Musical instruments are devices used to generate sound that are controlled by human hands. While some instruments can be easily played, others require significant practice and skill before becoming enjoyable to use.
Though all musical instruments can help teach basic music theory, percussion instruments offer another unique and exciting avenue of study! These instruments don’t use strings for sound production and their names tells all!
Epinette des Vosges
Epinette des Vosges is a traditional plucked zither used throughout France’s Vosges Mountains region. Dating back as far as the eighteenth century, this instrument combines features from both harp and zither for creating diverse musical textures.
This harp-like instrument is known to produce an array of sounds and tones, from soft chords to lively strumming patterns that transport listeners into another realm. Furthermore, due to its unique combination of melody strings with drone strings, this versatile harp can play many styles of music ranging from simple melodies to complex chord progressions.
Epinette des Vosges stands out as an extremely straightforward instrument to learn and play, thanks to its five strings that span across its body. Furthermore, its lack of extra strings means strumming patterns come more naturally for beginners who quickly pick up popular songs quickly.
Its sound is also distinct; due to its unique shape and lack of fretboard, it produces an array of musical tones. As a result, this instrument makes an excellent choice for beginners exploring various tonalities or experienced musicians looking for new ways to express their musical creativity.
Epinette des Vosges is an immensely popular and distinctive instrument, found across Europe. From solo performance to accompaniment with other instruments, its wide array of tones and timbres makes this an essential part of any ensemble!
This stunning late 19th-century guitar was handcrafted in Val d’Ajol (France). The maple body and ribs are decorated with bois de rose veneer; while its spruce table boasts Art Nouveau designs from Nancy School; soundholes feature heart and quatrefoil shapes; the bridge, nut, and 17 frets are made of brass.
This Epinette features minimalist fretwork with each wire laid across its fingerboard with one end tucked into a hole before pulling through and turning over for flatness. They may not be particularly intricate, but their presence helps establish an easily chromatic scale.
Quiribillos
An instrument without strings is both fascinating and captivating, offering unlimited musical potential. These instruments range in size and construction but all serve a single goal: producing powerful yet captivating sound waves.
Quiribillos are small percussion instruments designed for beginning musicians who want to explore a new instrument while keeping their fingers on the beat. Constructed of flattened can covers, this hybrid device produces various sounds with each strike of its flattened tines.
Its standout feature is its stylish LED display which shows you time, date and volume of each note played through it. In addition to standard amplification options, this device comes with an adjustable bridge system to help customize your sound like never before!
This unique instrument, invented in Ukraine, combines features of both a lute and zither into an impressively compact contraption that produces a surprising rich sound. Furthermore, its range of pitches allows composers to easily incorporate melody and harmony into their works.
These creative musical inventions will amaze both you and your audience alike! So if you want to add some excitement and flair to your repertoire, then look no further than this selection of must-have music-making instruments!
QuitipLAS
QuitipLAS is an expressive instrument, offering players unique ways to express themselves. With its ergonomic shape making note manipulation easy for even novice musicians and its small size (roughly 9 inches long), QuitipLAS makes for convenient performances on-demand.
This unique instrument combines bamboo and wood construction for a sweet yet powerful tone, as well as special effects such as vibrato and tremolo to help performers craft truly engaging pieces!
This instrument is an idiophone, meaning that its vibrations produce sound when struck, plucked or shaken – one of only few musical instruments without strings to play!
Contrary to what may be expected of most stringed instruments, the QuitipLAS’ resonator box doesn’t act as an amplifier or filter – instead providing more surface area for vibrations to travel and better matching between its impedance and that of surrounding air.
Due to its versatility, the QuitipLAS has been used in diverse genres such as jazz, rock, classical and folk music. Its sweet tone and delicate touch have become a necessity in musicians’ arsenals worldwide!
Another striking element of this instrument is its combination with the charango, a stringed instrument from Andean region. With five finger holes and one reserved for humming notes, its six finger holes offer versatility for players looking to explore various sounds and textures.
Since its invention by enslaved people displaced from their home countries, the instrument has become a favorite choice in Barlovento region of Venezuela for music-making. Its hidden resonator box made it ideal for passing on musical talents without drawing unwanted attention to itself.
Polyrhythm is an integral component of Quitiplas music-making as it allows for an exchange of leadership among musicians. A common act across many African cultures, it was brought over with Afro-Venezuleans to the New World as one of their many valuable contributions.
QuitipLAS can also serve as an invaluable learning tool, making the fundamentals of music-making accessible for beginners as it’s less challenging than other stringed instruments! No matter if you are an amateur or expert musician – QuitipLAS will become your indispensable companion on your quest to become an artistic genius!
Bamboo Ukulele
Bamboo is the ultimate eco-friendly choice when selecting wood for ukuleles, offering bright tone that boasts volume, harmonics, projection and sustain. Furthermore, its density provides strength without losing its acoustic qualities.
Renewable bamboo is also highly renewable, meaning that its regeneration occurs quickly without harming the environment. Due to this characteristic, bamboo ukes are frequently chosen by musicians seeking a rugged sound as well as those seeking vibrant tones.
In this line you will find an assortment of designs and finishes made of exotic woods that all offer unique yet harmonious sounds to help bring back that sense of relaxation you enjoy so much.
The KA-BMB-C concert sized ukulele features an all bamboo construction that boasts solid top, back, and sides for a luxurious satin finish finish with black Graph Tech NuBone(r) nuts and saddle, as well as Aquila Super Nylgut strings for optimal playback.
It is very well built and feels great in your hand, featuring chamfered edges for extra comfort when playing and overall solid construction – one of the few in its price range that feels assembled by someone with knowledge!
This Kala Ukulele comes packaged in an extremely well-packaged box. Inside there’s an anti-theft soft sleeve to protect it during shipping; an impressive difference from past experiences! This Kala-branded gig bag also comes with its own soft case sleeve for safekeeping! This one definitely exceeds my expectations of quality packaging compared to some of its previous iterations!
This ukulele is in great condition and sounds fantastic for such an affordable price! Although the wood may have slightly trebly tones, that is typical of concert size models and should not be an issue when playing together with others. Although not as full sounding as mahogany ukuleles it will still create great harmony when played alongside others.
This Kala “Exotic Wood” Ukulele is constructed entirely from solid bamboo and features traditional double bout shape with slightly rounded sides for comfortable playing. The natural bamboo colour makes this instrument an excellent fit for multiple genres such as pop and blues music styles.