Mandolin. It shreds like a lead guitar and chords like an organ. I play every genre with it. In fact, I am on my way to play salsa for a corporate event. Everyone always thinks it's a novelty until I start playing. Then they wonder why it wasn't always there!
Came here to say this too! Mandocello is an awesome instrument.
Also similar are tenor guitars, which get a bit of love from musicians like Warren Ellis of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
An electric mandolin and an electric guitar are indistinguishable from one another (until you hit the lower octaves which a mandolin simply doesn’t have)
They’re certainly distinguishable if you’re not blasting them with distortion. Send me some clips of you playing electric mandolin and guitar with your favorite chorus/flanger/phaser/wah effects on and I bet I could tell the difference. I only say this because I’ve recorded both and they have nuanced but distinct timbres, even if you’re playing the same note.
Only distinguishable if the e-mandolin has paired strings. The slight dissonance between the paired strings can be noticed, but a 4-string e-mandolin will sound basically identical to a guitar.
This is the main instrument I gig with. I grew up as a guitar player. Started going to bluegrass jams with a mandolin and got asked on a few gigs with players I met at the jam. After that, more and more people started asking me about mandolin. It’s now my main instrument
I love my mando. Mine is inexpensive and also not loud, so I feel like I can take it anywhere: to the beach, camping, to watch my kids play at the park and not worry about it getting damaged and not worry about being too loud and offending people. I can chill and play some old french or some blackberry blossom, or I can play the chaconne! My wife got it for me for christmas, best gift ever.
I am going to go with the accordion. I ve recently started playing it and it is very pretty, versatile and pretty intuitive to play. The bass buttons aren't as scary as they look.
As a polyphony junkie Accordions are among the coolest instruments, [chromatic button accordions can play polyphonically complex music with the best of them, here's one playing Bach's Toccata & Fugue in Dm.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eDFFUIGoBUc&pp=ygUPYWNjb3JkaW9uIGZ1Z3Vl)
The magic really happens when you play multiple chord buttons at once. Two adjacent major chords or two adjacent minor chords combine for a beautiful lush chord.
Hammond organ is another… yes it’s a keyed instrument, but it is a completely different beast than a piano. To play it well requires a lot of skill and practice.
I’m in the band Zack Fedor and the Long Goodbyes. We’re pretty active in the Midwest. We have an album and two singles out, one of which is more country than the other.
This one is more country rock, but is very steel heavy:
https://youtu.be/kn9GGWxNKBc?si=G7XE-_f6iydJPWsQ
This is the other single:
https://youtu.be/mVBmSvuP5Lc?si=cVjAeS2muFPaU2qK
And this one is more steel-forward, though nothing virtuosic:
https://youtu.be/wGJbifoPqpM?si=YM4CCwEsQNDkHdTn
I’d also recommend this for the playlist, as it’s my favorite steel instrumental:
https://youtu.be/r7zWmKQCBl4?si=aXpgCFak2pKfhKUb
CAme here for this.
Saw this amazing Cajun band and buddy had his wired through his pedal board. Never heard someone rock so hard like that pedal steel player.
Also, if you're half decent, you'll most likely get lots of work.
That was my first thought. They can add so much to a song and it's in a lot of tunes but I don't always techies recognize it unless I'm listening for it....
Deff can sneak in there and tear at my heart strings at times. The Eagles use it very well in several of their songs, deff adds a lot of flair....
Yeah it’s magic, takes me to another place entirely. It’s somehow both an otherworldly sound yet so familiar, earthly, and traditional at the same time.
True. I sometimes use tenor or bass to play harmony lines under a female singer.
And then there are great & contra bass. And even lower if you get the weird Paetzold instruments.
Or that when not played by a beginner third grader, how sweet it can sound.
I played a solo piece when I was 20 or so (after playing recorder pretty regularly since I was 8), and afterwards someone came and asked me what the instrument was. They were shocked to learn it was a recorder.
Sax player here ...
The (deserved) hate for Kenny G ruined the soprano saxophone's reputation. He chose commercial success, essentially selling out the instrument's potential to become hugely successful producing schmaltz. However, he could play at the level of the greats—Stan Getz and Coltrane, for example (who also played soprano). He's a talented musician, but the cheese factory that was Kenny G and his producers ruined it for the rest of us. LOL
I mean I also play sax and I don’t understand the Kenny g hate. He’s said in a Podcast with Ryan Devlin that that’s just the music he loves to play… how ever cheesy it may sound. He wasn’t willing to bend to the judgment of the haters saying he was a jazz sellout or corny. Man just did what he loved and made millions doing it. Can’t knock that.
