The alphorn (or alpenhorn) is a natural wooden aerophone traditionally used by the mountain folk in Switzerland (Alps), and elsewhere. These lengthy horns were used to communicate in mountainous regions and across vast distances as well as announce daily activities in the village. Herdsmen used these horns to communicate to each other during [...]

The suikinkutsu, literally meaning ‘water harp chamber,’ is an underground Japanese water instrument which is usually located in temple gardens and places of ceremony. The water chime consists of an upside down pot with a small hole through it’s bottom. The upside down pot is buried underground, with a porous rock layer above [...]

From Wouter Baeck, an amazing musician, sculptor, painter, and musical instrument creator.
“An ancient instrument came to live. Based on a thin long straight bamboo reed tied up with a thread on a small bamboo mouth piece. Protected by a gourd. Double pipe made out of bamboo or elder wood, and always with [...]

A bin zasara (a.k.a. bin sasara, sasara) is a traditional Japanese percussion instrument. Due to the bin zasara’s self-vibrating nature, the instrument is classified as an idiophone. The instrument consists of many rectangular wooden slats, made from tonewood (wood that carries sound waves well e.g. maple, ceder, bamboo, walnut) strung together by some [...]

The hurdy gurdy, also known as the “wheel fiddle,” is similar to the nyckelharpa in that it’s notes are summoned using a keyboard which controls tangents (wood wedges) that depress the strings at defined intervals. What is most interesting about this violin-type instrument is that the strings are vibrated by a resin wheel mechanism [...]

For those of you who enjoy diagrams, here is a great diagram off the systems in a traditional Native American flute.

From the diagram:
“From the mouth, the airflow is slowed down in the SAC (slow air chamber), passes the exit hole, then the little channel of the flue, to hit the cutting edge. Then the [...]