| No one is certain when the first musical | | | | saxophones are closely related to these early |
| instruments were made. It's possible that they | | | | instruments. |
| predate language in human cultural development, | | | | Stringed instruments likely came last. Egyptian |
| but I'll leave that argument to the anthropologists. | | | | records indicate that instruments using vibrating |
| What is sure is that there is a deep, ancient | | | | strings existed at the time of the pharaohs, near |
| desire within people to express themselves using | | | | the dawn of recorded civilization. Lyres and harps |
| sound. Our voices were almost certainly used for | | | | are early examples and their manufacture |
| more than communication. Somehow that was | | | | required a dedicated craftsman. This instrument |
| not enough. Our ancestors pushed creative sound | | | | gave us harmony and chording on one device |
| further. | | | | giving greater sonic possibilities to a single musician. |
| The first instruments were probably percussive | | | | A later development added a resonating chamber |
| because they are the simplest to make. Clapping | | | | making the instruments potentially louder. Violins |
| hands or striking flint on flint, it's easy to imagine | | | | and guitars are modern string instruments. Modern |
| that this would be our earliest attempts to make | | | | pianos are a special hybrid; it has hammers that |
| our own rhythm, our own pulse, sent out into the | | | | strike the strings making it percussive and |
| world and echoed back. What likely followed were | | | | stringed. |
| simple mallets and skins stretched on bowls. What | | | | The control and use of electricity took musical |
| makes these tools so distinct is that they had no | | | | instruments to a completely new level with |
| other purpose than create a controlled, predictable | | | | developments like the microphone and amplifier. |
| sound. Our modern drums are a descendant of | | | | Guitars had pick-ups added, keyboards had wave |
| this type of early instrument. | | | | form manipulation and the most mind-boggling |
| Most likely wind instruments came next. These | | | | innovations have come with computers and digital |
| could have been created relatively easily with a | | | | music. Experiments are being conducted to create |
| hollowed out plant stem or animal horn to create | | | | plasma instruments and other advances could |
| a simple flute or horn. This innovation gave a | | | | bring instruments that interface directly with our |
| greater range of notes and pitches. Another | | | | brains. |
| feature is that it uses breathing to generate and | | | | Like our ancestors, we still use sound to create |
| control the sonic effects, more closely resembling | | | | and the instruments we use are developed along |
| our vocal chords. Further technical advancements | | | | with our technology. We keep stretching the |
| in smelting and metal working gave us | | | | possibilities toward the horizon and when we |
| instruments with more sound making precision and | | | | arrive, I believe we will find more horizon to |
| exceptional durability. Modern trumpets and | | | | explore. |