Well, it’s about time the shamisen goes global. After centuries of play in Japan, the shamisen is simply too brilliant of an instrument to keep locked up much longer. The fretless 3 string instrument is considered to be the Japanese cousin of the American banjo, and while the similarities are clear, the Eastern sound remains with the shamisen wherever it is played.

Here to demonstrate the point are Mike Penny and Kevin Kmetz who met up in California last summer (2010) for a spontaneous shamisen improv. So sit back and watch these two dudes kick it, then Click Here to see another piece of instrumental world music.

Getting your hands on a hang is tough enough, but when you have 3 to choose from why not just play them all together at the same time? That’s what Rafael Sotomayor chooses to do whenever he’s not busy playing the hang with his band, the Art of Fusion.

You’ll notice that the hang is not actually a drum, that’s just what it’s commonly called. It’s actually a steel pan classified generically as a percussion instrument, but make no mistake, there is nothing generic about the hang. One of the most original and also rare instruments in the world today, enjoy this video of the hang, then Click Here for more instrumental music.

Great music needs not a stage. In fact most of the greatest music ever played has been lost to the empty rooms where it was made. Fortunately Mecca Bodega is out on the streets and in the subways of New York City making sure their sound is heard.

Bringing together the hammered dulcimer of Appalachian Mountain Music with the Afro-Peruvian cajón and other musical instruments, be sure to catch this underground jam and then Click Here to check out more instrumental music.

Fusing the sounds of many cultures with modern technology, Beats Antique is one of several bands currently paving the way for an emerging new style of music. Originally from San Francisco, David Satori and Tommy Cappel both trained classically before traveling east to places such as Bali, West Africa and Serbia.

Joined by bellydancer Zoe Jakes, the trio are frequently on tour and will be on stage this year at Bonnaroo. Of special note here is the saz, which is pretty much a Turkish banjo. This and other Middle Eastern styles makes for a unique sound only heard from Beats Antique. After this video of the track Beauty Beats Click Here for more instrumental world music.

Unlike other Native American flutes which are played by blowing directly into the end to produce the sound, the Anasazi flute is played by forming an embouchure to blow air across the rim of the instrument. It is much longer than other Native American flutes and so produces a much deeper sound.

This instrument comes from the ancestors of the Pueblo people living in Arizona and New Mexico. Since it is not known what these people called themselves, they have been given a name and are now commonly referred to as the Anasazi. After listening to Scott August Click Here for more instrumental music.

Like many ethnic instruments of eastern Asia, the hulusi is a free reed wind instrument which is played throughout China. Made of 3 bamboo pipes and a gourd wind chest, the hulusi in this video is played by Vladiswar Nadishana, musician from Siberia who plays on more than 100 instruments from all around the world to create his unique blend of music. On percussion is Steve Shehan who has been playing with Nadishana for years. After the video Click Here to see another instrumental world video.

Usually played in a group with many drummers, the taiko does not often find itself alongside a string instrument.  But if this video is any indication, perhaps the two should be played together a little more often.

Typically an ensemble with many drummers each playing one drum, the taiko always makes for a performance of immense power.  Now in this case the drummer stands behind an entire set of taiko drums and lays down the rhythm for the shamisen.

After the video Click Here to see more instrumental music.

With a full arrangement of Chinese instruments, this piece captures the Eastern spirit as well as any recorded. Just listen to the erhu on center stage, accompanied by the pipa (Chinese guitar) and gu zheng (zither), among others.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Chinese music is that it is primarily a feminine art. Whereas the rest of the world is mostly driven by repetitive rhythms and other bold masculine themes, the subtle texture of Chinese music is as expressive as it is reserved…

Balance.
The perfect state of equilibrium.

So once you’ve appreciated this special piece of music, Click Here to see another world music video.

The musicians in Bali have a very different concept of percussion instruments than does the rest of the world. Western music has become accustomed to thinking of the modern drum set as the percussion standard. Primarily for playing rhythm, the western drums leave melody to the strings and the winds, but in Indonesia many ensembles are arranged entirely of percussion instruments.

While a gamelan may or may not include winds, strings and vocals, it certainly centers around the percussion, including a bonang section and various metallophones. Along with these melodic instruments are gongs, drums, and in this case a flute for an important hint of variation. After viewing this Balinese gamelan, Click Here to see another bit of instrumental world music.

Of all the unusual instruments, the tongue drum is undoubtedly my favorite. Of course, I’m a little bit biased since this happens to be an instrument I make myself… But really the tongue drum is so much fun to play, and also to make.

I’m still learning to play it, but this drum is a blast! Here’s a little something that’s been ringing through my head lately. After the video Click Here to see another tongue drum video.