Do you ever find yourself drawn to instruments you cant even play?

[u/Cutiepie_Livie]

I've been noticing lately that some of my absolute favorite songs feature instruments I have zero experience with. Like the kora in some African music or a zither in folk tunes. Or even just a really well-played bass clarinet. I'm a guitar player myself but there's something about the sound of these less common instruments that just hooks me.

It's not just that they sound cool. It's almost like a fascination with the instrument itself. I'll watch videos of people playing them even though I have no intention of ever learning. It's like appreciating a beautiful painting even if you can't paint.

Is it the unique timbre? The cultural context? Or just the novelty of hearing something different from the usual guitars drums and keys? I'm curious if anyone else gets this feeling with certain instruments.

[u/ChrisL2346]

"I wish I could play every instrument. I wish I could know every song. And I wish I could thank all of you who feel the same way about music." ~ Elvis Presley

This is the best way I can put it lol

[u/mrnovember91 → u/ChrisL2346]

Yup this sums it up for me too. Honestly couldn’t have said it better

[u/evacuatecabbage]

Its not for everyone, but I LOVE a good trombone player. Such a unique horn that fits well so many places. Can't play it for the life of me.

[u/ogre-trombone → u/evacuatecabbage]

upvoted

[u/WhompWump → u/evacuatecabbage]

I keep Grachan Moncur III and Slide Hampton in rotation lol

[u/tonegenerator → u/evacuatecabbage]

Also: it’s one of the very few modern conventional wind instruments that can play outside of 12 tone equal temperament. Here’s a really splendid example:   https://youtu.be/shLC7H8auKc

Of course it’s possible for a really good performer of other wind instruments to bend a note in the appropriate direction as needed (French horn most of all, I believe), but there are hard limits and they’ll be fighting their instrument the entire time, unlike with a trombone or an unfretted string instrument. 

[u/ArtOfFailure]

I find really low, slow, drone-like cello playing incredibly satisfying in a way I don't really get from any other instrument. Something about it feels ancient and heavy and makes my hair stand on end.

[u/PralineNo5832]

I love music, but I'm hopeless at playing instruments. However, I do enjoy the sound of exotic instruments. I can suggest a song from Morocco:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIJtoyp8igU&list=PLMWi1K1NrLObifaxTsuQizQvRIfTad4Fj&index=4

[u/belbivfreeordie]

French horns really stir my soul for some reason. I can’t play any type of horn but if I could learn, that would be the one.

[u/Piper-Bob]

I thought this was going to be a post about buying instruments that I can’t play and I was all excited about that. But as far as listening? Sure. I’m always liking to hear new sounds.

[u/kittyfeeler]

Absolutely. If the fascination eats at me long enough I eventually aquire and begin learning the thing. I have one main rule though. Has to be strings. Stringed instruments just click with me. I think my head would explode if I tried to get into something like tuba cause itd just be too different.

[u/East-Garden-4557]

I don't need to play an instrument to appreciate listening to it, or to learn more about it.

[u/rainSerotoniso]

Strings. I love lush string arrangements in songs even if I have no intention of actually learning how to play the violin or cello. Drums too; I listen to quite a bit of metal and more harsh rock genres, and it's fun to try to mimic what the drummer is doing even if you're not technically accomplished with the instrument.

[u/Moxie_Stardust]

Yeah, that's why I've become a multi-instrumentalist. I got a harmonium because I saw Julie Fowlis playing one, and it was captivating. Have long enjoyed the banjo for uses outside of bluegrass music, took that up, mandolin and Irish bouzouki were also fascinating and closely related... would love to take up hurdy gurdy but that's a steep investment. Got into synthesizers, which of course can make an entire world of sounds to themselves.

[u/dylhen]

I saw Kamasi Washington play a sax like a murder and I've not stopped thinking about it since..

[u/Snurgisdr]

I know you’re asking more about listening, but absolutely yes as a player. I’d much rather mess around figuring out a new instrument than work on getting better at one I’ve been playing for years. That early part of the learning curve is so satisfying.

