Omnichord
Stylophone
Otamatone
Theremin
Autoharp
Kalimba
Jaw harp
Melodica
Swanee whistle
Kazoo
Tongue drum
Handpan
Admit I
Otamatone Regular, white
Anyone who wants the classic singing quaver
| Model | Regular |
|---|---|
| Colour | White |
| Played by | Sliding the stem, squeezing the cheeks |
| Type | Touch-sensitive electronic |
4.1/5 on Amazon from 16,300 ratings
See it on Amazon
Twice nightly, and on Sundays by request
Weird instruments,compared
A fine selection ofnoises you did not ask for
Weird instruments are the ones that make people ask what that is, then ask to have a go. Our bill runs from the Omnichord to the kazoo, and every act on it can be bought.
By Rhys Entwistle, updated 4 November 2026
Act I
Weird instruments, the full bill
The programme above sorts our weird instruments by how they make their noise: electric, plucked, blown and struck. Every name is a page of its own, written from the listings, with the small print read so that you need not.
Interval
Which weird instrument, then?
Three questions from the compère. Answer honestly: the neighbours will find out anyway.
The full bill: 12 acts.
Act II
What makes weird instruments weird
Weird instruments are not defined by obscurity alone, because plenty of obscure instruments are perfectly dignified. The weirdness lies in a mismatch between what an instrument looks like and what it does, or in how little it asks of you before it makes a sound.
Weird in shape
An otamatone is a quaver with a face, and an Omnichord is a lap-board with chord buttons and a strumming plate. Weird musical instruments often look like something other than an instrument, which is half the charm and most of the reason people stop to ask.
Weird in method
A theremin is played without touching it, a kazoo by humming into it, and a jaw harp by turning your head into the speaker. Strange musical instruments of this kind rearrange the usual relationship between player and noise.
Weird in reputation
The swanee whistle spoke for the Clangers and the melodica sat in the school cupboard, and both carry a reputation that no maker planned. Weird instruments gather history the way other objects gather dust.
Weird in sound
Some instruments sound unlike anything else in the house, and nobody can fail to notice when one starts. Unusual musical instruments of that sort need the least introduction and the most warning.
Weird in size
A Stylophone fits a coat pocket, an Omnichord wants a lap and an autoharp wants a table. These instruments rarely come in the dimensions you would expect, and the Deluxe otamatone is a good deal larger than its cute cousins.
Our rule of thumb is simple: if the instrument can be explained in one sentence and still gets a reaction, it qualifies for the bill.
Act III
How we choose weird instruments
Choosing weird instruments for a comparison site means being strict about what counts, because the category could swallow anything with a string. We pick instruments that people actually buy, that arrive in a box and that can be explained in a breath.
- It must be a real instrument that makes pitched notes, not a noisemaker with delusions.
- It must be on sale new, so that you can order it without a trip abroad.
- It must have a story, whether that is a patent, a television programme or a Japanese art unit.
- It must be playable by a beginner in an afternoon, even if mastery takes longer.
Within each page, we compare models by what the listing says, and where a figure is the seller’s claim, we say so. Nothing earns points for being strange, only for being worth playing.
What counts as a source
Our weird instruments pages draw on the makers’ listings, the specifications they publish and facts about each instrument that are well established. Where a seller makes a claim, the page says it is claimed, and where a fact is missing we leave it out.
What we leave out
We leave out figures that change from day to day, such as stock levels and offers, because they are out of date before the page is read. Where stock is scarce, we say so in plain words and send you to the product page to check.
Act IV
A guided tour of weird instruments, family by family
The quickest way into weird instruments is to pick a family and work outwards. Each section below names the pages that belong to it, with a line on why they earned a place on the bill.
Electric weird instruments
The electric family is the largest and the loudest, and it holds the instruments with the most dramatic backstories. Most of these weird instruments run on batteries and will fit in a bag, which is more than can be said for their reputations.
- The Omnichord puts chord buttons and a touch plate you strum into one lap-sized case, and Suzuki launched it in 1981.
- Our online omnichord strip lets you try the principle first, for nothing, though it is our own synth and not the real thing.
- The Stylophone is a British pocket synth, played by touching a stylus to a metal keyboard.
- The otamatone sings when squeezed, and shaped like a quaver it looks the part.
