Get ready for a musical journey through some of the most fascinating and unique instruments from around the world! From the deep rumble of the tuba to the ethereal sounds of the theremin, we're exploring the coolest and most interesting musical instruments that have shaped music across genres and cultures.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for cool, widely-learned, or
00:08otherwise interesting musical instruments.
00:11However, we'll be omitting instruments that are the only of their kind, a la The Marble
00:16Machine.
00:1920.
00:23Tuba How low can you go?
00:25Pretty darn low if we're talking about a tuba.
00:28A brass instrument that possesses a deep and resonant range.
00:41Often engaging in a supportive role, the tuba wasn't an instrument commonly found within
00:46an orchestra pit until around the 19th century.
01:07Tuba players can find themselves bolstering the bass frequencies of other orchestral instruments,
01:13such as woodwinds.
01:14Additionally, the tuba's own rumbling tones can often evoke feelings of doom, dread, or
01:20impending danger, both within traditional orchestra incorporations, as well as within
01:25the parameters of modern jazz groups.
01:3419.
01:38Hang One may be tempted to refer to a hang as a
01:41hang drum, but the inventors of this comparatively recent instrument have stressed their preference
01:48for just plain hang.
02:09The hang is related to the family of steel drums that have permeated music from Trinidad
02:14and Tobago for decades.
02:16This doesn't only come down to the uniquely evocative sounds that emerge from the hang
02:20when struck, but also their physical construction.
02:30Performers can also get other sounds from a hang by sliding their hands across its surface,
02:35or by rolling mallets to achieve sustained notes similar to that of a singing bowl.
02:4518.
02:47Trombone Brass instruments, such as the trombone,
02:50can be found in everything from old school orchestras to some of the hippest jazz ensembles
02:56around.
03:07Marching bands frequently make use of this long, sliding instrument to create lower registered
03:12tones alongside other brass accompaniment.
03:15Elsewhere, famed musicians such as Wayne Henderson and Raúl de Souza have incorporated their
03:21trombones into everything from jazz, rock, and soul to fiery funk.
03:36Basically what we're saying is that the trombone is anything but stuffy or old-fashioned.
03:42It all depends upon how you'd like to play it.
03:4717.
03:49Contrabassoon Move over tuba, the contrabassoon actually
03:53gets even lower than that famed Bido Brass, which is seriously impressive for this member
04:00of the woodwind family.
04:14The sound of a contrabassoon is deep and satisfyingly rich, although its higher register
04:19doesn't possess the same amount of resonant power.
04:28This means a contrabassoon could potentially be drowned out within an orchestra's setting,
04:33but its usefulness within an ensemble remains unquestioned.
04:37Its rumbling low buzz can work within a similar thematic space as a tuba, creating tension
04:43and counterpoint against brighter and more optimistic sounds.
04:5516.
04:56Bass Clarinets The diversity of this woodwind instrument
05:00is seriously impressive.
05:08Bass clarinets can be found within everything from traditional orchestras and jazz groups
05:13to rock of both the classic and modern variety.
05:16The Beatles famously made use of the bass clarinet on their song It's All Too Much,
05:29while Paramore utilised a session-based clarinetist to lay down some playing on their track Figure
05:35Eight.
05:36Meanwhile, the instrument's four-octave range lends them an ability to vacillate between
05:50sounds and moods.
05:52That said, the world of classical music hasn't historically seen many pieces composed specifically
05:58for bass clarinet.
06:00But who knows?
06:01Maybe that will change someday.
06:0815.
06:13Harp We tend to all have this very specific stereotype
06:17that pops into our heads whenever harps are mentioned, right?
06:31That image of celestial sounds of angels playing their harps up there in heaven.
06:35The reality of this instrument is very different of course, and it isn't only within the
06:41confines of religion that harps can be explored.
06:51Dorothy Ashby famously countered stodgy traditionalism when she released her Afro Harping LP in 1968.
06:59This album, alongside her 1970 work, The Roubaillette of Dorothy Ashby, pushed her instrument into
07:05the realms of jazz as a lead instrument.
07:15The results were both electrifying and enduring, since her forward-thinking and progressive
07:20approach to the harp would influence hip-hop and sample culture in the modern day.
07:3214.
07:36Theremin The next instrument on our list is another
07:39one that feels immediately evocative of a specific mood in space.
