# Musical Instruments You Wish Were Never Invented



## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

We all love music, but our tastes vary. But deep down inside most of us find the tone of any of a number of instruments grating, irritating, nauseating...you get the idea. You don't hate the musician playing it, and maybe you don't dislike the genre of music in which it is played, you just hate the sound of the %$#@ instrument itself.

It would be interesting to see if many of the same ones are repeatedly mentioned. I'll keep score and when the thread runs down I'll give the running totals! This is strictly for instruments, not pedals or effects. (I don't want to include guitar in my totals!)


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Accordion and bagpipes...anything with a windbag


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Ukuleles


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

BAGPIPES ....by a long long shot...
G.

what the hells wrong with an accordion ?
IF you don't like the old style , give this guy at least 2 minutes and he will change your mind.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I dispute the claim that bagpipes should not have been invented!


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Robert1950 said:


> I dispute the claim that bagpipes should not have been invented!


unless they're playing that song. Actually I can't think of any.


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)




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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

I know Sneaky Pete Kleinow was a great musician, but I really hate the sound of the lap steel!

(Yet I like bagpipes...figure that one out!)


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

There aren't any instruments that I hate the sound of - except maybe cheap ones. 

But I think that you should have to get a license to play a tambourine in public.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

pattste said:


>



With the subtitles I get the impression it was one of the first blues instruments.

When you're not playing it you could probably catch fish with it! Imagine going down to the Yangtze, busking for a few yen, and then doing some fishing, and then serenading the lovers as the sun sets. This thing is more versatile than the legendary pocket fisherman!


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

oh yeah...and the banjo. There's an instrument that is confused. Does not know if it wants to be a guitar or a snare drum.

and is a kazoo actually an instrument or is it an annoying new years eve noisemaker without the flappy crap?


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I strongly dislike most keyboard synths. I associate them with 80's metal, which generally I love except the songs with...yeah.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

The guitar: to be able to invent it myself!


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Funny I hated the steel guitar until Pete Klienow 



Krelf said:


> I know Sneaky Pete Kleinow was a great musician, but I really hate the sound of the lap steel!


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

The Palasander belly flute 

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thisisthat/...t-into-making-a-sound-1.3348191?autoplay=true


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Push my boy....


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2015)

Pull my finger ..


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

There are instruments that I'm not into--but I don't know that I would wish they were never invented, just that I didn't have to hear them so much--or that I heard them in different contexts & styles.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

Bagpipes, the sound of which would drive any god fearing drunk into a fire and brimstone Sunday morning tail gate minister.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

fredyfreeloader said:


> Bagpipes, the sound of which would drive any god fearing drunk into a fire and brimstone Sunday morning tail gate minister.


Bagpipes are fine. The sounds of which make a whiskey drinking man put on a kilt and dance then paint himself blue and chase women. When you are marching bagpines are the only music to have. *Sassenach*


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Harmonica I could do without hearing.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Harmonicas are usually ok but the come with clueless owners 




Distortion said:


> Harmonica I could do without hearing.


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## Gearhead88 (Nov 7, 2013)

A little less cowbell wouldn't hurt .


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> Harmonicas are usually ok but the come with clueless owners


Well, any instrument in the wrong hands is a dangerous thing.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

zontar said:


> Well, any instrument in the wrong hands is a dangerous thing.


 I think a theremin even in the right hands is a dangerous thing! I'd keep my pants done up around this guy....


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Seems certain instruments relate directly to certain players. For me it would be the soprano sax, 'cause I start thinking Kenny G and start looking for buttons to get out of the elevator.

But someone had to invent bagpipes. A necessity. Curlers are so drunk at the end of a bonspiel that you need a screeeeeeching sound, simulating a cat with someone chewing on it's tail, to end the event - else the curlers would just keep drink.......er, curling.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

bagpipes, accordion, sitar (or whatever it is that's so prevalent in Indian music), Hammond organ (cheesy and creepy sounding at the same time), lap steel guitar (I hate country music), turntable/autotuner- Im being generous here giving them credit as insturments.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Diablo said:


> bagpipes, accordion, sitar (or whatever it is that's so prevalent in Indian music), *Hammond organ* (cheesy and creepy sounding at the same time), lap steel guitar (I hate country music), turntable/autotuner- Im being generous here giving them credit as insturments.


Hammond Organ ?!?!? *BLASPHEMY !!!!! *May the spirits of Jon Lord to Jimmy Smith haunt you for eternity


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## ga20t (Jul 22, 2010)

Mostly just the piezo saddle pickup & the digital keyboard, but there are enough exceptions to the latter that I can (somewhat begrudgingly) give it a pass.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Any instrument played badly, and a whole lot of cheap instruments, with bad intonation often being the culprit. That said, I like lots of primitive stuff, period instrument stuff...