- The theremin sounds when approached and falls silent when you step away.
Plucked weird instruments
The plucked family is quieter and older, and it rewards a little patience. These weird instruments all make their sound from something vibrating against something else, and the arrangements get inventive.
- An autoharp puts chord bars over a bed of strings, which is why it has accompanied folk singers for well over a century.
- A kalimba belongs to the lamellophone family, the metal tines on a wooden box that the mbira made famous.
- A jaw harp is held against the teeth, so the player’s own mouth becomes the resonator.
Blown weird instruments
Blown weird instruments are the ones you find at the back of a British cupboard. They need breath, a little nerve and, in two cases out of three, a cleaning cloth.
- The melodica is a keyboard you blow into, and Hohner brought it to market in the 1950s.
- The swanee whistle slides through its notes, and the Clangers spoke through one on BBC television.
- The kazoo asks you to hum rather than blow, which is the trap everyone falls into once.
Struck weird instruments
Struck weird instruments rely on fingers or mallets and a well-made piece of steel. They are the quietest of the four families to play, and the most photogenic.
- A tongue drum is a steel drum with tuned tongues, played with fingers or soft mallets.
- A handpan is the grander relative, born in Bern in 2000 and often misnamed the hang drum.
Omnichord and Stylophone are trade marks of their owners, and Hang is a trade mark of PANArt. We name them to identify the instruments, and this site has no connection with any of them.
Act V
Weird musical instruments as gifts
Weird musical instruments make unusually good presents, because the recipient is guaranteed a reaction and the giver is guaranteed a story. The trick is to choose one that works out of the box and does not need a manual the size of a novel.
Admit II
Sondery kazoo, five membranes
Gift givers wanting a pouch and lanyard
| Body | ABS |
|---|---|
| Membranes | Five |
| Extras | Lanyard, storage pouch |
| Weight | About 50 g |
4.6/5 on Amazon from 1,500 ratings
See it on AmazonThe otamatone as a present
The otamatone is the obvious gift for anyone who likes cute, silly things, and the Regular model works from the first press. Check the model name in the title, since the character editions look different and the Deluxe is far larger.
The kazoo as a present
A kazoo is the opposite of a grand gesture, and that is its virtue. The Sondery model in our list has five membranes, a lanyard and a storage pouch, and it works the moment you hum into it.
A present for a whole room
Weird instruments also work as presents for groups. A multi-pack of kazoos turns a party into an orchestra, and a swanee whistle, in plastic or in metal and bamboo, turns a quiet table into a cartoon.
A present for the player who owns everything
For a musician who already has a shelf of gear, the Stylophone or the Omnichord is the safer bet, since each has a story and neither is common. Stock of the Omnichord OM-108 is low on Amazon, so allow time for a search.
Act VI
Weird instruments for adults who should know better
Weird instruments for adults are a growing shelf, and the grown-up appeal is easy to explain: nobody expects competence, so any progress is a triumph. Several of ours suit an adult with a spare corner and a sense of proportion.
- The Omnichord suits the chord-minded, with strumming and rhythms in one case.
- The theremin suits the patient, who will enjoy the problem of playing in thin air.
- The autoharp suits singers who want an acoustic backing that tunes slowly and sounds grand.
- The handpan suits anyone who likes a tuned steel instrument and is prepared to look after it.
Weird instruments to play at a party
Party instruments need to start instantly and to survive being passed around. The kazoo and the swanee whistle fit that brief, and the otamatone makes a fine second act once the room has warmed up.
Act VII
Strange musical instruments for children
Strange musical instruments tend to delight children more than the polite ones do, since there is nothing to get wrong. A few cautions apply, and the first is that small parts and small mouths are a poor combination.
- The jaw harp is held against the teeth and is not for small children.
- The melodica needs its mouthpiece and tube cleaned, so it suits a child who will help.
- The kazoo is the simplest: hum, and it works.
- The Melody otamatone has built-in tunes that teach timing, according to its listing.
Age guidance varies by maker and by listing, so read the age notice on the page before you order.
Admit I
Newlam 17-key kalimba
Readers who like notes embossed on the keys
| Keys | 17 |
|---|---|
| Marking | Embossed letters and notes |
| Weight | About 330 g |
| In the box | Hammer, book, bag, cloth |
4.7/5 on Amazon from 14,300 ratings
See it on AmazonWhere the kalimba fits
A kalimba suits older children as well as adults. The Newlam 17-key model in our list comes with a tune hammer, an instruction book, a flannelette bag and a cleaning cloth, and eight-key models are the usual beginners’ choice.