07:51The sound of a theremin is very specific, a distinctively creepy sound that we usually
07:57associate with old-school horror and science fiction movies.
08:13It's also something of a pioneer within the world of electronic instruments, such as the
08:17Moog Synthesizer or Clavivox.
08:20Watching a thereminist is particularly cool, as they make use of the instrument antenna
08:25by guiding their hands around, above, and in between.
08:34The theremin was a particular use during the golden age of radio, since it was able to
08:39add texture to plays and radio dramas with the greatest of ease.
08:47First, Jeff disappears, and now a theremin shows up out of nowhere?
08:53The plot thickens!
08:5613.
08:58Viola It's time for the string section to get a
09:00little love, specifically for the viola.
09:13This relative of the violin can play melodic sections in beautiful harmonies with ease,
09:18but its usage isn't reserved solely for classical composition.
09:22The strong sounds of the viola were adopted by musicians from the progressive and experimental
09:27sectors, including artists like Marillion and the Velvet Underground.
09:38These latter sounds came primarily from boosting the viola with a little electricity.
09:43This enabled musicians such as John Cale to get some brooding and unsettling drones from
09:48their violas, pushing beyond the instrument's reputation for melody and into the worlds
09:53of avant-garde.
09:5412.
10:03Trumpet We really only need to reference a single
10:06name when it comes to somebody who revolutionized the trumpet, Miles Davis.
10:18The jazz legend continually pushed the boundaries of brass with his uncompromising style.
10:24Davis' reputation within his field moved from bop and modal jazz to the fiery fusion
10:30in jazz rock of the 1970s.
10:39Efforts such as Bitches Brew, In A Silent Way and On The Corner demonstrated how Davis'
10:46trumpet could cry and soar with the angels just as easily as it got down with the devil.
10:58Musical melodies, discordant noises and quiet sadness can all be achieved with a trumpet,
11:04and it's this versatility that makes this instrument so interesting.
11:1211.
11:16Bagpipes You either love it or you hate it, the sound
11:20of bagpipes.
11:28On one hand, there's the cultural significance attached to bagpipes in the country of Scotland.
11:33We often hear them performed during parades or at official political ceremonies.
11:41Yet that sustained droning that emits from the bagpipes can tend to be disconcerting
11:47or annoying to some people.
11:49Perhaps it's how the bagpipes sometimes show up during movie funeral scenes that have traditionally
11:55their modern stereotype.
12:05Or maybe it's how the bagpipes have been seen as noise pollution over the years, resulting
12:09in bans as recently as 2011 when they were excised from Rugby World events.
12:15Where do you stand?
12:2410.
12:25Didgeridoo It doesn't take long to pick out the sound
12:28of a didgeridoo from a musical crowd, thanks to its loud, droning sound and uniquely elongated
12:35shape.
12:40This wind instrument was first introduced by Aboriginal Australians as a tool closely
12:46tied in with their tribal culture.
12:48With the didgeridoo continuing to be closely associated with the country's musical heritage,
12:53to this very day.
12:58Progressive musicians such as Kate Bush and pop group Jamiroquai have even utilised the
13:04didgeridoo in a modern rock format, thus proving its versatility across culture and genre.
13:149.
13:18Harmonica The next instrument on our list has long been
13:21the chosen sidearm accompaniment of bluesmen and folk heroes alike, the harmonica.
13:30Although this reed instrument, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, never really
13:36sees use as a song leader.
13:39Its ability to drive home a memorable melody has proven useful for artists as varied as
13:43Bob Dylan and Billy Joel, whose classic Piano Man features a plaintive, melancholy harmonica
13:50in between the song's verses.
13:58It's portable, easy to learn, and the perfect instrument to pull out when you just want
14:02to lay down a jam.
14:098.
14:17Cello Whoever said that cellos couldn't rock?
14:37Don't spout such nonsense to Finland's Apocalyptica, who have made a career out of electrifying
14:44audiences with their heavy metal cello antics.
14:54Apocalyptica aren't the only artists to break new ground when it comes to these classy string
14:59instruments however, as evidenced by the avant-garde alternative act Rasputina, who combine the
15:05cello's roots in beautiful classical music and combine it with a dark, fresh and very
15:10cool sound all their own.
15:187.
