Testing Gimmicky Music Gadgets #2

[@samuraiguitarist]

What's the best? What's the worst? Get The Style of Soloing 50% off with promo code "EARLYBIRD50". Or get the Soloing Bundle 2fer1 with the same code over at www.samuraiguitartheory.com

[@musicnstuff7552]

“Peter Criss the guitarist of KISS.”. I’m dead 🙃.

[@TheE23slack]

@@musicnstuff7552 I always question myself momentarily when stuff like this happens.

[@supermanflip19]

still working my way through the other courses, but I might as well get this deal while I can. Thanks, Sammy G!

[@o2Tenka]

What if... Sound Urchin with autotune?

[@Durmomo0]

Stylophone is actually very interesting and right in impulse buy territory.

[@ugearsmodelsua]

Hi, thank you for your review of our Hurdy-Gurdy model kit. Like other Ugears models, it is a mechanical puzzle in the first place, so we are happy to know your father enjoyed the assembly. It is definitely not a professional musical instrument, but it can be played, showing the movement of the gears, and maybe will motivate someone to learn to play the Hurdy Gurdy. Greetings from Ukraine!

[@jonathanhaas9962]

I been planning to swap out the strings on mine to see if actual violin string can make that thing sing.

[@dfunited1]

My roommate and I had a really fun afternoon assembling ours. Beers, some to smoke, and hours at the dining table building these

[@solarismoon3046]

@@dfunited1 🚬🚬🚬🚬😵‍💫😵‍💫🥴🥴 I needdd uhh sommme smoke uh nuhn I not feeeelin' too ugh, uhn...... Stop smoking that shit!!!!! It makes you stupid and leaves a disgusting odor from all the filth that it is and leaves all over everything that it touches!

[@solarismoon3046]

I bought one of your secret puzzle kits. It wasn't easy to put together and I had to take it apart a few times to get the lid on it. I also had to work it a few times to get the top to open and close but eventually it works. The key for it leaves a lot to be desired - it needs to be longer for a better grip. Otherwise this would make a great gift for someone now that it's finished. I love these puzzles and they're a wonderful way to get something enjoyable and work with your hands while spending quality time making something that other people will admire. I only wish that I thought of this first! I was going to buy the Hurdy Gurdy but after reading some reviews deciding that maybe this wasn't a good idea if I can't make real music with it. Thank you for offering these puzzles (the entire UGEARS line) to the world. It's a great idea with a noble past and hopefully a brighter future for its' creators and their people.

[@Srcsqwrn]

@@jonathanhaas9962 I do wonder if you could build this, replace a couple things, and have a more stable sound.

[@KurtMcAllister42]

the stylophone has serious cred, Bowie and Kraftwerk have used it, and on some of their most well-known songs too.

[@the_original_Bilb_Ono]

I have one and literally take it with me everywhere. Keep it in my glovebox.

[@stephanemelo]

Also, the GenX-1 version as some serious built-in thingies that make it even more awesome. (Yes, I have both)

[@hiperson4705]

Bowie used it in Space Oddity and Kraftwerk used it on pocket calculator

[@ann1ka_]

@@hiperson4705 oh wow I've never connected that that was that one sound on pocket calculator

[@samuelxavier2473]

Everyone remembers Space Oddity uses a Stylophone but it also crops up on After All from The Man Who Sold The World.

[@matthewmowen2736]

“Sammy needed to strike back against the bad algorithm he’s been getting recently… and he knew just the way to do it”

[@luryas626]

I believe this will be very fucking accurate in about an hour or two

[@RetroPlus]

Any video with a stylophone blows up pretty much

[@mehmetcangider]

I subscribed and did the bell thingy. Still sammy doesnt appear on my page... dirty algorithm

[@supersmarty8496]

I couldn’t help but read this in a Morgan Freeman voice

[@michanowak7060]

I have one of those hurdy gurdys. It's a ton of fun. Assembling the thing was great experience and the whole thing sounds like the most annoying mosquito ever!

[@uncletrash8770]

Get yourself the Nerdy Gurdy. It's kinda the same but it actually plays amazingly

[@PBTophie]

I got one of those for Christmas a few years ago. I replaced the fishing line "strings" with Aquila ukulele strings I had lying around, and it sounds okay-ish. Was definitely a fun building experience, though.

