4. Ondes Martenot
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
The Ondes Martenot is like an organ mixed with a theremin. It uses oscillators to produce those creepy, wavy notes, especially back in the 1950s and 1960s, when the theremin was also popular.
It was first used in American film for Lawrence of Arabia, but it’s probably most well known today for its use in Ghostbusters as far as movies go.
It’s perhaps most popular as the thing Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead bangs around on for a good chunk of their sets from Kid A onward:
Photo Credit: wonker/Wiki
Here’s a demonstration recorded by a company who was working on a virtual version of the Ondes Martenot:
5. Apprehension Engine
Photo Credit: Indie Film Maker/Youtube
Unlike the above instruments, which were originally intended for use by musicians in bands and orchestras, the Apprehension Engine is a machine custom-made for the purpose of creating creepy movie sounds and music.
It’s the newest of the list, designed by Tony Duggan-Smith and featured on the Indie Film Maker YouTube Channel.
The instrument is perhaps best described by them:
“It consists of metal rulers which are bowed, a hurdy gurdy like mechanism, a string played with an attached ebow, a spring reverb (also played with an ebow), some long metal rods, magnets, trash, anything at all to get unnerving sounds.”
Now check out a demo:
Aside from watching the videos, there are various app or virtual versions of these instruments out there.
I bet you start noticing them a lot more as you’re watching films and listening to music.
Do you have a favorite weird instrument that you think we should dig into?
Let me know in the comments.
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