15:20Violin Sure, some might not think there's much
15:24coolness to be found within the humble violin, but one only need to point out the infamous
15:34reputation of the classical outlaw Niccolò Paganini to uncover the true sinister origins
15:40behind this small stringed wonder.
15:49The Italian violinist and composer was rumored to have sold his soul to the devil in order
15:54to develop his demonically fast and precise fingering technique, while Paganini's amorous
15:59adventures with female admirers earned him gossip wherever he traveled.
16:04If you're not a fan of the traditional sound of the violin, you better believe there is
16:09an electric counterpart.
16:136.
16:15Bass Guitar We head next to the mighty rhythm section,
16:19where this lord of the low end holds down a steady beat to anchor any song.
16:30The bass guitar is a versatile instrument when placed in the proper hands, as it can
16:35hang back in the pocket or fly off the handle, depending on the musician's technique.
16:46The bass guitar is often seen as an instrument of groove, however, and saw some serious progression
16:53thanks to Paul McCartney of The Beatles, whose performance on the band's Come Together
16:57saw some serious innovation in terms of the bass guitar finally stepping out of the shadows
17:03and into the spotlight.
17:095.
17:13Saxophone Nothing quite says slinky and sexy like the
17:17sensuous saxophone.
17:26This woodwind instrument was particularly popular in the 1980s thanks to its prominent
17:31placement in such massive pop hits as George Michael's Careless Whisper and Billy Ocean's
17:37Caribbean Queen.
17:42Elsewhere, the saxophone was put to good use in both R&B and rock, not to mention the classic
17:50big band sound of its deeper-toned cousin, the baritone sax.
17:59Even Lady Gaga got into some hot sax action with her hit The Edge of Glory, proving that
18:05this horn still has plenty of tooting to do.
18:114.
18:14Synthesizer The next instrument on our list also rose
18:18to some serious prominence in the 1980s, but began to see proper implementation in the
18:241970s progressive rock boom.
18:33The synthesizer revolutionized the electronic music field when it was utilized by such forward-thinking
18:39rock icons as Rush and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, while former
18:48Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman even drafted an entire concept album about King Arthur
18:54around the synthesizer.
19:00Meanwhile, Germany's Tangerine Dream managed to create entire worlds with the synthesizer's
19:08almost limitless potential for atmosphere and soundscapes, a notion which has been continued
19:14to this day with such modern electronic artists as Trent Reznor.
19:213.
19:23Piano The classics never go out of style, as evidenced
19:27by the longevity of the mighty piano.
19:40If you think this instrument is just for classical music or soft, teary ballads, then
19:45think again, because the piano has long been a cornerstone in the gigantic castle wall
19:51which is rock and roll history.
20:00Whether it's the classical bombast of Mozart, Stevie Wonder's electrified funk, or the formative
20:05rock of Jerry Lee Lewis, few instruments have driven as many musicians to coolness
20:11as the piano.
20:17Want further proof?
20:19Just watch Tori Amos tickle those ivories and be convinced that the piano is one massively
20:25cool instrument indeed.
20:442.
20:45Drums Everybody loves the drums, even your neighbors.
20:56There's just something primal and propulsive about this ultimate rhythmic instrument which
21:01makes it an icon of cool.
21:10Drums can be loud and boisterous, or dizzyingly technical, but one thing's for sure, they're
21:15a profoundly physical instrument which demands a lifetime of dedication and dexterity to
21:21master.
21:32Fans may love to air guitar their favorite licks at concerts, but air drumming has to
21:36land at a close second, as evidenced by the legions of Neil Peart fans who would flock
21:43to every Rush concert for yet another glimpse of their drum god and rock icon.
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22:101.
22:13Electric Guitar There have been countless stories of rock
22:16and roll icons who grew up idolizing their favorite guitarists.
22:33It didn't matter if that guitarist was Eddie Van Halen, Lindsey Buckingham, or Annie DeFranco.
22:39It was the allure and siren call of that seductive six-string which brought them all together.
22:51The guitar is cool enough on its own, but the addition of plugging it into an amp and
22:56cranking it to 11 just sets the bar so much higher.
23:09Endlessly impressive, capable of an array of styles, tones, and sounds, and able to
23:15fit into any music genre, the electric guitar is a go-to tool of creation.
23:20And there's nothing cooler than that.
23:25Do you play an instrument?
23:29Which one?
23:30Let us know in the comments.