice collection. FYI, * "ætherphone" is pronounced "EE-ther-phone" * "cimbalom" is pronounced "CHEM-ba-lum" -- it is not a "plucked" instrument, and it is not played "in the lap". It stands on legs on the floor, and it is played by striking the strings with mallets. * "celeste" is pronounced "CHEL-est" * "Gamelan" is not an instrument, it is an Indonesian percussion -orchestra- * the "friction harp" is a bowed idiophone, not a harp

[@MRohnsworld]

I've heard some of these instruments before. Don't guarantee something you can't.

[@obsidianofblades]

This is a list of the instruments, not a playthrough. I can guess that the poster figured if you wanted to hear any of them, you would look it up yourself, as giving proper sounding of each instrument would be time consuming.

[@jman6866]

3:18 Futurama!!!!

[@nasrosubari49]

The Cimbalom is NEITHER plucked NOR played "in the lap"! It rests on four legs and is played with beaters. Next time, read the wikipedia page you took the picture from...! What you mean is a Dulcimer!

[@StarshipTrooper4231]

The lur, the big horn, is a much older instrument that existed in the bronze ages and forward. And that description. And then nr 1 is a pretty common one. xD

[@mestre12]

The number 10 was made by a Futurama fan.

[@NecromancyForKids]

It's also not functional in the way described.

[@sharkgrove9272]

You forgot the 26th instrument, and the only instrument you played the whole video Your voice

[@asgeirax]

The swedish Nyckelharpa as shown on the picture was first built 1928 or so by Eric Sahlström. There are versions of the instrument from 700 years back but they looked and sounded differently. This is by the way not an unusual instrument in any way, werever you go to listen to folkmusic in Scandinavia, you find a lot of ppl playing this.

[@stanleymitchell9881]

Ive heard of a digeridoo

[@mattorr77]

Same

[@zlKripticW4R]

matt99o If the title of the video was "Musical instruments you've probably not heard of" then your comment would hold some purpose.

[@deguesstheboxingfan]

Dean Cowan Read the description though

[@stanleymitchell9881]

Dont make me do stuff i dont want to do

[@SamanBahrampoor]

"Holophonor" is not a real instrument, buddy! It's a fictional instrument from the "Futurama" season 3 episode 4: Parasites Lost. Apparently, it's based on "Visi-Sonor" form Issac Asimov's Foundation Series!

[@SamanBahrampoor]

tubefan90000 come on... you know the instrument this Harrison Krix guy has made is just an ordinary clarinet with some flashing LEDs! calling that a new instrument is like calling a toaster with 3 bread compartments a new revolutionary device!

[@SamanBahrampoor]

tubefan90000 have you seen the thing? just search it and you'll see what it is. Even in the video it explicitly says "... when he converted an old clarinet by adding 54 LED lights." That's all the guy has done!

[@SamanBahrampoor]

tubefan90000 oh boy, you make me laugh! The "REPLICA" shown in this video does not even pass for being a musical instrument! The guy has blocked the main body of the clarinet with AAA batteries! it doesn't even try to play music. It's just a simple replica that LOOKS like the one on the show. Here, read it yourself: noisey.vice.com/blog/this-guy-called-harrison-krix-made-the-holophonor-from-futurama the guy himself calls it just "light show". __________________________ FROM THE TEXT: Q:Does your holophonor play the same tune Fry plays in the show, does it play at all? A:Unfortunately no. The main body of the clarinet contains a battery holder with three AAAs inside, effectively blocking any air passing through the lower half of the instrument. Even without that there the lower bell is sealed with a big squiggly lighted piece of clear acrylic, so there's still nowhere for air to go. As far as a speaker and sound effects go, sometimes that can be a cool trick and sometimes it comes off as a cheesy gimmick. I chose to leave sound out of this particular replica because any attempt would just be a poor imitation of what the conceptual instrument is capable of. The light show is cool enough, to me at least. __________________________ don't get me wrong. I do like that thing. In fact, being a Futurama fan, I really would like to buy one, if possible! But, at the end of the day, "Holophonor" is still NOT a real instrument. BTW, I have 3 more things to tell you: 1- I'm an Electronics Engineer and I know a hologram/projector when I see one. 2- Don't think that just repeating "THINK... THINK.." in capital letters makes you right. If you had just checked the real thing, you wouldn't go on this much. 3- Even the sentence that says "Only a few people can play holophonors well" is not original. It's been copied from the original Futurama show.

