Unique instruments in bands: Good idea or not?

[jungleheat]

In general, there's nothing wrong with it. However, I would say ukelele is completely played out after everyone jumping on the bandwagon the last few years. Plus, I'm not sure how easy it would be to integrate it with pop punk kind of music, where everything tends to be distorted power chords playing 8th notes at all times. For an unusual instrument to work, it should sound like an inherent and cohesive part of the whole band sound, not like it was tacked on top just to be different.

So I say maybe experiment around with it for a few months and try writing some stuff with it, but don't take it public yet until your band has some time to live with it a while, and see if it holds up over time. The novelty might make it seem like the coolest thing ever for a few weeks, and then when that wears off maybe you'll think it's annoying. Or maybe not.

Originally Posted by Staredge

What you really need......is more cowbelt.

Yeah, if there's one thing cows hate, it's loose fitting pants.

[dtripoli]

if it sound good, use it...
A few years back I did a gig with a drummer who was retired after spending years as a Nashville percussionist. This was his current instrument of choice. Surprisingly it sounded awesome.

He called it a "Wash-ama-jig" although he said it probably was not the best drums for Metal

Archie Francis

[Sgt. Rock]

Originally Posted by pushbuttonfour

...Having "exotic" or uncommon instruments tends to add a uniqueness to your band and elicit more of a respponse form the crowd. For example, the band Flatfoot 56 has bagpipes, and, due to their uniqueness, they tend to be the staple of the band...

(Very specific nerdery incoming fellas. You've been warned )

I can elaborate as to why you specifically don't hear pipes more often in rock outfits, as well as how this relates to the broader point of "exotic" instruments in general.

Bagpipes are built to be tuned to a reference pitch anywhere from A-460 up to A-490 (or higher). It is very, very difficult to reed a traditional Great Highland Bagpipe to play to A-440, though some pipemakers produce sets specifically for this purpose. So basically the instrument isn't even built to play to the same reference pitch as the rest of a rock/pop band. Add in that there are 3 drones, each with its own reed, as well as a chanter with a double reed (like an oboe) that all have to be tinkered with to get them to play, what is for a bagpipe, in the sonic basement. All four reeds must play uniformly in tune with each other, or the piper will sound like a bag of angry cats. And the instrument will fight you every step of the way, unless it is a set built to play at A-440. Keep in mind that tuning the damn thing involves adjusting internal reeds, sliding drones up and down, and as for the chanter itself, seating the reed deeper or more shallow in its seat and then carefully placing electrical tape over the finger holes. I'm not joking. Tuning the bagpipe is a never ending process, as temperature, moisture, and the idiosyncrasies of the particular instrument itself have to be constantly juggled. But when it's kept in tune and played well, it is one of the the sweetest sounding instruments in the world (to my ears anyway).

From the perspective of the band itself, there's the problem of finding a piper who wants to contribute to your project instead of his pipe band or his solo competition career. Good luck with that.

Also, the GHB has a scale of nine notes and for our purposes plays only in Mixolydian mode (major scale with a flat 7). This means that you aren't going to fit the instrument melodically into a LOT of what you do in a traditional guitar-oriented band. It is quite limited in this way.

When done correctly, incorporating the GHB into rock comes off really well (see the Red Hot Chilli Pipers). It's just *really* tough to do it correctly. It's usually the same story with other "exotic" instruments, to varying degrees. Often you are shoehorning something in and hoping it fits.

What you need in the end is someone with a critical ear to give what you're doing a listen and tell you if it's working, or if it's hack.

[BryanM]

"Exotic" instruments can be put to very good use in punk oriented music but, as others have stated, you need to be very careful that you're playing the instruments because you enjoy them and they work well in the music rather than because you think people will pay more attention to you. My band is a folk punk/alt country outfit and the range of instruments we use is pretty extensive. Just a selection includes accordion, mandolin, autoharp, ukelele, bodhran, congas, djembe, and dumbek in addition to the typical guitar/bass/drums setup.

[Oneirogenic]

I think a banjo would sound better in a pop punk band than a ukulele. Guitarist in my band use a uke for one song and it works really well. It's a cute and bouncy pop song though, not pop punk.

[Roscoe East]

Originally Posted by JumboJack

Rumba-phones

I only watched the first ~20 seconds of that video, but those sure like like good old-fashioned balaphones (aka balafon) to me.

...not that that makes them any less unique in a pop/rock band.

[grenadilla]

Originally Posted by pklima

Go for it. I know pop punk has turned all serious in the past few years, but as long as the uke has a pickup and isn't a pain to amplify I can't imagine anybody having a problem with it, especially if you start off just using it on a few songs.