[@lnx0007]

I got one as a christmas present and it was honestly the best gift i've ever gotten. Putting it together was a joy and it was actually fun to play and didnt sound to bad if you put real strings one it and cottoned them. Sadly, my dad dropped it while helping me move and busted the crank and internal gears. My GF thinks that was a significant improvement :/

[@Tahngarthor]

Just remember a real hurdy-gurdy doesn't sound like that. This product is a novelty not a music making device :p

[@Thallishman]

The Nerdygurdy is similairly made from plywood, but is design to actually sound propper for muscians. Just a tip for those that want a gurdy for an entry price.

[@tarkenton3895]

The Sound Urchin demo feels plucked out of a janky, nonexistent Radiohead/Storm Corrosion collab! Love those textures!

[@jasmith85]

I thought it sounded like the background noises from Boo's Big House on Mario 64

[@blakerobinson7421]

Definitely agree on this lineup being one of the top 2 of the series!

[@emmettedwards2587]

The 'Sound Urchin' feels like it could make some really cool, ambient noises for a movie or video game. Or horror themed sound track. Run it through the right sound mixers and it can pull off some REALLY creepy sounds I feel.

[@jeeBisOkay]

Yeah it definitely has great horror potential, and with the right filters would even feel right at home in a modern cosmic horror setting

[@callerunknown]

Yeah it really gave me Silent Hill vibes

[@GavinBisesi]

I also wonder if it could be made melodic by just cutting down the spines to different lengths so they resonate differently

[@jimmybarr9411]

I have to say, it was cool seeing the 15 note “write your own music” music box on hear and I am happy that you enjoyed it! My parents bought me one when they went to Hearst Castle for their 25th anniversary and boy, did I love it! I think I was 17 at the time, I spent hours writing and arranging different music on it, so much so that they had to get me another music strip pack and later bought me a 30 version with more range and some accidentals along with a ~90 foot roll of blank music paper for it. The memories…

[@milkman247]

that’s so cool did u ever record it or make it into a song ? :o

[@jimmybarr9411]

@@milkman247 I’ve done a few songs, but I haven’t recorded anything yet, I should do that…

[@Vousie]

I quite liked the music box too - actually want to buy one, though I don't like that you have to keep winding it - the music box ones I know have a spring & wind up mechanism so you can wind it up once and let it run. Any ideas of a write your own music box that has that wind-up function?

[@brohana]

I got a Sound Urchin as a present awhile back and have had a lot of fun experimenting with it's properties. One thing I really like to do is to hook it up to a practice amp sitting on the same surface, so the vibrations from the amp are picked up by the Urchin and it feeds back into itself. You can control different pitches of drones that emerge from this with the low/mid/high knobs on the amp, and different surfaces affect it as well! Wood surfaces sound especially good and react well. Throw some effects on top of this and it starts to feel like a drone synth. Feedback synthesis? You aren't gonna get any defined pitches or scales out of this thing, but in the hands of the right person they'll have fun with it for hours.

[@dzd2371]

That was my initial thought about the thing as well(letting it feed back to an amp), or just adding it to my pedal chain and giving it a kick every once in a while. I might have to try one of those myself. edit: So I thought until I looked at the price. I won't have that much fun with it 🤣

[@MegaEmmanuel09]

The Stylophone is one of the best "gimmick" instruments ever made. And I would 100% consider it an instrument all in its own; I have one and its unexpectedly fun

[@hungryhedgehog4201]

I'd love if the Hurdy Gurdy came back as mainstream affordable instrument but not like this

[@SlyHikari03]

Same

[@DoctorEmpirical]

@@SlyHikari03 I tried building one from a Lark in the Morning kit but was unable to get the strings to align over the wheel precisely enough.

[@mickeyknox9341]

came back?

[@coryman125]

I've noticed in recent years, interest in them seems to be spiking. Hopefully someone with more money than reason starts mass producing the things just for the fun of it. Looking at you, Elon Musk

[@hungryhedgehog4201]

@@mickeyknox9341 last time it was super popular was in the renaissance

[@bardlinga7640]

Here's a fun fact, since you said "It's like analog MIDI". Old automatic pianos are fed with long rolls of similar sheets with holes in them, and it's the reason it's called a piano roll in modern DAWs.

