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