Most annoying musical instrument

Photon46 · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 07:41 pm »

Ok Werd, I'll tell you that bagpipes can really annoy you outside as well! I remember working as a wedding photographer a number of years ago at a wedding whose family felt the need to have bagpipers and snare drummers heralding the departure of the newly hitched. To get a needed vantage point, I ended up stuck between a piper and drummer. Darn near couldn't hear for a day afterwards! At least I understood really well after that why the Scottish military used this combo of instruments to lead the troops to war in the past. What an unholy racket.

drphoto · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 07:49 pm »

Oh come on Chad, 'it needs MORE cowbell"

someone had to say it.

One of SNL's all time greats bits. (sorry, not Utube link, I'm just too lazy)

JakeJ · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 07:50 pm »

Ahhh...some degree of vindication. Thank you so much, Photon46.

srb · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 08:12 pm »

Quote from: chadh on 18 Apr 2010, 05:52 pm

What are you talking about, man? Just because House of the Rising Sun gets played to death on classic rock stations, until the very thought of Eric Burden, New Orleans gamblers or new blue jeans drags you to the verge of violent crime, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the B3.

The Hammond B3, and similar tonewheel organs, are one of the richest, most emotional and hauntingly beautiful electric instruments ever invented. Although there are many current solid state emulators and sample players that try to imitate it, the harmonic richness has not been duplicated, particularly when played through a mechanical rotating Leslie speaker.

Steve

TerryO · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 08:23 pm »

I guess that I'm the odd man out on this, but I love the Bagpipes!

However, according to "Too Tall' Curtis List, a recording engineer on the old Bass List, the pipes are just about the hardest instrument to record correctly and even then, cannot be done indoors.

OTOH, the tone is so distinctive that anything in your system that's not up to par will be revealed with a well done recording featuring bagpipes.

Naturally, it's up to the individual to determine if listening to pipes to evaluate a system is worth the sacrifice.

Best Regards,
TerryO

rahimlee54 · « **Reply #25 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 08:31 pm »

Poorly played oboe is pretty bad.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #26 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 09:51 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 18 Apr 2010, 01:05 pm

Vibraslap

werd · « **Reply #27 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 10:06 pm »

Quote from: Photon46 on 18 Apr 2010, 07:41 pm

Ok Werd, I'll tell you that bagpipes can really annoy you outside as well! I remember working as a wedding photographer a number of years ago at a wedding whose family felt the need to have bagpipers and snare drummers heralding the departure of the newly hitched. To get a needed vantage point, I ended up stuck between a piper and drummer. Darn near couldn't hear for a day afterwards! At least I understood really well after that why the Scottish military used this combo of instruments to lead the troops to war in the past. What an unholy racket.

Bagpipers are like cats. They can sense if you don't like em and they'll come looking for you. I am allergic to cats and dam if not every cat i come across doesn't come jump up on me and start rubbing themselves all over me. Likewise bagpipers know and will become deeply offended. And for that your punishment will be no hearing for days.... best thing to do is offer your apologies with a shot of whiskey and they'll move on.

Photon46 · « **Reply #28 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 10:29 pm »

Aye, a wee dram of whiskey and an apology. That I can drink to! After all, I'm half a Scot.

rpf · « **Reply #29 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 10:45 pm »

I like bagpipes too. And harpsichords.

I think the most annoying instrument is probably a tie between a viola d'amore and a piccolo. The former has a beautiful name but sounds nothing like a viola. Think the scratchiest, most steely stringed violin you've ever heard and then jack it up an order of magnitude.

gerald porzio · « **Reply #30 on:** 18 Apr 2010, 11:05 pm »

Any instrument poorly played can be annoying.

mjosef · « **Reply #31 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 12:04 am »

Another BagPipe fan here...I'll take the single malt whiskey.

Niteshade · « **Reply #32 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 02:52 pm »

Some listening impressions:

I believe that instruments with a narrow bandwidth should be played along with other instruments and NOT solo. It's much easier to listen to a full spectrum accompaniment than a single violin or banjo, etc...

A good Bluegrass band can demonstrate how well various instruments can work with each other.

I've heard bagpipes in the forefront of marching bands and thought it was interesting.

konut · « **Reply #33 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 03:10 pm »

Quote from: gerald porzio on 18 Apr 2010, 11:05 pm

Any instrument poorly played can be annoying.

Agreed. I have yet to hear anyone play a hurdy gurdy well.

nathanm · « **Reply #34 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 03:57 pm »

Maybe not MOST annoying, but…pedal steel guitar.

Napalm · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 04:27 pm »

Cimbalom.

Nap.

woodsyi · « **Reply #36 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 05:05 pm »

Quote from: decal on 18 Apr 2010, 02:49 pm

A violin in the hands of a beginner!!!!!!

But your love for the squeaker enables you to sit through and ask for even more!

jlupine · « **Reply #37 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 05:38 pm »

Bach was familiar with the early Italian piano, and he didn't like it. The English piano with Broadwood's improvements appeared after Bach's death. The harpsichord has a limited dynamic range (The pedal harpsichord has the most.) but offers a distinct timbre for each of its four registers. The piano has a tremendous dynamic range with timbral uniformity. Sacrificing Bach's timbral variations, contrasts, and interplay for the piano's dynamics is a trade-off that I won't make.

The bagpipes usually get the #1 position in annoying instrument polls. I like bagpipes, but one can be overexposed.

I don't like the Theremin, the electric guitar, harmonica, glass harmonica (or armonica), electronic keyboards, and the ukulele. I don't like the accordion, but there is a certain charm to street musicians playing it on, say, rue de la Huchette.

As someone has said, we shouldn't think of the instruments used only in solos. I'm not a fan of clarinets or horns ("French" horns) , bit in quartets or orchestrally, they're fine.

nathanm · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 06:22 pm »

I suspect if bagpipes did not have the drone tone they might be less annoying. It's just kinda, weird. Seems like every other instrument only plays the notes you tell it to. But it is what it is I suppose.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #39 on:** 19 Apr 2010, 07:03 pm »

To me I'd have to say harmonica and the accordian. Both have very little reason to exist.