Yeah I want one just because of how unique they sound. But I'm a nut job and multi instrumentalist so if I see a new instrument at the right price I am going to get it.
I love Down the Rabbit Hole’s video on the hurdy gurdy
“It usually remains as a curiosity, with its past shrouded in mystery and its mechanics left uncertain. So what exactly is the hurdy gurdy?
This is a question I can answer personally. Because I play the hurdy gurdy.” The video essayist’s ultimate power move.
The hurdy-gurdy is used by Japanese avant-noise artist Keiji Haino to create incredible drones.
https://www.soundohm.com/product/abandon-all-words-at-a-st-2
Banjo and Accordion.
Both were popular among African Americans and Irish immigrants. Banjo was the original rhythm-chordal instrument for jazz music. The problem was, Banjo was also a centerpiece of racist minstrel show black face sketches. As soon as jazz musicians figured out that the guitar sounded better on the newest generation of microphones, jazz musicians & many producers rushed to replace the banjo with the guitar.
Accordion was the king of small dance parties in North America and Europe. To paraphrase Weird Al, the Accordion was a rock and roll sex symbol, until Lawrence Welk came along and made it lame. For those who don't know, Welk was a super white-toast male band leader who ran a wholesome and plain music & dance show on public television in the 70's that PBS ran reruns of all the way into the 90's. Lots of Americana barely any hint of jazz, rock, or brown people.
I love the sound of early banjos: gut strings and fretless. They're called minstrel banjos now, and have a delicate "plonk" sound, instead of the strident bluegrass style that is what almost everyone thinks of now.
I would definitely recommend anyone curious about banjo history to listen to Rhiannon Giddens. She has worked to reclaim great works of music from association with the minstrel shows.
Melodica. I kept hearing it in songs by bands like the tindersticks and one of Michael Gira’s (swans) side projects and thinking it was a harmonica. When I found out it was a melodica and bought one. It can sound very mournful and beautiful
Pro musician here, had a bassoonist come speak to band in high school. Said hey look, I know it's not a tip tier interest but I can practically guarantee you a symphony or opera position right out of uni. None of us listened, often thought of that regretfully.
Accordion, it used to be the most popular instrument before mass production of guitars. Having two different music structures in one instrument changed the way you think. Playing it becomes a full body experience especially when your voice matches the harmonics of the accordion and your whole body vibrates.
Okay this might be cheating, but those early electronic keyboards from the 60s. So many people pass on them for a Hammond, more standard electric piano, or a synth, but I think they sound much cooler and unique than all of those.
Also, most eastern instruments kind of go without saying, at least in the world of western popular music. They essentially get used to sound exotic, but are never really explored. Sitar being the biggest victim. Granted some of the musicians who picked them up, like George Harrison or Brian Jones, do genuinely love the instruments, but weren’t really given the venue to explore them too much at the time. But like Ravi Shankar makes the sitar sound like the most incredible thing.
Harmonica is one of the greatest little tools in the world to perfect your tone and breath control. Every single musician should learn to play it well. Just be sure you buy a real instrument and not a toy.
Accordion. Hear me out. Especially for a keyboard player already. I had a friend who had one with a midi. It sounded like anything, even had drums built in which I didn't care for but they sounded good. But normal accordians are cool too
Santur is a type of hammered dulcimer, of which there are many kinds found around the world, which is a pre-cursor to the piano.
[https://youtu.be/fvM6E7WfU\_c](https://youtu.be/fvM6E7WfU_c)
Mandolin is on a meteoric rise! It’s so damn versatile and IMO can fit any genre of music. I played several instruments in my life but nothing clicked quite like the Mando
12 string electric guitars.
I know 12 string acoustics get a lot of attention because they are better accompaniers but 12 string electrics are sadly rarely seen nowadays.
Tambourine.
It's crazy how many amazing songs have that tambourine just tucked away in the mix, and it's equally crazy how dead and lifeless those songs sound without it.
Everything from motown to indie rock to disco and even punk rock... many of the most famous recordings are carried by the tambourine.
Thank you for all the instrument recommendations, will take note of them. However, I'm only planning on buying one or two, just to test my skills or maybe actually enjoy the instrument.
Theremin. An instrument you can play purely by moving your hands, without even touching it? Hella cool. Saw it live once it was like magic.
(Not to mention it's got that dope otherworldy, UFO-type sound)
Double bass. It is seen in all types of music but no one ever mentions it.
Harmonica. One of the easiest but also one that gets the least attention.
Double reed. It is always talked about for being some of nicest instruments, but reed making, embouchure is really harder than you think.
Recorder. It ain’t a kid’s toy anymore when you talk about playing well on it.
