MusicPlanetEarth » musical instrument

Middle Eastern music of the oud

involved — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:01:26 +0000

Perhaps the most important instrument to Middle Eastern music is the oud. Predecessor of the western lute, the oud is characterized by its lack of frets, allowing for sounds similar to both the fretless Japanese shamisen and the fretted western lute.

Of course the sound of the oud is truly unique to itself, and drawing any further comparisons would be an injustice to the originality of the instrument. In this video of instrumental Arabic music, the oud finds itself center stage with the accompaniment of the guitar, flute, drums and other world instruments. After viewing, Click Here to check out another unique string instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Djembe African hand drum solo

involved — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:35:49 +0000

Every good djembe sounds a bit different than any other, it is this unique quality that makes the djembe great. I like the deep bass sound that comes with this djembe, check it out.

After the video, click here to see a djembe drum circle.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Didgeridoo of Aboriginal Australia

involved — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:08:48 +0000

The remarkable thing about the didgeridoo is that pretty much everything about the instrument is plain strange.

I mean, traditionally the didgeridoo is crafted by termites as they eat and hollow out the inside of a eucalyptus or bamboo trunk, the origin of the instrument is of the Australian Aborigine, the name itself seems to be an onomatopoeia, and the unusual technique of circular-breathing is often used to allow for continuous play. Definitely unique among instruments.

Some modern versions of the didgeridoo are made of pvc pipe, and while these produce an interesting sound in their own right, these of course pale in comparison to the original (or aboriginal as it were…).

After the video, click here to check out another world music instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Music of the Ancient Ocarina

involved — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:56:20 +0000

Dating back at least 12,000 years to ancient Chinese, Mayan and Aztec cultures, the ocarina is one of the oldest known musical wind instruments. Made of any kind of hollowed vessel, just about anything can be turned into an ocarina. Most commonly, ocarinas are made of wood or ceramic, but they have been known to be made out of anything from carrots to sea shells too.

Interesting that two civilizations across the world from each other would develop practically the same instrument at pretty much the same time, eh?

What makes them unique is that, unlike other flute-like instruments, the tone of the ocarina is produced by the percentage of the surface covered, not the location of the holes themselves. That and the fact that most all ocarinas are hand-made, and so no two of these are the same.

After the video, check out this other world music instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Djembe Drum Circle

involved — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:58:44 +0000

An African musical instrument, search the Internet and find that this djembe drum circle video is one of the greatest displays of percussion out there. It is remarkable that the group seems to be comprised primarily of individuals of European descent, as this just goes to show how true it is, the language of music is absolutely Universal.

After the video, check out this video of another percussion instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Russian Music on the Hurdy Gurdy

involved — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:11:48 +0000

A string instrument found throughout Europe and parts of Russia, the hurdy gurdy (also known as the wheel fiddle) dates all the way back to 9th century Europe. This music instrument has been used in traditional folk music, in religious ceremonies, and was a popular instrument during the Renaissance.

It just so happens that the hurdy gurdy is perfect for playing traditional Russian music. This video features a Russian tune by Andrey Vinogradov.

After the video click here to view another world music instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kid Shreds on Accordion

involved — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:27:45 +0000

Here at Music Planet Earth we usually try to feature musical instruments that are somewhat unusual. Now the accordion may not be much of an unusual instrument, but in this case Aleksandr Hrustevich delivers an unusually amazing performance… so sit back, enjoy, and prepare to rethink everything you’ve ever imagined about the accordion!

After the video, check out this other World Music Instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Native American Flute Music by Jeff Ball

involved — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:58:25 +0000

Certainly it is no surprise that one of the simplest instruments in the world is among the most amazing, and Jeff Ball is here to prove the point. With only a crafted piece of wood, it is the musician that makes the music great, alongside the providence of the flute maker, and mother nature herself.

After the video, click here to check out the ocarina, another wind instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

music of the Hugh Tracey kalimba

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:45:51 +0000

“Thumb pianos” such as the mbira and sansa are popular throughout Africa, as Hugh Tracey discovered on his journeys. Inspired by these instruments he modified the instrument and introduced his version to the western world – enjoy the Hugh Tracey kalimba!

After watching the video, Click Here and see another percussion instrument.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nathan Lee beatboxing with the flute

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:40:55 +0000

Nathan Lee needs no instrument, though in this video he has one. Beatboxing is nothing new, but the style certainly is… Check out what Nathan Lee beatboxing with a flute!

Then, Jeff Ball would like to show you how the Native Americans play the flute, Click Here after the video.

Click here to view the embedded video.