• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Most annoying instrument (to your ears)?

#42
placedesjardins said:
Well, any instrument played poorly doesn't sound good.
Recorder played by kids, awful. Recorder played by professional recorder player, sounds good. Bagpipes played by a beginner, doesn't sound good. Bagpipes played by a skilled bagpiper, sounds good.
Music is subjective so you may not like certain instruments regardless of whether it is played by a beginner or a professional. I don't like to share my personal feelings because I am not out to bash another music genre or instrument.

The most annoying instrument would be B8 alloy sheet cymbals, if you see cymbals as instruments. B20 alloy is a bronze cymbal (sheet or cast) that sounds good. B8 is cheap. B12 is in between and sounds better than B8 but not as good as B20.
Click to expand...

This reminds me, I'll put in a vote for the Suona, which is a Chinese trumpet type thing. Often used in fesitvals with very cheap symbols for noise-making parties. Also pretty grating even when played well:

 
  • Like
Reactions: steamthief and Aokigahara
#48
Almost any classic instrument with a higher pitch than a bass. Also most female voices, especially the expressive ones.

Trumpet, violin and sax come to mind because I played trumpet in HS (bad choice), and my kids play violin and sax. Ironically, only electric instruments (traditionally very loud) can be turned down.

Oh, and how could I forget - the traditional church pipe organ. I find the sound detestable and am subjected to it weekly.

At age 50 I discovered bass/heaven.
 
#53
This is the debil and makes the debils sound.

Etherwave_Theremin_Kit.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: yash427, Watchootognbout, AndrewTaran and 3 others
#55
Systolic said:
It's a trumpet for me. It's just so....brash. Which is unfortunate, as I am very much a jazz fan.
Click to expand...

Interesting response...I , too, love jazz and it took me years to warm up to the trumpet. Still not a huge fan but there are some who can play sweetly if you look for them. (If I was not at work, I would post some examples. Maybe later!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Systolic
#56
Not violin, but the trebly scratchy "fiddle" playing that can be heard on mostly country records, but other places too, like Rod Stewart's "Maggie May". I realize it IS violin, but played in a certain style, I think they purposely bow close to the bridge to get that screechy, 'cutting' tone. YUCK. "Devil Went Down to Georgia"? Double YUCK.

I know the sound of the pedal steel guitar can be very polarizing. I usually like it myself.

When it came time to pick an instrument for elementary school band, I let a friend of mine talk me into choosing alto sax. (I wanted to play drums). I didn't like practicing because it's so dang LOUD and if you're an inexperienced player, it just sounds like a tuned car horn. I ended up quitting a couple of years later. That was a big life lesson: If you're going to play an instrument, play one that you like the sound of. Otherwise, you're just punishing yourself.

No doubt that synthesizers (and samplers) are a bottomless well of grating and obnoxious bleeps, blips and fart noises...but they make so many lush and beautiful sounds too, not fair to single them out.
 
#58
Harmonica to me. I would follow that with saxophone, though I've discovered if sax is present in the music I like (Porcupine Tree, Ihsahn), it's not as bad.

And, if you classify the "twang" in country vocals as an instrument, then that ties harmonica for #1.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back