[@marcvandoornik]

Given the fact the Stylophone is just a simple transistor oscillator, it seems only natural to expect it responding to effects well. Adding a wah pedal (a filter, essentially) or some other stufff basically turns it into a synth. I reckon the Otamatone would benefit from the same treatment. Love it!

[@Rugg-zb4sy]

I think it might be a 555 timer

[@sauceyguitarist]

The interesting thing is, in effect, that paper hole punch is a predecessor to midi! Fairground organs used a similar method to play music, and early computers often used hole-punch sheets like that to store data. Baller old data storage methods!!!

[@peterrobinson2780]

That Sound Urchin would be great for a composer/for ambient music, cool sounds!

[@mindseyemelodies]

im really curious what it would be like with different guages of wire, instead of them all being the same.

[@DoctorEmpirical]

@@mindseyemelodies Or just file them to different lengths.

[@tannert.2296]

As an aspiring producer I just put one in my cart on reverb lol

[@jesuslovesyou2616]

Jesus Christ died for your sins please repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 🚧⛽️🚈🚈🚥🚆🪝✈️

[@Futt.Buckerson]

The textural properties of the Sound Urchin are pretty cool. Seems like something that would fit well in a NIN song, the Down With Disease intro, or in a foley studio. But definitely more noise maker than instrument.

[@maxgood5006]

Sammy G is in a rather humorous mood today.

[@Kitteh.B]

The Stylophone, music box, and even Sound Urchin songs were actually really nice, wouldn't mind hearing full versions! Also I feel like real strings on the Huedy Gurdy in place of the fishing line would be way better!

[@bernhardkrickl3567]

I don't know about fishing lines but real strings for a guitar or violin (and probably a hurdy gurdy too) require quite a bit of tension for the right tone to come out. Maybe the wood in this model would break.

[@onezerosevensix]

Absolutely been loving these new vids lately man, only started watching maybe 2 weeks ago yet still binge watching old vids, this is the best community ive ever seen

[@Mephitus_LePew]

Soken, the composer for FFXIV, playing La Hee live on Otamatone will always be my jam.

[@JasonM69]

I've got that gurdy puzzle, still haven't put it together yet haha. I had seen some people get a more tolerable sound by putting real strings on it.

[@PBTophie]

Yep. I've got one, and I love it. I put Aquila Nylgut ukulele strings (low G) on it, and it improved the sound by orders of magnitude. It's a really great build. The first thing they have you build is a tool necessary to complete the build, iirc. Really fun. I did it all in one sitting.

[@bigbeefscorcho]

I was a freak for KISS when I was a kid, so those KISS jokes had me cracking up! Especially the quick ones, like when you said “Gene Stanley” 😂

[@shaunw9270]

One of my first musical instruments as a little kid in the early 70's was a Stylophone. My teenage brother taught me Smoke On the Water ,on Christmas morning lol . Made in England by Dubreq and used on Bowie's Space Oddity btw.

[@jackruaro]

David Bowie used the Stylophone on Space Oddity, so it might be one of the greatest Gimmicky guitar gadget of all time.

[@snakedoktor6020]

Nice video sir. You almost threw me for a loop with the "Kiss guitarist Peter Criss" thingy.

[@NervousYoungInhuman]

That sea urchin added a strange level of beauty to the guitar playing

[@KimchiSpringRoll]

The stylophone with pedals and make your own music box are both impressive.

[@feministadentata4041]

I can see the sound urchin being used in ASMR videos. For that specific 'atmospheric background soundscape over whispers' thing. With effects you can create a cool vibe for maybe a story about spaceships or deep sea exploration or something.

[@LiMCRiMZ]

You unlocked what I try to embody in my own work with the urchin thing, sometimes it's really rough and janky from a production standpoint (regardless of over a decade of experience) but I'm rooted deeply enough in what I've studied/loved in sound design in proper context that the few understanding it get an extravaganza effect that they can't ignore any more than a yoko solo

[@LiMCRiMZ]

Also holy shit I wasn't expecting the music box to be that cheap despite the minimal tech/material involved but it can still play with regular paper when the intervals are spaced correctly yes? Edit: pls let me know if my friends and I will need to buy special paper for this because we work in construction and will absolutely just make 4 of these out of spite if it's that kind of scam.