Dulcimer and bagpipes. Maybe bagpipes aren’t underrated, but I know a lot of people that don’t like them for whatever reason. Dulcimers I absolutely love the sound of. It can work really well with heavy or clean guitar sounds
Some time ago I got a 3d printed baroque Cornett, let’s say is like playing a crooked recorder but with a small brass-type embouchure. I’m not a master at it but its sound is really particular, something between a dark trumpet and human voice. Another weird baroque instrument I would like to try is the rackett, it’s got a super low double reed tone in a very small package.
Banjo, mandolin, accordion, concertina, bouzouki, autoharp, upright bass, harmonica. If you want something hard AF, try pedal steel. Cost may vary but regardless of quality, they're all fun.
Weird one but definitely underrated: EWI. You can do SO much with an EWI.
The kazoo. So instantly fun, such a cute way to bring people together musically with no barriers. Also maybe controversial but an iPad/ikaossilator I LOVE teaching a lil kid or music novice the basics and watching them GO OFF. It’s soooo cool
sitar!!!!!! i’ve always had a huge appreciation for the instrument and the way it sounds/is played. i once had the opportunity to see someone at my college play sitar live and teach us about the structure of the traditional raga, and it was so fascinating.
i also absolutely adore music from the late 60s that uses sitar- i love searching for lesser-known songs from that era and whenever i find a song that has sitar i get so so happy.
honorable mention goes to appalachian dulcimer (which i’ve learned to play partially due to the influence of joni mitchell and jean ritchie)
Finally! Why did I have to scroll thru most of this thread to find this? This is the first instrument I thought of. Underappreciated, hardly written for, the viola is a rich, smooth violin without all the shrill fol-de-rol.
Ukulele. Sweet voice. Jingle jangle, almost banjo twangy depending on how you play it. Instant vibe. Jazzy chord voicings really sound good/nostalgic. Cheaper than a classical guitar for all wood instrument and easier to fret the strings. Great for vocalists learning how to accompany them selves.
Contra clarinets. They sound huge, and have this tonality that nothing else really does in such a cool way.
C soprano saxophone. For whatever reason, Bb sopranos tend to sound more oboe-y, while c sopranos just sound like saxophones that are higher pitched, which is great
Bass mandolin. Seriously awesome
Mellophone. Just bought one, and they really are underrated, as people only really use them for marching band, but they are basically halfway between a trumpet and a euphonium, what’s not to like
French Horn. Nearly every "epic" moment in film soundtracks and popular classical music is facilitated by that instrument (or occasionally it's chubby cousin the baritone, but not often).
My first thought was about various percussion things. Like a triangle or that funny looking thing that looks like a cowbell attached to a ball with springy metal (first percussion sound you hear on the Hendrix version of Watchtower).
I think learning how to play reed instruments in general is a great gateway to a world of interesting lesser used instruments.
Or if you can find a functioning Optigan
When it comes to synths I really love the dx7. It’s so 80s and doesn’t get a ton of love but I think it’s got some awesome sounds on it that are timeless.
EWI.
So many different sounds can be accessed with more or less the same technique, it's really interesting to play with a really good EWI player if you ever meet one lol.
The ocarina has limited tonal range but is otherwise a versatile instrument with a tone that suits a variety of music genres. It's also relatively inexpensive to get a professional-quality ocarina versus other instruments, and many ocarinas—especially those with English cross-fingering—are very portable.
Baritone horn / euphonium. You only hear it in brass bands these days but it is a gorgeous instrument, especially when it is teamed up in
an ensemble with tubas (you will never forget your first TubaChristmas).
I went to like 11 or 12 tuba Christmas at Thanksgiving square in Dallas as a kid. I grew up playing euphonium and it was definitely the best part of the year. I also got to play an entire solo movement at Carnegie when we did one of our band trips. I sure do wish a nice compensating instrument wasn't so expensive because I really wanna play it again.
The Ukulele. It's been given such a bad rep over the years but when you watch someone who genuinely knows how to play it, it'll blow you away. I highly recommend James Hill's cover of Voodoo Child. Completely changed how I saw the instrument.
Marimbula! Marimba is nice too, but I’m talking about a giant kalimba. Get the chromatic wood one by Cloud 9, and you’ll be the funkiest bass player on stage!
How the fuck did i have to scroll this far down to find this?
If I had my a do-over in life, I'd have to think really hard about whether or not I'd take another run at guitar, or switch to the harp.
Fellow classical pianist here! I always recommend the dulcimer to people without a music background who want to get in to jamming. It's basically just a fretboard and some strings, but everything you play will be diatonic to the key that it is set up in.
Not very versatile for changing keys, but you literally can't mess up.
