Ten Weird Instruments

Played without touching it. Your hands move through electromagnetic fields to control pitch and volume. It sounds ghostly and sci-fi—famously used in old horror films.

Invented by Benjamin Franklin. Rotating glass bowls create an ethereal tone when touched with wet fingers.

A Swedish instrument that looks like a violin crossed with a typewriter—keys press tangents against strings while you bow it.

A bowl of water with metal rods attached. Bowing or striking it creates eerie, whale-like sounds.

A UFO-shaped steel instrument played with hands. Deep, resonant, meditative tones.

A long hollowed-out tree trunk from Australia. Played using circular breathing to create a continuous drone.

A massive triangular Russian string instrument—so big players often sit on a stool to hold it upright.

Looks like a musical note with a cartoon face. Squeeze its “mouth” to create a quirky, singing sound.

A water-powered instrument where you block water jets with your fingers to produce sound.

A medieval string instrument that uses a hand-cranked wheel instead of a bow—like a violin powered by a coffee grinder.