[@SamanBahrampoor]

tubefan90000 dude, the title of the video is "25 unique musical instruments". in this context, what else the phrase 'an instrument' could be referring to? let alone the fact that in normal conversations an instrument most of the times means a musical instrument! it's not my fault that you thought I had one. I never said it. when exactly did I contradict myself? I still say it: it's nothing more than a normal clarinet with a bunch of flashing LEDs. I gave the link to what the guy who made it says about it, himself. and you're still trying to say I'm wrong. you don't even now the difference between a replica and an 'instrument'. you don't even now the meaning of the word 'instrument' and you try to prove me wrong about if something is a real instrument or not! even if I'm an asshole, I'm not a dumb-ass stupid illiterate one like you!

[@bigpianoguy]

I believe that there was an American Photo Player used on the set of Cheers. It now resides in the Television Museum in Hollywood, which is where I saw it.

[@jackwinton7542]

#22 looks like the instrument from "Resonant Chamber" from Animusic 2!!

[@RacermanXtreme]

I played the strangest one in the video (idk the spelling) in the third grade 5 years ago during a school assembly as a volunteer

[@JohanBrodd]

You're working through the list too fast. What you should've done is to actually provide recorded samples of the instrument. Anyone can play a funky song in a video. Not all can play any of these instruments. Thumbs down for this mistake.

[@mksdg91]

Great video! About the Lurs - It is a common misunderstanding that the Vikings played them. They dates back as far as the Nordic Bronze-age, at roughly 2000 BC.

[@gavmusic]

Interesting selection. By the way, the Welsh instrument is not a "Crowth" it's a "Crwth" (pron. "Crooth" - the letter W is a vowel in the Welsh language)

[@paint_thinner]

Why cant you pronounce Didgeridoo? argh!

[@sherry123456782596]

I know Right!!??

[@mightymystery9204]

Moon Meme he couldn't pronounce the Greek Calliope: KAL-lee-yohp, he said, instead of ka-LIE-oh-pee. By such means is the incorrect dispensed broadcast, which is why our forebears decried a little knowledge as being dangerous. Good initiative, bad judgment.

[@DaniEIdiomas]

Not to mention that "cajón", with that softened "j"

[@vlnvlaclogbaerhpno]

This video is not only rather silly because of the lack of any sound examples, but full of misinformation. The cimbalom is a 'plucking instrument'? So, what? It walks around and plucks things? Even if the correct word 'pluckED' had been used, it's not a plucked instrument - it is hammered! Also, the nyckelharpa originated around 1350 AD, not BC!!!

[@xenoization]

25 oddest things, schools let students disect

[@rebelliousbynature99]

I guess the viotar wasn't strange enough to make the list.

[@erogeguy8887]

No sound clips and you didn't even mention Pat Metheney when talking about the Pikasso guitar. Not a good video

[@krysnliss]

Good video man!

[@friendofbeaver6636]

I remember having a Stylophone. The wire for the stylus shorted and it was tossed out. I remember something about Bowie using one.

[@letsgopunkgirls777]

Proud to know many of the instruments mentioned ^-^

[@e.h.willemsma5992]

what about the herdy gerdy????

[@jrzzrj]

For an extra treat...use u-tube to lookup some of these strange instruments...and hear them...!!

[@ursulaczubala3144]

Everyone who went to primary school in Australian would have played a Didgeridoo. They are really hard to play and you need to have circular breathing to be any good at it

[@Nephzi]

"We can guarantee that you've probably never used (or even heard of) these 25 bizarre and unique musical instruments" - well ive played 3 of them so i win...

[@mestre12]

Each Instruments?