Act VIII
Unusual musical instruments that are easiest to start
Some unusual musical instruments reward an afternoon, and others reward a decade, so it helps to know which is which before you buy. Three of ours make a pleasing noise almost at once.
- The kazoo: hum into it.
- The Stylophone: touch the stylus to a metal key.
- The kalimba: press a tine with a thumb.
Admit I
Stylophone Original Pocket Synthesizer
Anyone wanting the classic stylus synth in a pocket
| Power | 3 × AA batteries |
|---|---|
| Width | Under 12 cm, claimed |
| Output | 3.5 mm stereo line connection |
| Played with | Stylus on metal keyboard |
4.6/5 on Amazon from 11,100 ratings
See it on AmazonNone of these three needs lessons, a teacher or a manual, though a short read of the listing will save a battery mishap. They also make the best opening act for anyone nervous about weird instruments.
The ones that take longer
The theremin has no keys to find and the otamatone has no frets to follow, so both reward patience rather than instinct. The Moog Theremini’s pitch correction takes some of the sting out of the first week.
Admit I
Moog Theremini
Beginners who want pitch correction built in
| Presets | 32 |
|---|---|
| Pitch | Assistive correction, built-in tuner |
| Outputs | Headphone, stereo line, pitch CV |
| Connection | Mini USB, editor software |
4.5/5 on Amazon from 600 ratings
See it on AmazonThe ones that need an audience
Some weird instruments come into their own with other people in the room. The autoharp is built for accompanying singers, and the Omnichord carries its own rhythm section, which is more than most guests manage.
Act IX
How to buy weird instruments without regret
Buying weird instruments online carries a few hazards that ordinary instruments do not, mostly because the same shape arrives in several sizes and editions. A short checklist spares most of the disappointment.
- Read the model name in the title, since an otamatone comes as a Regular, a Melody and a Deluxe.
- Check what is in the box, because the Stylophone S-1 and the Beat list batteries as not included.
- Check the power arrangements, as the Omnichord OM-108 mains adapter is sold separately.
- Look at the manual language, particularly on imports marked JP version.
- Allow for low stock, which affects the Omnichord, the autoharps and some kits.
When stock runs low
Low stock is a fact of life with instruments of this sort, since few shops keep many of them. When a page says stock is scarce, check availability, and look twice at third-party sellers before you order.
When a name hides a different instrument
Names mislead in this corner of the shop. A Stylophone Theremin is played by touch, so it is not strictly a theremin, and a tongue drum can be sold as a garden chime. The title and the listing settle the matter, and our pages say which is which.
Act X
Weird instruments for the home studio
Weird instruments are more useful in a studio than they look, provided you know what each one plugs into. The sockets differ widely, so here is the short version.
| Instrument | What it plugs into |
|---|---|
| Omnichord OM-108 | Mono line out, stereo mini-jack headphone out, MIDI OUT |
| Moog Theremini | Headphone jack, stereo line level outs, pitch CV out, mini USB |
| Stylophone S-1 | A 3.5 mm socket for headphones and connections |
| Otamatone Deluxe | A 3.5 mm stereo jack for headphones, amps and speakers |
Admit I
Suzuki Omnichord OM-108
Chord-minded players who want a strum and rhythms
| Chords | 38 buttons, 108 claimed |
|---|---|
| Strumplate | Four octaves, touch-sensitive |
| Rhythms | 10 styles |
| Size | 45.7 × 25 × 5.2 cm, 1.2 kg |
4.3/5 on Amazon from 26 ratings
Read the full reviewSee it on AmazonAn Omnichord and a Theremini are the two most useful of these weird instruments for recording, since each has proper outputs. The others are better enjoyed live, in the room, with the door open.
