29 Weirdest Musical Instruments You Won't Believe Actually Exist 

I remember being in grade school and weirdos coming to show us their equally weird instruments. It was the highlight of my week. I'm a weirdo too

The ocarina was definitely made somewhat famous by OOT and Majora’s Mask And I believe the hand pan is used for some parts of the Minecraft ost

Seeing the musical saw made me feel like I was watching and hearing a Tim Burton film.

The Yaybahar sounds like a one-man rock band, but without any electronics. No, ladies and gentlemen, that’s not an electric guitar you’re hearing. That’s a massive violin with metal discs.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="359">5:59</a> and know we know how the GTA San Andreas beginning sound was made

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="657">10:57</a> okay maybe that is a genuinely intimidating instrument bruh

Me: *hears Handpan* Me: *M I N E C R A F T*

At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="570">9:30</a>, it's not the Bermbau you're hearing, though... he's throat singing.

The musical saw is super awesome. Also played extremely well!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="36">0:36</a> musical saw <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="70">1:10</a> handpan <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="100">1:40</a> alphasphere <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="128">2:08</a> alto sheng <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="164">2:44</a> ocarina <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="199">3:19</a> marxophone <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="219">3:39</a> glass harp <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="237">3:57</a> jal tarang

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="284">4:44</a> imagine just taking a hike and hearing this..

Marxophone: The instrument for the worker class

That marxophone thing is literally hammers glued to a santoor

Trust me, after Legend of Zelda, everyone knew that the ocarina existed

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="657">10:57</a> Arabian arid desert <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="772">12:52</a> Imagine when you are in the forest and it's midnight and you hear this sound

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="311">5:11</a> and <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="464">7:44</a> This is one of the traditional Indonesian musical instruments 🇲🇨

I love the musical saw now and this is the first time im hearing it

25 Yabahar <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="656">10:56</a> 26 Array Mbira <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="698">11:38</a> 27 Didgeridoo <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="735">12:15</a> 28 Waterphone <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="772">12:52</a> 29 Hadourum Water Drum <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="816">13:36</a> (I rewrote them bc they were not right)

Organetto - seriously cool instrument.

Great video, I can't believe there aren't more comments. At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="633">10:33</a>, the "Rimba Tubes" are more traditionally referred to as the "Tubulum". Kent Jenkins was inspired to build this one after seeing The Blue Man Group play their tubulum, but I can't find why he gave his a different name.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="742">12:22</a> Thats an unusual type of didgeridoo.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="435">7:15</a> “So what instruments do you play?” “Vases” (Ps this comment is a joke, I actually have one of these and really love playing it) In all seriousness. These look very cool to play, especially most of the string and percussion instruments.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="394">6:34</a>:Lisa Stoll is a MASTER on alp horn!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="74">1:14</a> getting some strong "Aria Math from Minecraft" vibes from this one!

I love how some of these are the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard, and some of them sound absolutely terrifying. The waterphone sent genuine shivers up my spine. It sounds like a thousand ghosts singing as someone drags a metal blade across the floor. That is some horror movie shit right there.

It would be great to know in what parts of the world each instrument was developed.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="285">4:45</a> is that actually that loud? WTF, this is just scary dude.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="736">12:16</a>...that is the CRAZIEST Didge I have EVER seen!! I had no idea they even came in that form! More importantly, HOW did it get in that form??? I'd love to see a vid on they get made to look like that.