[@Nephzi]

mestre12 cajon, didgeridoo and the theremin

[@mestre12]

BasedGod YD cool

[@maxnewellmz8025656]

i have played a theremin but none of the others i have heard of some of them

[@DjFrexira]

I've played 12 of them.

[@EvanSnoswell]

The Cajon is said 'Ca-hon'. Nice list though, there are a lot of incredible instruments out there!

[@timothythompson3288]

Fun and interesting although the narrator needs to work on his pronunciation of the instrument names a bit.

[@CBD670]

How is a Cajon a Bizarre or Unique instrument? Its a box with a snare inside of it, plenty of people have beat on boxes . . . .

[@CrystalMouse1]

I wish for a nyckelharpa and a shamisen please

[@joestallings6993]

Number two. Like a call EYE oh pee. Are you high?

[@caioaugusto6819]

The Cajon is very popular here in Brazil, specally in street music.

[@hezechiahjones8365]

save me please D: the russian sleep experiment video is stalking me on youtube ;_; the thumbnail...it...won't stop...staring at me...

[@mr.rasmussen7911]

hollophone is from futurama ... LOL funny

[@wombleslayr]

Number one should have been a saw (yes a saw that traditionally cuts wood) as it can be played with a bow whilst being bent to produce different notes

[@Dontworryboutit247]

you forgot the most important instrument "The Voila Organista" Designed by Leonardo Da Vinci.

[@ALDEMP]

He leaves out that the glass harmonica was invented by Ben Franklin and was feared because people though the sound would hypnotize them and cause mental illness.

[@Kasumi8779]

Number one should be about Balalaikas in general, not just Contrabass Balalaikas

[@Three_Eyed_Willy]

Nothing surprising here. I've seen ALL of these -- LIVE!!! Maybe you should get out more and visit some really good musical instrument museums.

[@bachstrad644]

At 4:49 did he pronounce Calliope as Coli-op?

[@BHAKTIBROPHY]

Great list!

[@pauldavidgraham6301]

It isn't a "Jew's" harp. It's called a JAW harp. Over the years many people mispronounced the name as Jew Harp. HOWEVER, it is a JAW harp because you place the outer tines in your mouth and bite down with your JAW. When you pluck the springy inner tine, the sound resonates in your JAW, mouth and head. By changing the shape of your mouth you can create musical notes.

[@candiceperry7916]

These instaments are awesome&bizarre

[@arnogerbil]

YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE CARILLON IN THERE!! HOW CAN YOU HAVE A DIDGERIDOO BUT NOT THE CARILLON???

[@ouldonaunt3262]

the Nyckelharpa was 1350 BC ? are you sure about that. would be great if it was true, but seems unlikely.

[@farner8452]

Katzenjammer!

[@TheSkileton]

why is there no HD option? It looks like craaaaap.

[@skallagrim3]

The lure... did I here right? a wooden? Wiking lure introduced in the middle ages... well.. the wiking age was BEFORE the middle ages, but this BRONSE lure are from the bronse age. about 1000 years before the wiking ages. ;-)

[@ThoseSistersYouKnow]

I'm sorry List25 but the sexy music playing in the backround is just stealing the show here.

[@myevilangelofdeath]

you missed that instrument used to produce creepy themes for scary movies

[@jdb79jdb79]

This video inspired me. Im going to make a top 25 video of things to see. It will just be a camera, fixed on me, describing 25 things to see. Stoned, super stoned.

[@list25]

But...I don't get stoned. Never have never will. Also I get your point, but we don't always have the permission to use certain images.

[@rallekralle11]

just a quick translation. Nyckelharpa: key harp

[@OrcsAndOgres]

I'm in Australia and didgeridoos are in many shops

[@andrewvincent5472]

Why dont I see the Sheng here? Or a Mellotron? Or a moog, buchla, etc.? Seriously, surprised that the Sheng isn't mentioned!

[@taurotar]

BIG error in this video... The nyckelharpa was not invented in 1350 B.C. but rather about 1300 A.D. and is old but definitely NOT one of the oldest instruments in the world. Check your facts.

[@icecoldrugby]

Have you considered decongestant before recording your lists?