Which Musical Instrument?

[Woody girl]

My drums are loud.. but my drum bag is even louder... bright pink!
Last time I played my jembe in the garden my veg plot had many more veg in that it had before I began to play and there were even a few eggs too. I hadn't realised I had an egg plant

 

[Robson Valley]

Watch a few people on YouTube playing a Pan flute.
Popular South American instrument.
Learn to play "el Condor Pasa" really well = free beers.

 

[Nice65]

Watch a few people on YouTube playing a Pan flute.
Popular South American instrument.
Learn to play "el Condor Pasa" really well = free beers.

Pah!

The only thing I ever got the hang of playing is a jaw harp. I’ve just discovered the Vietnamese version, must track one down and have a go, this guy makes a crazy beatbox noise.

 

[Robson Valley]

Gawd, that is terrible. I have some Pan flutes, South American style (not rice burners).
Breath control is a far harder thing to learn than lung/air capacity.
Watch Leo Rojas.

I still think that guitar is the direction to begin with.











i

 

[bearbait]

Then I see your didge challenge and I raise you this...

Neue à la banque?

“In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees”

Nice didges.

I have one but not so special as yours.

Did you master the circular breathing? I never worked at it hard enough due to higher priority interests.

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Either that, or "cultural appropriation".

Well i’m of Irish-British-Indian descent, so i’m fairly well covered as far as cultural appropriation goes (native australians originated in Southern India) but for anyone who considers themselves to be pure British (i’ve met more people who claim they’ve seen Unicorns), in terms of native instruments, while avoiding being accused of cultural appropriation, they’re left with ..... ermmmm.... early medieval latin choral music? No danger of anyone appropriating that methinks, though i’d love to see it....Morris 1100 exhaust pharrrp?

....... i’m going to have to google ‘native British musical instruments’....

 

[Fadcode]

get an old washboard, its like a guitar, but no strings attached., how about spoons........the only thing with playing the spoons is, once you get noticed doing it you normally end up in a home.

 

[Toddy]

Well i’m of Irish-British-Indian descent, so i’m fairly well covered as far as cultural appropriation goes (native australians originated in Southern India) but for anyone who considers themselves to be pure British (i’ve met more people who claim they’ve seen Unicorns).................. i

We see them all the time in Scotland, they're all over the place up here. This is one on the Mercat Cross in Glasgow

British musical instruments though ? anything you like. From lutes to bagpipes, drums to pan pipes, and far from being a southern American thing, Pan pipes are so called after a European demigod.....who has various representations right across Europe, India, the Middle East, etc.,

Didgeridoos are a type of drone pipe, and those are fairly widespread, just the style etc., has been developed and refined by the Australian aborigines.

Sometimes 'cultural appropriation' is purely in the eye of the beholder with little grounding in the wider context.

M

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

We see them all the time in Scotland, they're all over the place up here. This is one on the Mercat Cross in Glasgow

British musical instruments though ? anything you like. From lutes to bagpipes, drums to pan pipes, and far from being a southern American thing, Pan pipes are so called after a European demigod.....who has various representations right across Europe, India, the Middle East, etc.,

Didgeridoos are a type of drone pipe, and those are fairly widespread, just the style etc., has been developed and refined by the Australian aborigines.

Sometimes 'cultural appropriation' is purely in the eye of the beholder with little grounding in the wider context.

M

So what do you consider to be a native English instrument, in the same way as you might the didgeridoo belonging to native australians?

Speaking of droning, I used to be quite good at Mongolian overtone singing but havent practiced in a while. I always windered who first did that trick. Overtoning whiles away the minutes while waiting for a train or bus and keeps the chatty folk at bay too

I think our OP has much to consider before learning to play an instrument. Although there are no mistakes to be made, having fun is important. Hang drums (Swiss designed steel pan drums) are wonderful things as they are instant music.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Do you sing? There's no finer musical instrument than the human voice and, while you may still draw breath, none cheaper!

K

 

[Broch]

So what do you consider to be a native English instrument, in the same way as you might the didgeridoo belonging to native australians?

First you'd have to define what 'native English' is but I suggest that is for another thread

Much of early Welsh folk music and instruments was driven out by the English (I don't mean to start a political discussion here). There is evidence of many early instruments, including a type of bag pipe (later), brass horns/trumpets, flutes made of bone and wood and, of course, various drums. However, it's worth noting, that the Romans considered the British Isles to be total devoid of any musical ability - possibly a bit like my Dad describing a rock concert

 

[Toddy]

How about a carnyx ?
It screams and tears the air in a most unholy fashion, and it pre-dates 'English' or 'England'.