Instruments and Where They Sound Like Musical Saw: Kinda resembling a cliche cartoon ghost "ooooooooooo", so maybe a haunted house Handpan: Calm, tropical kind of sound. Definitely the kind you would want to hear in a beach or a private island Alpha Sphere: Futuristic operation. Maybe some scientific surgeons in the process of transforming an almost-dead patient into a cyborg. Either that or a cinematic showcase of a futuristic city Alto Sheng: Chasing a thief in a Chinese town or a village that isn't Chinese Ocarina: _Probably_ used by a goat person in the middle of a forest, surrounded by amazed animals. (Couldn't think of a good one because it's playing a song i recognize) Marxophone: BGM for an ancient forgotten temple located somewhere in Southeastern Asia Glass harp: Magical place where wizards and witches and magic exist (or Hogwarts i guess) or a winter fairy forest Jan Tarang: Witham few extra instruments, sounds like a secret, magical town in India Hydraulophone: Entering a majestic sea temple of Atlantis Crystal Baschet: Old, spooky forest that has seen better days Sasando: Enjoying the beauriful sunset on a Hawaiian beach with a partner watching as the sun slowly goes down the horizon T'Rung: Either in a Southeast Asian village or rainforest Flexatone: Not a place, but does sound like a cartoonish sound effect (but I can't remember what) Alphorn: A peaceful afternoon in a Viking village in Scandinavia Log Drum: Suspenseful music in a mysterious rainforest, waiting for something to pounce Udu: An intense fight with a giant legendary cobra in an Indian temple Angklung: _Possibly_ in a fight between two highly skilled warriors. Where? I don't know (again, playing a song I recognize, so it's harder) Lithophone: A silly chase in a village; on rooftops, riding carts and wheelbarrows, etc. Water Bowls: Floating in empty space Organetto: Peaceful day in a seaside town Berimbau: Normal day in a bustling city in India Balafone: Peacefully strolling in the Amazon rainforest, while hearing the parrots squawk Rimba Tubes: Along with some clapping, _maybe_ the start of an intense chase (You probably know what I'm about to say by now) Yaybahar: Approaching an legendary Indian temple, ready for all of the dangers it has in store Array Mbira: A calm dream of relaxing on poof, white clouds, with all of the work that needs to be done already finished Didgeridoo: Held captive by hostile tribal people; entering their skull-filled territory with tied hands Waterphone: Something mysterious appeared in the foggy lake, but it was too fast to make out the shape Hadourum: Starts off as a friendly standoff, then it wscalates into an intense chase

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="464">7:44</a> Ah yes. Indonesian Traditional Musical Instrument. Angklung.

