Breadcrumbs
It’s all too easy to forget that there is a wide variety of musical instruments outside mainstream instruments like the guitar, piano or the drums! The more traditional instruments have taken a backseat and it’s hard to even imagine where these instruments would fit in the modern electronic world. These traditional instruments have a great history behind them and offer an insight into the unique cultures of their countries of origin.
Shamisen, Japan
The Shamisen is a three-stringed instrument that is played with a plectrum. It was derived from the Chinese sanxian and evolved over time to share many tonal and construction similarities with the banjo. The construction is based on a drum-like rounded rectangular body that is covered with skin. It is often seen accompanying street buskers and is common with popular folk music.Danso, Korea
The Korean Danso is a vertical wind instrument with four finger holes and a thumb node at the back. It is used as an educational tool in Korean schools in a similar fashion as the recorder in Western societies. Traditional forms of the instrument are made from bamboo, but more modern versions have used plastic.Langeleik, Norway
This Norwegian string instrument is played flat on the ground and has one melody string with an additional eight drone strings. However, it is unlikely that the Langeleik will be seen in Norway’s latest ‘Black Metal’ craze due to its limited ability to accompany other instruments.Ocarina, Latin America
For any of you who have reveled in the world of the Legend of Zelda Nintendo series, you may be familiar with this instrument. Surprisingly enough, the Ocarina is a real instrument and can be found throughout Latin America and China. It was first discovered over 12,000 years ago!Glass Armonica, North America
The Glass Armonica is unique as it produces sounds when rubbing a wet finger around the rim of the glass goblet. This mechanical version of the original European design was crafted by Benjamin Franklin and enabled the musician to play 10 glasses simultaneously. Unfortunately, its large size makes it a definite no-no for the space-conscious.Tsabouna, Greece
Made from goatskin, this inflatable instrument dates back over 2,000 years. Similar to a bagpipe, it features a long reed mouthpiece, but with a range of about six notes, creating a masterpiece may prove difficult.Kora, West Africa
This 21-string harp lute from West Africa is arguably harder to tune than it is to play. Make sure you learn these skills if you want your Kora to be anything more than an ornament. About Jestin Hendry Justin Hendry is a travel writer for InsureandGo and is currently completing his Bachelor of Media at Macquarie University. At other times, he enjoys escapism through the spheres of travel writing, reading and music in an attempt to fend off the natural progression of maturity and responsibility.