Someone mentioned piezo saddle pickups...yeah...those things should be banned.

Distortion is great until it gets to the point where pitch is indeterminate. 

Otherwise I generally like the different tone and timbre available from a wide variety of instruments.

It's not the instrument, it's the player.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I love bag pipes.

I'd say more bad music has been produced using electric guitars than pipes.

Farfisa organs would be near the top of bannable instruments in my world.


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## Xelebes (Mar 9, 2015)

That includes things like the Farfisa Soundmaker?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Krelf said:


> I think a theremin even in the right hands is a dangerous thing! I'd keep my pants done up around this guy....


I'd love to have a theremin.
I've seen some for sale recently--including a couple of used ones but I need the money for other stuff.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Diablo said:


> bagpipes, accordion, sitar (or whatever it is that's so prevalent in Indian music), Hammond organ (cheesy and creepy sounding at the same time), lap steel guitar (I hate country music), turntable/autotuner- Im being generous here giving them credit as insturments.


I have to side with Robert on the Hammond--although I would agree it can be used in horrible fashion.
But in the hands of Jon Lord and in some blues bands--it is a wonderful thing.

Also--lap steel is found in more than country music--it is in blues & rock as well.
I like it.
I'd like to own one.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Robert1950 said:


> Hammond Organ ?!?!? *BLASPHEMY !!!!! *May the spirits of Jon Lord to Jimmy Smith haunt you for eternity


Back in the day the Hammond organ replaced our grandparents piano. At our place it sat next to my grand fathers piano with his Ole Bull violin on top. My younger brother now has the piano, one cousin has the Hammond and my niece has the violin.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Hammond organ? Never. Farfisa? Yeah, OK, banned it. I cringe when I hear Twisting By The Pool.

But any slide guitar? Absolutely not. I love the tone Ben Harper gets out of a lap steel (I'm sure those dumbells have little to do with that). I love pedal steel. When played well, it is an instrument of incredible range and tone. It sounds pretty cool even the way R Randolph plays it, although I've heard others I prefer much more.

As mooh said, hate the player not the instrument. Is there anything worse than a badly played, screeching clarinet or violin. Those instruments can makes 'tones' that would make Quint from Jaws cringe.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Xelebes said:


> That includes things like the Farfisa Soundmaker?


I don't know what that is.

The cheesy Farfisa organ sound (think Doors, Elvis Costello et cetera) is what I hate. I'm an Elvis Cstello fan but always hated that organ sound.

Give me B3 and a Leslie any day of the week.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

This is definitely one of the exceptions to lap steel dissing.






... and there is Hammond Organ too.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Yes, except that's a pedal steel.

David Lindley tears up the steel pretty well in Mercury Blues.

And not many will criticise Gilmour's lap steel work on DSOTM and Wish You Were Here.

Lap Steels rule (in skilled hands).


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Milkman said:


> David Lindley tears up the steel pretty well in Mercury Blues.


That was one song I had in mind in my post above.
I couldn't find the video I was thinking of from a live performance--but this one makes the point as well-


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

nkjanssen said:


> That's a Vox Continental, not a Farfisa.


Sure sounds like a Farfisa to me.

Add that one to the banned list then.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Big fan of lap steel hear also. If I was going to try and learn another instrument that would be it.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> Hammond Organ ?!?!? *BLASPHEMY !!!!! *May the spirits of Jon Lord to Jimmy Smith haunt you for eternity


Ya, I knew that one would hit some nerves here.
Thing is, I know it makes me a tiny minority on this site, but I don't care for a lot of rock music from the 60's and early 70's, when the Hammond was so popular, so when I hear it, it just sounds really cheesy and weird. That warbling sound just gets under my skin. I'll take a good synth or piano to one any day.

And when I mentioned disliking lap steel earlier, it was mostly in reference to that twangy truck driving country music style it gets used in, almost like a cliché.

I think when things become a cliché, that's when it gets off putting for me.
obviously wah pedals can do so much more, but if for example, you think of old porn background music every time you hear the word wah pedal, youre prob not going to have much appreciation for it.

people that hate 80s metal (my fave) prob wish the floyd rose was never invented


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Diablo said:


> And when I mentioned disliking lap steel earlier, it was mostly in reference to that twangy truck driving country music style it gets used in, almost like a cliché.


I think that twangy stuff was mostly pedal steel, as compared to lap steel. Pedal steel has all those chord modulations - like Jimmy did with his Tele/Parsons (on only one string though).

