"Music self-played is happiness self-made," or so say They Might Be Giants. Not only can playing music make you happy, but, according to research, it can also make you smarter. And since your kids' brains are primed for learning music at a young age, the lessons they get now will stay with them long after.
But, hey, why not be geeky *and *musical? Let's take a look beyond guitar, piano, and clarinet to uncharted territory. Hit the jump for 10 Geeky Instruments for your consideration.
__10. Keytar __- When I think keytar, I think one thing: Kids Incorporated rockin' it 80s style. However, as I've learned, this oft-ridiculed hybrid instrument can in fact be wonderfully geeky. Take the steampunk band Lemming Malloy here in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and lead singer Jay Cartwright. Not only does he embrace the majestic nature of the keytar, he's re-made and re-named it entirely: Jay embellished and modified his keytar with his own hands. The result? The Marvelon. Really, the name says it all.
And did you know that Justin Timberlake, Ben Folds and "Weird Al" Yankovic are all known for their keytar prowess?
Suggested tunes: Lemming Malloy, Avalauncher
9. Bagpipes - While bagpipes get a great deal of bad press, they deserve a whole lot of respect. Not only did their keening tones terrify enemies in battle, but some scholars date this windy instrument's inception to 1300 BCE. And bagpipes are not just for Renaissance Fairs or funerals, their appeal has influenced pop, classical, metal and folk music. Not to mention the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack...
"These are bagpipes. I understand the inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant, asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the man-made sound never equalled the purity of the sound achieved by the pig." - Alfred Hitchco*ck
Famed bagpipers include: Emperor Nero, Edward VII and VIII of England. You've probably heard them played in bands such as: AC/DC, Flogging Molly, and Enter the Haggis.
Suggested tunes: Corvus Corax, Best Of Corvus Corax. Medieval Metal? Oh yes.
8. Pan Pipes - If you're a fantasy geek like me, the pan pipes hold a certain amount of whimsy; they are named after the Greek god Pan, after all. The pan pipes are also known as the syrinx, and have, since their ancient appearance, gone on to quite a following. Pan pipes are featured in music from the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and Goldfrapp. Even Marilyn Manson is known to play on occasion.
Some delightful explanation from Wikipedia:
"Generation of a fundamental frequency is produced by blowing across the open end of the tube, thus creating a Von Karman vortex street by means of a siphon effect at the top of the tube."