 

[Broch]

How about a carnyx ?
It screams and tears the air in a most unholy fashion, and it pre-dates 'English' or 'England'.

Yeh, I don't quite understand the Carnyx - a horn with a bell end? I'll have to do some research
I remember it being described as 'harsh' though.

Ah yes, just looked it up, it's that long horn held vertically (must have been heavy) with the bell in the shape of an animal's head? ever heard one?

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

First you'd have to define what 'native English' is but I suggest that is for another thread

Much of early Welsh folk music and instruments was driven out by the English (I don't mean to start a political discussion here). There is evidence of many early instruments, including a type of bag pipe (later), brass horns/trumpets, flutes made of bone and wood and, of course, various drums. However, it's worth noting, that the Romans considered the British Isles to be total devoid of any musical ability - possibly a bit like my Dad describing a rock concert

Similarly, my French live-in cultural adviser asked me to describe traditional English costume and even after looking for answers (way beyond un-English ‘Morris Dancers’), the answers weren’t forthcoming. Even looking for comparative cultural parodies didn’t provide anything. Same goes for instruments. That’s not to say that instruments and costume didn’t exist but we couldn’t find anything obvious or equal to bagpipes, harp, drum, accordion, kilts, the irritating Flamenco trio that circulates around the restaurant twice every evening....

Has OP found an answer to their OQ? Is this discussion of interest to them? Might they consider reviving Neolithic Tibia flute ensembles as a result of it?

 

[saxonaxe]

carnyx. If I'm thinking of the same instrument, I believe they were more an instrument of war rather than purely musical.
I read somewhere that the Celts used them to terrify their opponents on the battlefield, prior to a headlong charge. Apparently massed Carnyx would create a terrible screaming roar which I imagine would dent the enemy morale.
It is likely religious ( or the equivalent) ceremonies also involved using Carnyx.

If I'm not having a senior moment and getting instruments confused, they resemble a French Horn without the valves, which has been 'unwound' and looked to reach about 4 or 5 feet above the bloke blowing into the mouth piece. I saw and heard one demonstrated on a Television programme. Not easy to blow apparently and musical sounding they are definitely not...

 

[santaman2000]

.....and far from being a southern American thing, Pan pipes are so called after a European demigod.....who has various representations right across Europe, India, the Middle East, etc.,........

I agree but I think you meant “South American” rather than “southern American.”

 

[santaman2000]

I’m happy with the way the thread’s drifting. Musical history and oigins is an interesting subject and I’ still picking up tips and info that is pertinent. Thanks for the help so far and please keep it coming.

 

[Keith_Beef]

far from being a southern American thing, Pan pipes are so called after a European demigod.....who has various representations right across Europe, India, the Middle East, etc.,

"Pan pipes" being just the English name for the instrument... Oh, well the French call them "flûtes de Pan", so very similar. It's a traditional instrument in Romania, where's it's called "nai" (pronunciation \naj\), which is IIRR related to the Persian word for "reed"... that was in an article I read not too long ago, so I should be able to find it if I put the time in.

 

[Toddy]

I agree but I think you meant “South American” rather than “southern American.”

Ah, from a Northern American I can see the viewpoint might be different

South American it is then

 

[Toddy]

carnyx. If I'm thinking of the same instrument, I believe they were more an instrument of war rather than purely musical.
I read somewhere that the Celts used them to terrify their opponents on the battlefield, prior to a headlong charge. Apparently massed Carnyx would create a terrible screaming roar which I imagine would dent the enemy morale.
It is likely religious ( or the equivalent) ceremonies also involved using Carnyx.

If I'm not having a senior moment and getting instruments confused, they resemble a French Horn without the valves, which has been 'unwound' and looked to reach about 4 or 5 feet above the bloke blowing into the mouth piece. I saw and heard one demonstrated on a Television programme. Not easy to blow apparently and musical sounding they are definitely not...

There was one found near Deskford, which, iirc, had a 'tongue' fitted into the mouthpiece. That allowed for more than just the vocalisation change of sound.
I meant what I said about them screaming tearing the air. I suppose they were like the trumpets of the past.....is there not something about trumpets blowing down city walls somewhere too?
How about the shofars and the like ? Not quite something I could see Santaman2000 having a play with, but he hunts, why not ?