[u/Overall-Bullfrog5433]

I have owned many guitars and play a bit but when I hear a song with an interesting bass line I tend to remember that more than melody or lyrics. And listening to Motown or Beatles stuff I usually find myself humming the bass line.

[u/Disastrous_Aid]

Contrabass instruments. They're absurdly huge, like ponderously big. If you've got a professional tromboner in your band and the song calls for a tuba, get a contrabass trombone and let the dude go to town (the damn thing has a double slide!). If a bassoon doesn't look enough like a rocket launcher...well, the contrabass version doesn't either, but it looks like something the Whos in Whoville would break out on Christmas to ruin the Grinch's peace of mind. A contrabass saxophone is bigger than the person who plays it.

[u/StarriestNight]

I love guzheng and logo music and I've never even seen one in real life. But my college has a koto club, so I hope to go see one of their performances live this semester.

[u/affectionateanarchy8]

Oh yes absolutely. I play piano and a couple woodwinds but I love the cello and trombone. Im also drawn to a lot of other worldwide string instruments like the sitar, genzheng and there's a one-stringed instrument out of Asia (vague i know).

[u/ButTheseGoToEleven]

The harp is cool as fuck. Also intimidating. There's a lot that goes into just playing one coherently and SO MUCH it can do.

Also don't play the drums, but I find myself arguably more fascinated with drum solos/compositions than any virtuosic performances on instruments I actually play.

[u/Busy-Negotiation1078]

I play piano, but I'm drawn to the rhythm section. Bass and drums are my jam. My goal is once I retire, to take drum lessons.

[u/d0nutbutth0le]

I'm obsessed with accordion. I like the diatonic accordion used in tex mex music and the typical piano accordion but really I have the most love for the chromatic button accordion. I wish I had learned to play it decades ago. It's such a weird instrument but it's very convenient in many different styles and it can be used to play just about anything. There's a Ukrainian guy on YouTube who plays classical pieces at the level of any virtuoso.

[u/ObiWanKnieval → u/d0nutbutth0le]

My sentiments exactly.

[u/Micropot08]

I have this with aerophones, so any instrument that produces sound by air.
Especially brass and organs.

Hans Zimmers quote why he used the pipe organ for Interstellar stuck with me:

"There's something very human about it, because it can only make a sound with air. It needs to breathe. And on each note, you hear the breath. You hear the exhale."

[u/doodah55]

Absolutely, but with an open mind. I love double stringed, droning sounds (12 string, bouzouki, etc) but due to hand issues, I use alternate/open tunings and have a blast. The open mind part is doing this for personal enjoyment, not mastery. Go for it!

[u/tarheel343]

I'd really like to try out a bass harmonica. Paul Simon used them a lot and they have a pretty unique sound. Unfortunately they're pretty rare and prohibitively expensive.

[u/Scr4p]

Bruh I wish I could play ANY instruments but I've got some horrendous combination of chronic illness that makes me exhausted all the goddamn time and ADHD and it's been so awful just trying to learn anything. Such a pain. I have a beautiful guitar I inherited and a really nice bass and it makes me sad that I struggle to learn how to play them.

[u/StrigiStockBacking]

Bassist here and I would give it all up to be just as proficient on drums as I am on bass.

I also love the tenor saxophone.

[u/Pond-of-The-Tardis]

I’ve always been drawn to the drums. The last few years I’ve greatly enjoyed watching videos of guitar and bass players covering songs especially disco songs for bass. I took drum lessons for a few years as a kid but didn’t keep up with it bc of undiagnosed ADHD. I love music so much and I don’t play an instrument or sing.

[u/Hairwaves]

After learning play guitar it really made me want to try out most instruments I come across, I remember in high school I was so excited just to try out a bass for the first time. I've been a sucker for electric piano lately and would kill to be able to play one.

[u/NemusSoul]

Are you gatekeeping your own trajectory as an artist? Play them all. Why not? Because you are a guitarist? Play them all.