Again, I just love a well-played pedal steel (not so much some of the music it was used on, though). VERY hard instrument to play (a lot of mechanical integration) - push pedals, operate knee levers, move slide, mute strings, YIKES!


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Pan flute ........................


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Diablo said:


> but I don't care for a lot of rock music from the 60's and early 70's, when the Hammond was so popular.


I got my first guitar for Xmas in 1964, So that was my era. The Toronto Sound from the mid 60s mostly had the same core set up - A Telecaster, A B3, Fender bass and drums. I grew up on that.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

I saw this woman Cindy Cashdollar with Albert Lee last summer, sat right in front of her. Keep in mind, she's a 5 time Grammy winner with"Asleep At The Wheel". I'm sure even folks who are not lap steel fans can appreciate what this woman accomplishes on her instrument.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Diablo said:


> Ya, I knew that one would hit some nerves here.
> Thing is, I know it makes me a tiny minority on this site, but I don't care for a lot of rock music from the 60's and early 70's, when the Hammond was so popular, so when I hear it, it just sounds really cheesy and weird. That warbling sound just gets under my skin. I'll take a good synth or piano to one any day.
> 
> And when I mentioned disliking lap steel earlier, it was mostly in reference to that twangy truck driving country music style it gets used in, almost like a cliché.
> ...


Nothing wrong with old porn.....or new porn....or inbetween porn. Just too bad there's not a lot of drive inn movies anymore.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Robert1950 said:


> I got my first guitar for Xmas in 1964, So that was my era. The Toronto Sound from the mid 60s mostly had the same core set up - A Telecaster, A B3, Fender bass and drums. I grew up on that.






Small town sound in B.C. was usually a couple of Silvertones and some drums. What ever Eatons and the Bay and Simpson Sears sold. The music store in town didn't sell electrics. It did sell Hammond organs tho.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

The (damned) Guitar...
I could have been a Civil Engineer had the guitar not been so easily available!


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Like this ?







Diablo said:


> Ya, I knew that one would hit some nerves here.
> Thing is, I know it makes me a tiny minority on this site, but I don't care for a lot of rock music from the 60's and early 70's, when the Hammond was so popular, so when I hear it, it just sounds really cheesy and weird. That warbling sound just gets under my skin. I'll take a good synth or piano to one any day.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Here is the compilation of hated instruments:


*The Most disliked*:

Bagpipes 4


*Followed at 2 votes each:*

Accordion

Steel Guitar (var)

Hammond Organ*

Farfisa Organ* 


*The following at one vote each*:

Ukulele

Erhu

Banjo

Synthesizer*

Digital Keyboard*

Harmonica

Cowbell

Theremin

Soprano Sax

Sitar

Pan Flute

Palasander Belly Flute (An instrument I personally love)


_*If all the keyboard instruments were counted collectively, they would win with 6 votes._


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Krelf said:


> Here is the compilation of hated instruments:
> 
> 
> *The Most disliked*:
> ...


You should also count the votes for the view that it's not the instrument, it's the player--here are some for that.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Four posters agreed it was the player rather than the instrument, a few indicated it was the type of music associated with the instrument and a few made comments that could be taken to agree it was either the player or kind of music.


zontar said:


> You should also count the votes for the view that it's not the instrument, it's the player--here are some for that.


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2015)

The Vuvuzela.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

*The revised totals now counting laristotle's and Hitler's vote now stand as follows:
*

*The Most disliked*:

Bagpipes 4

*
Followed at 2 votes each:*

Vuvuzela

Accordion

Steel Guitar (var)

Hammond Organ*

Farfisa Organ*


The following at one vote each:

Ukulele

Erhu

Banjo

Synthesizer*

Digital Keyboard*

Harmonica

Cowbell

Theremin

Soprano Sax

Sitar

Pan Flute

Palasander Belly Flute (An instrument I personally love)

_*If all the keyboard instruments were counted collectively, they would win with 6 votes._


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## CHTele_1970 (Oct 11, 2012)

Didgeridoo. Understand it's a native Australian instrument but can't stand the dreadlock white guys who play them, and people pay to listen?

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

Another vote for bagpipes. There's a reason they were used to lead men into battle, mainly to draw enemy fire.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Nose flute. A friend of mine claims to be the 2nd best nose flute player in Canada (also a fine singer and guitar player)


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

My vote is cast for pitch correction software, the instrument of the Anti-Christ.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Difference between a Banjo and an onion... No one crys when you cut up a banjo. So I guess my vote is obvious: a banjo!


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