[@m3lod1an]

ik this is a bit late but you don't need special paper. also if the music box interests you you should check out Martin Molin (Wintergatan)'s housing he built for one of those, it's on KZbin

[@bigbeefscorcho]

I have NEVER heard someone run a stylophone through pedals, but WOW. I’m as blown away as the first time I heard someone play a sax with effects pedals, really a wild sound

[@wookieehannes]

For me the Make Your Own Music Box is an actual Instrument. I got a 30 note box, added an electric drive and a woodan barrel organist and now i play duets with music box and guitar!

[@alecrisser12]

I have the stylophone, that thing is pretty dope, especially the gen X-1.

[@RetroPlus]

That thing is great, you can make some professional sounding music with them

[@Obsidianus]

Not only was this an entertaining video to watch, you also brought ugears as a perfect gift for my father’s upcoming birthday to my attention. Thank you!

[@jesuslovesyou2616]

Jesus Christ died for your sins please repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 🚧⛽️🚈🚈🚥🚆🪝✈️

[@dmyers9230]

That was pretty awesome. I have that hurdy Gurdy which chased me to build an actual one. Not easy to find strings for the real thing…….

[@paulburner3817]

Just wanted to say that your continued high quality and engaging output has really meant a lot of the past couple of years. Your passion and enthusiasm has been a welcome tonic to the real world craziness and there has been times I've benefitted greatly from spending 30 mins with your videos. All the best for the future and I hope you are well and continue making great content. Much love

[@milkman247]

i feel like with the sea urchin you can create some cool background pedal noises like tame impala

[@luster5497]

The music box may take forever, but once it's done, you don't ever have to do it again, so actually really rewarding.

[@1337million]

I think this is the first time I've ever heard a ring modulator sound even remotely like a note. And it sounded a lot like actual notes. All bow before the mighty stylophone!

[@swstrauss4381]

I’m so glad you’re the one with the obsession, and we’re the ones to sit back and enjoy. Thanks for doing these.

[@areminderofwhatweare]

I’ve got one of those hurdy gurdy models too. It took me from like 8 at night until 5 in the morning to build and got it together in one sitting. I wish it was a bit more playable but it was a good time building it.

[@forkless]

When I heard Hurdy Gurdy my heart skipped a beat... Such a cool instrument.

[@SlyHikari03]

Mhm

[@channel98747]

Right on mate

[@GuitarJeff]

I must say this is your best gimmick gadgets ever. Hard to top this one in the future. I literally laughed out loud when you started playing Canon. Just was not expecting it.

[@gian323]

I remember seeing Boyz II Men for the first time during their residency in Las Vegas and when they sang A Song for Mama I cried. Your acapella-style Canon in D Otomatone is just as good

[@itsmatty365]

I'm a tad bit disappointed we didn't get yoko screeching..... Chuck Berry reacting to yoko might be the funniest thing in music history!

[@mattstrings]

"It's like analogue MIDI..." hahahahahaha. So true though. I made one of those for my wife of a song I wrote her almost 10 years ago now and it still works and holds up well.

[@FandomTOBY]

oooh so that's ( 3:10 ) what my sister has standing around in her living room. I just thought it was a real fancy deco violin lmao I did not know she had to build that thing herself nor was I aware of the fact that it's playable. Also did not know it's a hurdy gurdy lol But it makes sense now since her fav instrument actually is the hurdy gurdy

[@shuriflwrs]

I think musical gadgets can be useful even if they aren't practical, because the experimentation will open your frame as a guitarist and help you think about the guitar in a new way

[@grantlazenby8192]

Some interesting stuff here. I bet that the Sound Urchin could find a place on a noise artist's fx board, putting it through heavy distortion and some modulation could be interesting I think.