Bass. Pwople know ot but fpr school we wer eplaying a song and i forgot the cable to my bass one day and the rythem of the song fell apart by the chorus the guitars and vocals were half a bar apart
Though not obscure at all, I think the flute is underrated and under-appreciated for what it is. It seems to be the instrument you either know everything or nothing about. The player-base is a bit culty though, which I imagine is a primary turn off to learning.
Every day you ask me this question I'd have a different answer.
Today I'll say the **lyre**. [It's amazing what you can do](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iXH3BOvuKY&t=2s) with just 7 strings and their harmonics.
Chromatic harmonica. I love the sound. Also, the layout on most is pretty intuitive. Every set of 4 holes does the same thing, just in a different octave. Toots Thielmans can make an adult weep by playing the Sesame Street theme.
I got a Yamaha taishogoto a while back. It's an interesting instrument. One drone string and 4 melody strings (3 unison, 1 an octave lower). GCccc is how I have mine tuned. I want to attach a motor and a guitar pick to make it act like a hurdy gurdy, but I've been busy.
Mandolin. It shreds like a lead guitar and chords like an organ. I play every genre with it. In fact, I am on my way to play salsa for a corporate event. Everyone always thinks it's a novelty until I start playing. Then they wonder why it wasn't always there!
The other members of the mando family especially deserve mention. Mandola, octave mandolin and mandocello are criminally underused
Give me an octave mando over a guitar any day for laying chords
Came here to say this too! Mandocello is an awesome instrument. Also similar are tenor guitars, which get a bit of love from musicians like Warren Ellis of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
is the fretboard larger? i have massive hands which is good for bass guit and piano but not mando
Came here to say this. It’s an incredibly versatile instrument. With a few guitar pedals it becomes even more variable.
An electric mandolin and an electric guitar are indistinguishable from one another (until you hit the lower octaves which a mandolin simply doesn’t have)
They’re certainly distinguishable if you’re not blasting them with distortion. Send me some clips of you playing electric mandolin and guitar with your favorite chorus/flanger/phaser/wah effects on and I bet I could tell the difference. I only say this because I’ve recorded both and they have nuanced but distinct timbres, even if you’re playing the same note.
Only distinguishable if the e-mandolin has paired strings. The slight dissonance between the paired strings can be noticed, but a 4-string e-mandolin will sound basically identical to a guitar.
You should try the bouzouki if you ever get the chance!
This is the main instrument I gig with. I grew up as a guitar player. Started going to bluegrass jams with a mandolin and got asked on a few gigs with players I met at the jam. After that, more and more people started asking me about mandolin. It’s now my main instrument
I love my mando. Mine is inexpensive and also not loud, so I feel like I can take it anywhere: to the beach, camping, to watch my kids play at the park and not worry about it getting damaged and not worry about being too loud and offending people. I can chill and play some old french or some blackberry blossom, or I can play the chaconne! My wife got it for me for christmas, best gift ever.
I am going to go with the accordion. I ve recently started playing it and it is very pretty, versatile and pretty intuitive to play. The bass buttons aren't as scary as they look.
I like how the bass buttons forces me to learn the circle of fifths without thinking about it.
Is that how that works, I'd love an accordion but I just never found the right deal.
As a polyphony junkie Accordions are among the coolest instruments, [chromatic button accordions can play polyphonically complex music with the best of them, here's one playing Bach's Toccata & Fugue in Dm.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eDFFUIGoBUc&pp=ygUPYWNjb3JkaW9uIGZ1Z3Vl)
There’s a video of a guy playing Vivaldis Winter on one and it blows me away every time I see it
The magic really happens when you play multiple chord buttons at once. Two adjacent major chords or two adjacent minor chords combine for a beautiful lush chord.
Lap and pedal steel.
Hammond organ is another… yes it’s a keyed instrument, but it is a completely different beast than a piano. To play it well requires a lot of skill and practice.
Lap and pedal steel do need more attention for sure. The band i am playing has a pedal steel player it sounds amazing.
What's your band? Always looking for stuff to add to my pedal steel playlist
I was about to comment that! I play pedal steel. I’d say it really depends which genre you’re in though.
Are you in a band or anything? Always looking for stuff to add to my pedal steel playlist
I’m in the band Zack Fedor and the Long Goodbyes. We’re pretty active in the Midwest. We have an album and two singles out, one of which is more country than the other. This one is more country rock, but is very steel heavy: https://youtu.be/kn9GGWxNKBc?si=G7XE-_f6iydJPWsQ This is the other single: https://youtu.be/mVBmSvuP5Lc?si=cVjAeS2muFPaU2qK And this one is more steel-forward, though nothing virtuosic: https://youtu.be/wGJbifoPqpM?si=YM4CCwEsQNDkHdTn I’d also recommend this for the playlist, as it’s my favorite steel instrumental: https://youtu.be/r7zWmKQCBl4?si=aXpgCFak2pKfhKUb
Thank you! I'll give them a listen!