Summary of each of the instruments: Musical Saw: No explanation needed here, as it’s literally a saw played using a violin bow, and bent to change the pitch. Handpan: The instrument used to make part of Minecraft’s soundtrack. It’s a specially shaped steel pan with indentations of various sizes. These create the different notes when hit by your hand. Alpha Sphere: Essentially a MIDI controller, each pad on the sphere plays a different sample from the laptop behind it, and when hit in the right order, they make a song that you can customize to your liking. Alto Sheng: A miniature pipe organ that’s played like a piano while you blow into the mouthpiece like a tuba. It’s honestly hard to describe well, so see for yourself. I will say, though, each pipe sounds like it has a metal reed at the bottom, as it doesn’t sound like a regular organ, but more like trumpets. Ocarina: Obviously, this is Zelda inspired. It’s basically a wooden flute that’s far more compact than a standard flute is. Marxophone: This is essentially a dulcimer with keys instead of xylophone-like hammers. Glass Harp: You’ve probably seen one of these before at least once. It’s a series of wine glasses that are filled to different levels with water, producing different notes when rubbed with wet fingers. Jal Tarang: This is a series of different sized bowls that make different notes when hit with ceramic sticks (or they could be glass; not sure which). It’s a simple xylophone essentially. Hydraulophone: The most beautiful instrument on this list in my opinion. I’m not sure how it works inside, but it’s basically a water fountain that you can play like a recorder, by covering different holes to make different notes. Crystal Baschet: This, on the other hand, is one of the strangest instruments on this list. The part you play is made up of glass rods, which create the different notes. The rods transfer the vibrations to those two giant metal sheets that look like elephant ears, and they act like amplifiers, making the glass vibrations audible. Sasando: Basically a guitar built around a thick wooden stick and using piano-style strings. T’rung: This is a xylophone; though it looks nothing like one. It’s a set of wooden pipes that make up the bars, which are all suspended by a net-like arrangement of strings. Flexatone: This was probably used to make some cartoon sounds back in the day. It’s a flexible (hence the name) metal plate with two spring hammers that hit it when shaken. Alphorn: The worlds longest wooden horn (unverified, but it’s gotta be close) that produces surprisingly high notes for its size. Log Drum: A drum made out of a log. Just like the first one, its pretty simple. Udu: Have you ever wanted to play vases? I sure haven’t. But it’s a thing, and this is it. Angklung: A set of wooden tubes with stones or something inside them that rattle around when the tubes are hit. Seen here playing Seniorita. Lithophone: A huge xylophone made out of large slabs of stone and played with large wooden hammers. Water Bowls: Second place in my opinion for the most beautiful instruments on this list. It’s a set of glass bowls with water inside them. These bowls have contact microphones on the bottom of them, and what I’m assuming is a conductive metal rim on the edge of each one as well, so these require some external electronics to make the sounds they do. But boy are they beautiful when played correctly. Organetto: As the name suggests, this is another mini pipe organ, but this one has actual organ pipes and a massive accordion-like bellow on the side. And it’s (almost) handheld, which is crazy. Pretty cool instrument, I must say. Berimbau: This is essentially a hunting bow with a wooden echo chamber attached that’s played using a metal rod. Unfortunately, the clip of it here is drowned out by the throat singing, but there are probably better videos of it out there if you search for them. Balafone: This is another xylophone-like instrument (boy, there’s a lot of them here), and it looks just like one, but with wooden spheres as resonators instead of pipes. Theremin: Unfortunately, this one got skipped due to a video glitch, but what this would have sounded like is hard to describe in words. It’s an electronic instrument comprised of two antennas, one that’s horizontal that controls the volume of the note, and one that’s vertical that controls the pitch. You play it by moving one hand around the vertical antenna and moving the other up and down over the horizontal one. Rimba Tubes: A Blue Man Group favorite! This is a spiderweb of pipes of various sizes, which play different notes when hit with foam paddles. And yes, they’re playing Megalovania in that video clip. Like it or hate it, that’s what you’re gonna hear. Yaybahar: If you thought the Crystal Baschet was weird, check this one out (the time stamp isn’t perfect due to the Theremin being skipped, so click around; you’ll find it). It’s a massive string instrument that’s played like a violin, but with big metal discs on the ends of the strings. This produces a sound that’s surprisingly similar to an electric guitar, actually. Array Mbira: Also known as a Kalimba, or “finger piano,” this is an instrument made up of small metal fins, each of which produces a different note when plucked with your fingers. The one in this video happens to have an electric amplifier built in, but not all of them have one. Didgeridoo: Another Minecraft reference, as this is one of the note block sounds. This is a wooden horn that looks similar to a tuba, but instead of blowing into it, you beatbox into it. It’s a beatbox amplifier of sorts, just in case you wanted to add some bass to your beatbox. Waterphone: This was probably used to make horror movie sound effects at one point. It’s a metal pan of sorts with several metal tines sticking out of it. As the name implies, the pan is filled with water, and when you play it by using a violin bow on the tines, it creates some 🎶 Spooky Scary Sound Effects that send shivers down your spine 🎵. Hadourum Water Drums: These are wooden and metal spheres of various sizes and shapes that float in buckets of water. They make some cool sounds if hit in the right spots.

I've seen the waterphone before in a nature documentary. Some scientists were using one to imitate the call of whales.

I have watched a lot of videos with unusual musical instruments and my favorite musical instrument is the yaybahar. It's simply otherworldly and it can produce many interesting sounds

Mother:he will become a doctor. Dad:No, he will become an astronaut! I'm in the next room: <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="737">12:17</a>

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="773">12:53</a> Venom had left the chat 🤯

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="360">6:00</a> Only True Legends can understand ❤️

The Crystal Baschet was certainly interesting, would be interesting to fine a sample pack based on it

When I heard the handpan, I just knew I know the sound from somewhere...

Puff The Magic Dragon played on a hydraulophone? My life is complete.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="258">4:18</a> soooo relaxing and calm…IM GONNA CRY!!!😊🥹🥹

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="191">3:11</a> sounds similar to a santoor / santur 😃

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="633">10:33</a> Bro my old elementary school had one of these near the playground area and I don’t know why nobody ever used it. 😂😭

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="262">4:22</a> I like how that guy in the background just waved at the camera

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="657">10:57</a> this is the best I've ever seen. I got goosebumps 🤯🥴

Sasando and angklung from Indonesia

Now I know what those people who hear strange noises that sound a bit like trumpets is. It's that crystal Baschet!