I've played a lot of songs on DB which were originally done with sequenced bass - we're talking Nicki Minaj and Don Omar kind of stuff, very far from any music normally associated with DB. It does look kinda artsy, but sounds fine and I never had any problem with it. It is a great way to get away with playing 2 Unlimited to middle-aged English-speaking crowds in five-star hotels without anyone complaining.

If you really get into it, look up electric cavaquinhos - it's basically a steel-string uke from Brazil. There are some great looking miniature Les Pauls and the like.

If you can amplify it to mix with electric guitar,great! Train did a uke song recently with the regular acoustic sound. A electric mandolin [ Epi] can cut good, How about the overlooked 12string?

[pushbuttonfour]

Originally Posted by Oneirogenic

I think a banjo would sound better in a pop punk band than a ukulele. Guitarist in my band use a uke for one song and it works really well. It's a cute and bouncy pop song though, not pop punk.

thanks for the suggestion. I personally don't like a banjo and how it sounds or the connotations associated with it. (Can't stand Mumford and Sons.) People have been telling me to use what I like to play, and I don't want to force an instrument I just don't like.

Anyway, if anyone cares, my band has decided to make a side project that uses ukes and possibly other instruments other than guitar and drums. It's also our "funny" band, so we won't take it seriously (especially cuz the name is December Toast. My friend just randomly told me to name our band that, and I kinda liked it)

[oniman7]

Originally Posted by Factor88

Cool. I saw a trio who were fronted by twins on bass and guitar almost 30 years ago, and thought they were only one step away from the coolest gimmick ever; that would have been each one playing a double neck Guitar/bass combo, and they would switch off playing bass and guitar, sometimes in the middle of a song.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oscar-...app_2405167945

Some of my best friends and favorite local band. They're fronted by the two identical twins, David and Daniel, who play guitar and bass (respectively) and sing. The music's good too,

They used to be called "Twinnick" (I don't know how you spell it). They're twins and the drummer's name is Nick

[oniman7]

Also, I got a didgeridoo for christmas that I might incorporate into rock at some point

[pushbuttonfour]

Originally Posted by oniman7

Also, I got a didgeridoo for christmas that I might incorporate into rock at some point

that sounds epic

[pushbuttonfour]

Originally Posted by oniman7

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oscar-...app_2405167945

Some of my best friends and favorite local band. They're fronted by the two identical twins, David and Daniel, who play guitar and bass (respectively) and sing. The music's good too,

They used to be called "Twinnick" (I don't know how you spell it). They're twins and the drummer's name is Nick

aw, I thought I was special! No, but this band sounds really good. Thx for sharing.

[pushbuttonfour]

for anyone who cares, it's settled. We hare having a uke in our band hopefully we will pioneer a new genre, punkulele :lol:

[Ubersheist]

Originally Posted by pushbuttonfour

for anyone who cares, it's settled. We hare having a uke in our band hopefully we will pioneer a new genre, punkulele :lol:

You know the rules... If you don't post pics, it never happened!

I'm curious how it goes. Break out an mp3 recorder and post it up!!!

[Got2SadowskyNYC]

If you can come up with something Emerson Lake and Palmer HASN'T done, then you've got one strange instrument.

[pushbuttonfour]

Originally Posted by Ubersheist

You know the rules... If you don't post pics, it never happened!

I'm curious how it goes. Break out an mp3 recorder and post it up!!!

haha I'll try to get a video up as soon as we can. it's kinda rare for us to have meetings (once a week if we're lucky) so it might be a while. what section would I post the vid in?

[Ubersheist]

Originally Posted by pushbuttonfour

haha I'll try to get a video up as soon as we can. it's kinda rare for us to have meetings (once a week if we're lucky) so it might be a while. what section would I post the vid in?

If it sounds good, then in either Recording Gear or in Recordings. If it doesn't sound good, then, by all means, please post in Bass Humor!

Just kidding. If you want it to see a broader audience, then pick whatever one seems appropriate to you. As long as you don't post it in Basses or in Technique or something totally off, you're probably fine. Or if you don't want the world to hear it, then just post another reply in this thread!

[UncleFluffy]

I'm currently working with (doing tech + sound for) a band consisting of drums, vocals, bass, 2 hammered dulcimers and harmonium. (You can imagine the feedback nightmares!)

If you want to use it ... why the hell not?

[pushbuttonfour]

Originally Posted by UncleFluffy

I'm currently working with (doing tech + sound for) a band consisting of drums, vocals, bass, 2 hammered dulcimers and harmonium. (You can imagine the feedback nightmares!)

If you want to use it ... why the hell not?

wow, that's REALLY unique, cuz I don't even know what the hell those instruments are!

[pushbuttonfour]

on a side note, I've found ukulele chords along with palm muted, distorted guitar power chords sounds really cool. You wouldn't think so but it worked pretty well in our cover of the Sweater Song