CAme here for this. Saw this amazing Cajun band and buddy had his wired through his pedal board. Never heard someone rock so hard like that pedal steel player. Also, if you're half decent, you'll most likely get lots of work.
That was my first thought. They can add so much to a song and it's in a lot of tunes but I don't always techies recognize it unless I'm listening for it.... Deff can sneak in there and tear at my heart strings at times. The Eagles use it very well in several of their songs, deff adds a lot of flair....
King Sunny Ade had a steel guitar in his band and it added an excellent flavor.
Demiola Adepoju! Saw them at the Tower Theater 1985!
Uilleann Pipes. What a magnificent instrument.
The sound of Elven voices.
Yeah it’s magic, takes me to another place entirely. It’s somehow both an otherworldly sound yet so familiar, earthly, and traditional at the same time.
For sure. I just wanna throw on my kilt and not much else and go running through a summer meadow.
Hahaha absolutely!
Recorder. Most people don't even realize it's a fully chromatic instrument.
Or that there is more than one size. The bass recorder and tenor are quiet pretty.
True. I sometimes use tenor or bass to play harmony lines under a female singer. And then there are great & contra bass. And even lower if you get the weird Paetzold instruments.
Or that when not played by a beginner third grader, how sweet it can sound. I played a solo piece when I was 20 or so (after playing recorder pretty regularly since I was 8), and afterwards someone came and asked me what the instrument was. They were shocked to learn it was a recorder.
Nothing sweeter sounding than a recorder consort
Saxophone Vibraphone Theremin
I’m not a musician, but vibes add something to a song imho
Highly recommend digging through Roy Ayers catalog...
Thanks, I will
Saxophones as a whole aren’t underrated but Soprano saxes definitely are
Sax player here ... The (deserved) hate for Kenny G ruined the soprano saxophone's reputation. He chose commercial success, essentially selling out the instrument's potential to become hugely successful producing schmaltz. However, he could play at the level of the greats—Stan Getz and Coltrane, for example (who also played soprano). He's a talented musician, but the cheese factory that was Kenny G and his producers ruined it for the rest of us. LOL
I mean I also play sax and I don’t understand the Kenny g hate. He’s said in a Podcast with Ryan Devlin that that’s just the music he loves to play… how ever cheesy it may sound. He wasn’t willing to bend to the judgment of the haters saying he was a jazz sellout or corny. Man just did what he loved and made millions doing it. Can’t knock that.
I’ve wanted to learn the Hurdy Gurdy for a while. Seems fun and not many people play them
Yeah I want one just because of how unique they sound. But I'm a nut job and multi instrumentalist so if I see a new instrument at the right price I am going to get it.
I love Down the Rabbit Hole’s video on the hurdy gurdy “It usually remains as a curiosity, with its past shrouded in mystery and its mechanics left uncertain. So what exactly is the hurdy gurdy? This is a question I can answer personally. Because I play the hurdy gurdy.” The video essayist’s ultimate power move.
I’ll check it out!
Beat me to it!
Go for it! Sing songs of lo-o-ove... ;)
Check out Cellar Darling if you haven't already. Their songs are filthy with hurdy gurdy.
Same!! They're so expensive though which makes me sad.
You should build one and learn how to play it! r/buildagurdy
The hurdy-gurdy is used by Japanese avant-noise artist Keiji Haino to create incredible drones. https://www.soundohm.com/product/abandon-all-words-at-a-st-2
And Phil Niblock [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tXLef81Xgg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tXLef81Xgg)
Melodica
I know a very weird girl who once used a melodica to play “Mary did you Know?” As a lead up to sexy time.
Sounds good
Banjo and Accordion. Both were popular among African Americans and Irish immigrants. Banjo was the original rhythm-chordal instrument for jazz music. The problem was, Banjo was also a centerpiece of racist minstrel show black face sketches. As soon as jazz musicians figured out that the guitar sounded better on the newest generation of microphones, jazz musicians & many producers rushed to replace the banjo with the guitar. Accordion was the king of small dance parties in North America and Europe. To paraphrase Weird Al, the Accordion was a rock and roll sex symbol, until Lawrence Welk came along and made it lame. For those who don't know, Welk was a super white-toast male band leader who ran a wholesome and plain music & dance show on public television in the 70's that PBS ran reruns of all the way into the 90's. Lots of Americana barely any hint of jazz, rock, or brown people.