These are all amazing! 😯

Since the Theremin was cut out the video for some reason, I'll give you a brief description of it. You know that whistling sound that's commonly associated with UFOs in old Sci-Fi movies? Well, that sound is made by a Theremin.

Liked the Waterphone 😀 <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="771">12:51</a>

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="629">10:29</a> Poor theramin...

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="463">7:43</a> I love you when you call me señorita

Number 25 Yaybhar is my favorite. It seems like a mix between violin and guitar like you can play both at the same time in a synchronized way and one other instrument that caught my attention is the waterphone it sounds mystical like sound from ther outer space

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="96">1:36</a> "What instrument do you play?" "Ball." "What...?" *"B a l l ."*

Nicely done video, I haven´t heard about most of these instruments .. that Organetto sound is just magical

I believe you forgot about the theremin.Where as I have seen rimba tubes everywhere. Otherwise, very interesting. Thank you.

Y'all really had the glass harp but not the way Superior glass armonica? Lol wow

So many new Sound's and tone's😍thx for sharing. Music is the Key

I think the waterphone is good for horror backsound. Seriously, if i hear someone playing it when i'm alone in my room, i'll think it's a voice of ghost 😅

Omg! Some of these instruments came straight from a Alien planet!!!

The Yaybarhar at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="656">10:56</a> ethereal sounds!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="340">5:40</a> Legit thought this guy went to a museum to play a dinosaur fossil

imagine going for a walk in the mountains and hearing a distant crystal baschet. you'd think it was aliens

I own 10 of these!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="69">1:09</a> kinda reminds me of minecraft

Very inspirational, thank you!

My personal favorites (in order): Musical Saw Handpan Crystal Baschet Udu Water Bowls Yaybahar

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="164">2:44</a> when your hat rat says "hey, listen!"

god the hydraulophone got me...

Cool to see the singing saw made it here!

Alpha sphere is so cool!!

That Christal bascuet is super interesting. More so because it seems to be mimicking a natural phenomonon or ratio. You hear about weird sky sounds. I'm wondering if it could shed some light/understanding into the mechanism.

I want to carry a Musical Saw with me now. Seems more manageable to transport than a harp.

Imagine someone accidentally slapped a pot the right way and said "Wait a minute"

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="365">6:05</a> the real OG's know this intro :)

This is really cool! Always up for new and unique sounds that can be turned into music!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="700">11:40</a> I would like to play this.

Thanks for giving me ideas to try new instruments

Water bowls are absolutely SYNTH!!! 🤩

i play upright bass... that musical saw hurts in ways I cant explain.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="124">2:04</a> OY MAN THAT 🔥🔥🔥

The musical saw's sound was one of the most bizar and at the same time beautyful thing i've ever listened to...

Angklung always play with band just one by one person hold it and play at the exact time when it needed. I miss those

i liked the video game references. when they played megalovania on the tube thing it was awesome

Those guys playing megalovania on my plumbing are a new high for me

waterphone sounds like a perfect haunted horror movie instrument scared the bleep out of me lol

Some of these look and sound like they pulled right out of people's weird dreams.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="367">6:07</a> that gave me GTASA vibes

best video i've ever seen

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="358">5:58</a> é igualzinho a introdução de GTA San Andreas! Hauhauhau

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="772">12:52</a> that's literaly horror fuel

Some of these didn't sound like musical instruments, more so like instruments they would use in movie and show sound effects, although I guess they could be fit into a song/music somehow.

Sasando and Angklung from Wonderland Indonesia :)

I love love love the crystal baschet!!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="772">12:52</a> How horror movie music effects was made:

As a musician I love almost ALL of these. Except one. The Alpha sphere is NOT an instrument. Its a midi controller. All of the others are awesome...

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="236">3:56</a> what 9 year old me thought when playing with random bowls and plates in the kitchen

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="342">5:42</a> "Sir, you need to leave the museum"

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="72">1:12</a> quiero eso como despertador xdd

The saws blow me away. Wow!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="281">4:41</a> crystal bachet doesn’t even feel real, like it feels like an alien would make this instrument