[@MisterMoccasin]

If anyone is interested in the stylophone, it'd be worth looking up the GenX-1 stylophone too. MAde by the same company, but has knobs and switches that can effect the sound a bit. It just makes it more fun :)

[@IsasHappyHour]

the sound urchin reminds me of that wave crashing/scream in The Zephyr Song by the Chili Peppers. I can't see anybody (who cares about commercial success, anyway) using the sound urchin on stage seriously, but it could totally give some amazing ambient sounds in a stripped down track where you want to make the song sound bigger without adding more instruments.

[@jasonseymour6306]

I almost correct you on the otomitone likeness and got halfway through typing, then I realized you were trolling haha, good job Sammy!

[@Sursie_Metzger]

I found out about Sound Urchins through Richard Devine who ran his through Microcosm and one of his synth racks, it sounded like what I imagine the inside of alien ship would sound like. I absolutely loved it and personally think it has a lot of potential if paired with the right equipment.

[@cordero6960]

i know it take a lot of time for you to make these beautiful music and i wanna say i appreciate every piece of of music you made!!

[@danepresley7851]

That was one of the coolest demos of the most random stuff that I've ever heard. You almost got that 1M keep going

[@tl8033]

I can definitely relate to this. That was both inspirational and hilarious, I loved it. I’m personally often surprised how inspirational widgets or kids’ toys can be at a particular moment, and you compose a piece of music that you can never play again.

[@jonprudhomme7694]

The Kikkerland music box is the first off center item I have seen on this channel that I happen to own. It is fun to play with. The punched dots are a plague, tho.

[@liminal79]

stylophone and wah gave me some Cream vibes

[@jabelsjabels]

I have the 2 octave chromatic version of that music box, and the HBD demo it comes with is extremely extra. It has a key change in it I think.

[@rome8180]

That Sound Urchin song was awesome. Also, I'm about to order a Stylophone.

[@gonikassif8527]

I was very happy to see the music box! I purchased one a few weeks ago, our music program has a concert dedicated to composing poems about the holocaust, and I really wanted to have a music box sound in mine. Bought the 30 notes version, and it works lovely!(takes a lot of time though) Sounds great, I'll be performing with it tomorrow.

[@doublebguitarplayer9434]

Paul Stanley had the star on his face lol. Peter Chris was cat whiskers. But I get what ya mean. Love the channel sir.

[@davidozab2753]

That was my first reaction. Then he said "Gene Stanley," and I knew he was trolling 😄

[@whistlingfish]

One of the most creative samurais on social media.

[@bucketofchicken8325]

that otamatone cover honestly sounded beautiful, the low ranges were guttural and it sounds kinda like a squeaky choir

[@TheDemonsReflection]

These gimmicky gadgets videos are always great.

[@kyleeames8229]

The tines of the sound urchin can probably be tuned by adding weights to them and cutting weight off as needed for accurate tuning. Of all the gadgets featured, it’s probably my favorite.

[@sharpphilip]

I’d love to hear a jam with all of them! (Maybe just sample the pocket guitar thingo instead of trying to perform with it, though, huh?)

[@GrumpyTy34er]

I have one of those Hurdy Gurdy kits. Definitely a lot of fun to put together and it definitely makes me want to make a more professional sounding/looking one

[@shiningarmor2838]

It's about time we saw an Otamatone on this channel

[@monika.alt197]

SamuraiDad deserves a raise. I mean come on, he built the hurdy gurdy and also the Steampunk guitar amp, that this is easily one of the coolest thing ever.

[@marciosilvaoficial]

Oh, Paul Stanley will be mad....🤣

[@fuzzydude66]

Out of all of your gimmicky gadget videos this one is the very best of the bunch.

[@pyromaniak678]

Those Kiss name burns just kept coming I love it thank you

[@maxbecker44]

I'm going insane, I'm trying to find a specific guitar and I seem to remember seeing it on your channel but I can't find it anymore. I believe you only looked at it online, possibly with your girlfriend, and agreed that it was stunningly beautiful but simply too expensive. It was a very modernist design, somewhat 50s inspired. A nice matte sea foam green, double cut design, very squared off shape with a rounded top, black pickguard, maple fretboard and square-ish headstock. someone, please help, I'm going nuts looking for it...