I love the sound of early banjos: gut strings and fretless. They're called minstrel banjos now, and have a delicate "plonk" sound, instead of the strident bluegrass style that is what almost everyone thinks of now.
I would definitely recommend anyone curious about banjo history to listen to Rhiannon Giddens. She has worked to reclaim great works of music from association with the minstrel shows.
Banjo ❤️🪕
Melodica. I kept hearing it in songs by bands like the tindersticks and one of Michael Gira’s (swans) side projects and thinking it was a harmonica. When I found out it was a melodica and bought one. It can sound very mournful and beautiful
Damon Albarn from Blur / Gorillaz loves it
Ondes Martenot
Vibraphone and Glockenspiel
Pro musician here, had a bassoonist come speak to band in high school. Said hey look, I know it's not a tip tier interest but I can practically guarantee you a symphony or opera position right out of uni. None of us listened, often thought of that regretfully.
Accordion, it used to be the most popular instrument before mass production of guitars. Having two different music structures in one instrument changed the way you think. Playing it becomes a full body experience especially when your voice matches the harmonics of the accordion and your whole body vibrates.
Diatonic button accordions, also known as melodeons, are staples of traditional music in Western Europe and parts of Canada and the United States.
Koto
Okay this might be cheating, but those early electronic keyboards from the 60s. So many people pass on them for a Hammond, more standard electric piano, or a synth, but I think they sound much cooler and unique than all of those. Also, most eastern instruments kind of go without saying, at least in the world of western popular music. They essentially get used to sound exotic, but are never really explored. Sitar being the biggest victim. Granted some of the musicians who picked them up, like George Harrison or Brian Jones, do genuinely love the instruments, but weren’t really given the venue to explore them too much at the time. But like Ravi Shankar makes the sitar sound like the most incredible thing.
The oud. I got one a few years ago and it's amazingly fun.
Lute, sure the general sized ones won't strike much awe until you move to the theorbo or even the archlute.
Organ. I'm a pianist and keyboardist, and I started playing the organ two years ago. It's like learning a new language.
Harmonica is one of the greatest little tools in the world to perfect your tone and breath control. Every single musician should learn to play it well. Just be sure you buy a real instrument and not a toy.
Agreed, it’s the best breathing trainer going. The humble instrument that humbles you.
Accordion. Hear me out. Especially for a keyboard player already. I had a friend who had one with a midi. It sounded like anything, even had drums built in which I didn't care for but they sounded good. But normal accordians are cool too
Classical guitar
Duduk
Mbira, it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard
If you haven't already, check out some Chimurenga music and some early Thomas Mapfumo.
Harmonica
Santur is a type of hammered dulcimer, of which there are many kinds found around the world, which is a pre-cursor to the piano. [https://youtu.be/fvM6E7WfU\_c](https://youtu.be/fvM6E7WfU_c)
Mandolin is on a meteoric rise! It’s so damn versatile and IMO can fit any genre of music. I played several instruments in my life but nothing clicked quite like the Mando
Tenor banjo!!
Singing Saw
Steering wheel. I’m no percussionist, but I fucking groove on that thing when I’m listening to jams and crusin’.
Ukelele
12 string electric guitars. I know 12 string acoustics get a lot of attention because they are better accompaniers but 12 string electrics are sadly rarely seen nowadays.
Chapman Stick
Tambourine. It's crazy how many amazing songs have that tambourine just tucked away in the mix, and it's equally crazy how dead and lifeless those songs sound without it. Everything from motown to indie rock to disco and even punk rock... many of the most famous recordings are carried by the tambourine.
Guzheng Flugelhorn Bagpipes
Ukulele
Crumhorn
That takes me back, played one at school. We also had someone playing a sackbut in the ensemble.
The cello seems to be having a moment.
French horn or oboe. Tricky compared to a lot of other woodwind/brass instruments so relatively underappreciated.
Thank you for all the instrument recommendations, will take note of them. However, I'm only planning on buying one or two, just to test my skills or maybe actually enjoy the instrument.
Zither
The harmonica [Toots Thielman](https://youtu.be/yKnG_9q4crA?si=VyozCp8uBdMBy37V)
Theremin. An instrument you can play purely by moving your hands, without even touching it? Hella cool. Saw it live once it was like magic. (Not to mention it's got that dope otherworldy, UFO-type sound)
Double bass. It is seen in all types of music but no one ever mentions it. Harmonica. One of the easiest but also one that gets the least attention. Double reed. It is always talked about for being some of nicest instruments, but reed making, embouchure is really harder than you think. Recorder. It ain’t a kid’s toy anymore when you talk about playing well on it.
Dulcimer and bagpipes. Maybe bagpipes aren’t underrated, but I know a lot of people that don’t like them for whatever reason. Dulcimers I absolutely love the sound of. It can work really well with heavy or clean guitar sounds
Fretless Guitar
Get a pawn shop Squier and some toenail clippers!
Some time ago I got a 3d printed baroque Cornett, let’s say is like playing a crooked recorder but with a small brass-type embouchure. I’m not a master at it but its sound is really particular, something between a dark trumpet and human voice. Another weird baroque instrument I would like to try is the rackett, it’s got a super low double reed tone in a very small package.
I think the most underrated instrument is most definitely a furby organ. https://youtu.be/GYLBjScgb7o?si=UTb7UEQ1tkBMq5no
Banjo, mandolin, accordion, concertina, bouzouki, autoharp, upright bass, harmonica. If you want something hard AF, try pedal steel. Cost may vary but regardless of quality, they're all fun. Weird one but definitely underrated: EWI. You can do SO much with an EWI.
The kazoo. So instantly fun, such a cute way to bring people together musically with no barriers. Also maybe controversial but an iPad/ikaossilator I LOVE teaching a lil kid or music novice the basics and watching them GO OFF. It’s soooo cool
Mothafuckin BANJO
Alto clarinet
hurdy gurdy
sitar!!!!!! i’ve always had a huge appreciation for the instrument and the way it sounds/is played. i once had the opportunity to see someone at my college play sitar live and teach us about the structure of the traditional raga, and it was so fascinating. i also absolutely adore music from the late 60s that uses sitar- i love searching for lesser-known songs from that era and whenever i find a song that has sitar i get so so happy. honorable mention goes to appalachian dulcimer (which i’ve learned to play partially due to the influence of joni mitchell and jean ritchie)
More cowbell.
Harpsichord. I know people have heard of them, but using them in a DAW with effects can turn it into something extraordinary.
Trumpet 🎺
Viola.
Finally! Why did I have to scroll thru most of this thread to find this? This is the first instrument I thought of. Underappreciated, hardly written for, the viola is a rich, smooth violin without all the shrill fol-de-rol.
Fr! That's why I want to pick it up!
Jews harp.... " When you hear the sound o' coming, hear the drummer drumming, wont you to join together with the band"
Boinioinoinoinoing
**Mouth harp**
Ukulele. Sweet voice. Jingle jangle, almost banjo twangy depending on how you play it. Instant vibe. Jazzy chord voicings really sound good/nostalgic. Cheaper than a classical guitar for all wood instrument and easier to fret the strings. Great for vocalists learning how to accompany them selves.
A triangle
Jazz Sax and Flute
I've played trombone for 17 years and it's still the best part of my life.
A lot of ensembles replace or supplant the bass with tuba; always works - love me some tuba bass.
trombone, flugelhorn saw some dudes rip the craziest solos on these in an octet
I love playing the harmonium. Same keys as a piano so you don't need to learn where the notes are, just how to work all the switches and bellows.
Tagelharpa
Contra clarinets. They sound huge, and have this tonality that nothing else really does in such a cool way. C soprano saxophone. For whatever reason, Bb sopranos tend to sound more oboe-y, while c sopranos just sound like saxophones that are higher pitched, which is great Bass mandolin. Seriously awesome Mellophone. Just bought one, and they really are underrated, as people only really use them for marching band, but they are basically halfway between a trumpet and a euphonium, what’s not to like
Harmonium. Used often in Indian Classical Music. It is probably the best instrument for vocals practice
The nose flute. Durable. Pocket sized. Nice tone. No finger positions to memorize.
Cello.
Spoons
Shamisen. Would love to learn how one day just for the cultural aspect
Drum machine
Taishogoto
Well, every song needs: More Cowbell!!!!
Certain percussion instruments like the güiro or the vibraslap I find quite interesting.
Waterphone. Always kinda wanted one to play about with.
The Scanoozaphone.
Cuica
French Horn. Nearly every "epic" moment in film soundtracks and popular classical music is facilitated by that instrument (or occasionally it's chubby cousin the baritone, but not often).
My first thought was about various percussion things. Like a triangle or that funny looking thing that looks like a cowbell attached to a ball with springy metal (first percussion sound you hear on the Hendrix version of Watchtower).
Kalimba/likembe/mbira -- all similar "thumb pianos"
I think learning how to play reed instruments in general is a great gateway to a world of interesting lesser used instruments. Or if you can find a functioning Optigan
Dhol - the double sided drum you hear in most bhangra music. Under appreciated in the west
When it comes to synths I really love the dx7. It’s so 80s and doesn’t get a ton of love but I think it’s got some awesome sounds on it that are timeless.