[@lewinskydan]

They don't fit the description exactly, but is it one of the Paoletti guitars? E.g. the Paoletti 112 Lounge 2P90? They've been featured on this channel before, in the "most beautiful guitars" video. He also owns one of them now, as seen in the guitar collection video.

[@tom_something]

I have one of those music boxes. I wish the scale were chromatic, but then of course the layout would have to be chromatic (bye-bye to familiar staff), and the whole thing would need to be wider to avoid errors.

[@hisham_hm]

The James Blunt vocal impression was unexpected and awesome

[@salzulli6290]

The sound urchin is definitely an ambient noise maker and not an instrument like we're used to. The otomotone is fun when you get the one with the headphone jack, because you can run it into your pedal board.

[@bryantbell4579]

the hurdy gurdy was actually used in the old days to play a constant note in the background while other singers sang over it in order to keep one singer from having to hold a single note through the entire song.

[@channel98747]

Sort of, you're thinking of the Organistrum which was the precursor to the Gurdy, it was also capable of playing melodies or harmonies on it's keys.

[@emmarossignol4445]

Check out the Stylophone Gen X-1! It's slightly bigger, around $100 and has effects and multiple sounds built in! Great little unit.

[@revscottymaelstrom]

I attempted to assemble the hurdy-gurdy puzzle. Looks good, but I managed to make it unplayable. Thank you for taking the time to review these items so skillfully. Cheers.

[@alpeterson]

Peter Criss the guitarist… Hahahaha That joke almost went under the radar and I love it.

[@mickylove76]

I’ve had 5 stylophones in my life. There have been bands that released stuff just done on stylophone. Pulp and stereolab used them well.

[@jesuslovesyou2616]

Jesus Christ died for your sins please repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand 🚧⛽️🚈🚈🚥🚆🪝✈️

[@LaurelOaks-p3r]

Gene Stanley was a funny joke for the otamaphone. I laughed after I thought he was making a mistake calling it Peter Chris.

[@CodeRedCody]

That Urchin thing gives off major rainforest vibes

[@verdatum]

I'm in the process of building a hurdy-gurdy. When I heard about the laser-cut product I was briefly really excited...until hearing it play. Darn, back to carving.

[@QraQrJaq]

This is so random and coincidental! I was just staring at that same hurdygrudy puzzle today at a toy store!

[@robinkehr1160]

Now i want a midi converter for those stave ribbons and hand crank the hole punched melodies straight into my modular

[@bustedkeaton]

You kiss your mother with that mouth?

[@LORDOFDORKNESS42]

I could see a video game getting a lot of use from the Sound Urchin. Stuff like enemy screams, or electric screaches to put a player on edge.

[@brianthewhale]

Cool factoid, punching holes in cards used to be how people programmed computers before software to develop software was created, back in "the day." I imagine it looking something like the music box... interesting!

[@andreatedde9545]

You led mi to an evil rabbit hole with the Hurdy Gurdy. Now I want 3/4 of the Ugears catalogue.

[@CodeRedCody]

I would low key put on that music box song when I just want to chill

[@ansmfella]

Pachelbel rolling in his coffin to that otamatone ensemble ⚰️🎶!!! 😂

[@hrotghar]

The part that you played with the sound urchin could be the mellow intro for an Opeth like song. You are getting some musical use out of it after all.

[@hunterprice3320]

I'm amazed by how dope the stylophone sounds with the wah

[@randystache78]

If nothing else, these videos show tour WIDE range of musical talent!

[@jasurmakhkamov]

“It’s supposed to look like Peter Criss, the guitar player from Kiss” “Gene Stanley” killed me

[@wilsonkok4754]

The stylophone and the last music box were really good! And that puzzle music box is a really cool idea, too bad that the actual tones aren't as good

[@randommeasures4618]

I think the Aerodrum jam from the previous Gimmicky Gadgets video and the Otamon and sea urchin jams would make great YT/TikTok shorts. Great visuals and surprising musical treats!

[@Jorvalt]

funnily enough, that little song you did with the sound urchin sounded like it could be the underwater theme for a video game.

[@BeGloryOrPeace]

LOL 😂 Peter Criss… the guitarist from KISS, omg my stomach hurt’s 🤣 I know you must be in a jokingly humorous mood 😄👍🏽