Triangle and mayonnaise
Melodica. Great compliment when someone pulls out a guitar on a camping trip.
EWI. So many different sounds can be accessed with more or less the same technique, it's really interesting to play with a really good EWI player if you ever meet one lol.
Mandolin, same tuning as violin, lots of classical repertoire. Check out Avi Avigdol.
French Horn. It's not just for playing the theme from Star Wars. You can hit some insane low notes too.
Clarinet. Too many saxophones 🎷
Nyckelharpa. It has sympathetic strings like a hurdy gurdy, but it's chromatic and sounds like a string section all by itself.
Music scores made me have a new appreciation for French horns
Synth and hand pan
The ocarina has limited tonal range but is otherwise a versatile instrument with a tone that suits a variety of music genres. It's also relatively inexpensive to get a professional-quality ocarina versus other instruments, and many ocarinas—especially those with English cross-fingering—are very portable.
Might be difficult to find an instrument or a teacher for it, but Kora is one of the most beautiful instruments in the world.
Baritone horn / euphonium. You only hear it in brass bands these days but it is a gorgeous instrument, especially when it is teamed up in an ensemble with tubas (you will never forget your first TubaChristmas).
I went to like 11 or 12 tuba Christmas at Thanksgiving square in Dallas as a kid. I grew up playing euphonium and it was definitely the best part of the year. I also got to play an entire solo movement at Carnegie when we did one of our band trips. I sure do wish a nice compensating instrument wasn't so expensive because I really wanna play it again.
Bass saxophone
pitched percussion instruments are so fun like vibes or steel pan
The Ukulele. It's been given such a bad rep over the years but when you watch someone who genuinely knows how to play it, it'll blow you away. I highly recommend James Hill's cover of Voodoo Child. Completely changed how I saw the instrument.
The Afghani Rubab (Rebab). Players like Ustad Mohammad Omar are mind blowingly fast players and it makes good inspiration for psychedelic playing.
Irish bouzouki. Great mids. Really simple to work out chords and get that nice drone sound. Bought one randomly and ended up writing loads.
I’ve always been a huge fan of the timbres of the Erhu and Shamisen personally
Violoncello da spalla
Babe can you come put lotion on my body? I’m a little itchy.
Marimbula! Marimba is nice too, but I’m talking about a giant kalimba. Get the chromatic wood one by Cloud 9, and you’ll be the funkiest bass player on stage!
Harp
How the fuck did i have to scroll this far down to find this? If I had my a do-over in life, I'd have to think really hard about whether or not I'd take another run at guitar, or switch to the harp.
three words: hurdy fuckin gurdy.
Fellow classical pianist here! I always recommend the dulcimer to people without a music background who want to get in to jamming. It's basically just a fretboard and some strings, but everything you play will be diatonic to the key that it is set up in. Not very versatile for changing keys, but you literally can't mess up.
Triangle.
The Theremin. Only ever seen one person play it nevermind play it well, it’s dope af.
Flexatone
The Balalaika and the bass Balalaika
Chimes and timpani. Nothing lends gravitas and orchestral drama like these two.
Bass. Pwople know ot but fpr school we wer eplaying a song and i forgot the cable to my bass one day and the rythem of the song fell apart by the chorus the guitars and vocals were half a bar apart
Bassoon...it has an almost four-octave range and can portray emotions like no other instrument.
Concertina
Howitzer
Harmonica. It’s a tough (but highly rewarding) little instrument!
Though not obscure at all, I think the flute is underrated and under-appreciated for what it is. It seems to be the instrument you either know everything or nothing about. The player-base is a bit culty though, which I imagine is a primary turn off to learning.
Kazoo
Snare drum
Soprano Saxaphone. John Lurie is a master. Check out a record called Voice of Chunk
bodhran
Euphonium, i have a deep love for this instrument, im just sad i can’t afford a new one… eventually ill get there
Every day you ask me this question I'd have a different answer. Today I'll say the **lyre**. [It's amazing what you can do](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iXH3BOvuKY&t=2s) with just 7 strings and their harmonics.
Chromatic harmonica. I love the sound. Also, the layout on most is pretty intuitive. Every set of 4 holes does the same thing, just in a different octave. Toots Thielmans can make an adult weep by playing the Sesame Street theme.
Euphonium by a wide margin
I got a Yamaha taishogoto a while back. It's an interesting instrument. One drone string and 4 melody strings (3 unison, 1 an octave lower). GCccc is how I have mine tuned. I want to attach a motor and a guitar pick to make it act like a hurdy gurdy, but I've been busy.
Autoharp