Act XI
A village hall band of weird instruments
Weird instruments make a better band than the sensible ones, because nobody expects them to agree. A village hall stage and a table of tea would suit the lineup below, and each member has a job.
| Role | Instrument | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Chords | Autoharp | Bars choose the chord, so a singer can accompany themselves |
| Rhythm and chords | Omnichord | Chord buttons, strumplate and ten rhythm styles in one case |
| Melody | Melodica | A keyboard you blow into, with a long place in British schools |
| Atmosphere | Theremin | Played without touching, so it keeps its distance from the others |
| Comic relief | Kazoo and swanee whistle | Both are easy to start and hard to ignore |
Instruments of this kind work best when each plays one part and then stops, which is a rule that applies to most bands and to very few of the real ones.
Act XII
Weird instruments for a small flat
Space decides more purchases than taste does, and weird instruments vary enormously in how much room they take. The sorting below runs from the pocket to the floor.
- Pocket: the Stylophone, the kazoo and the jaw harp.
- Bag: the Regular otamatone, the kalimba and the melodica.
- Lap: the Omnichord, which is made to rest on the knees.
- Table: the autoharp and the tongue drum.
- Stand: the theremin, with a clear space around its antennas.
Anyone short of space should start at the top of that list. The handpan and the tongue drum are quiet relatives of each other, and the handpan page explains why the grander one asks for more care.
Act XIII
Weird instruments and their many names
Weird instruments collect names the way coats collect fluff, and the same object can turn up under three titles in three shops. Knowing the aliases saves a good deal of searching.
| Instrument | Also met as |
|---|---|
| Melodica | Melodion when made by Suzuki, Pianica when made by Yamaha |
| Swanee whistle | Slide whistle |
| Kalimba | Thumb piano, and a relative of the mbira |
| Tongue drum | Steel tongue drum, and in some garden listings a rain drum |
| Handpan | Wrongly called a hang drum, since Hang is a trade mark |
| Autoharp | Chorded zither |
A listing’s title usually settles which of these you are buying, so read it twice. Weird instruments can be the same instrument under several names, or several instruments under one.
The school cupboard instruments
Some weird instruments owe their fame to classrooms. The melodica sat in British primary-school cupboards for decades, and kazoos are sold in multi-packs for classrooms and parties, which tells you where the demand comes from.
Act XIV
Weird instruments we would point people towards
A guide to weird instruments is only useful if it commits, so here is where we would send each sort of buyer. Every choice rests on the listings and on what we know of the instrument, not on anyone’s hands-on session.
- For a songwriter, we would choose the Omnichord OM-108, if a copy can be found.
- For a gift, we would point the otamatone Regular at almost anyone.
- For a first instrument, we would choose the kazoo or the kalimba.
- For the pocket, we would choose the Stylophone S-1.
- For a tinkerer, we would point a theremin kit at the afternoon.
When we would hold back
We would hold back on anything with a mouthpiece for a child who cannot yet clean it, and on the jaw harp for small children. The odd ones reward judgement more than enthusiasm, and the instruments themselves are patient.
Act XV
A short history of weird instruments
Most weird instruments began as serious attempts at something else, which is perhaps why they carry such a dignified air of bafflement. The dates below are the ones we are sure of.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1882 | Charles Zimmermann patents the autoharp |
| Around 1920 | Leon Theremin builds the theremin |
| 1950s | Hohner introduces the melodica |
| 1967 | Brian Jarvis invents the Stylophone |
| 1969 | The Clangers speak through swanee whistles, and David Bowie records Space Oddity with a Stylophone |
| 1981 | Suzuki launches the Omnichord |
| 2000 | PANArt creates the Hang in Bern |
| 2009 | Maywa Denki and Cube bring out the otamatone |
| 2024 | The Omnichord OM-108 reissue arrives |
The oldest patent on the bill is the autoharp’s, from 1882, and the newest arrival is the 2024 reissue of the Omnichord. Between them lie a century and a half of people trying to make music easier or stranger, and occasionally both.
The older and odder relatives
Not every entry on the bill has a tidy patent date. The jaw harp is far older than any of the dates above, and the kalimba belongs to a family of African lamellophones that Hugh Tracey helped to popularise under that name in the twentieth century.
What the history shows
The pattern across these weird instruments is that the odd ones survive by being fun first and useful second. The theremin outlived the science fiction films it was made for, and the Stylophone outlived its first fashion.
Weird instruments and the television set
Television did more than any manufacturer to fix these instruments in memory. The Clangers made the swanee whistle a voice, Space Oddity put the Stylophone on a record, and primary-school music made the melodica a shared childhood memory.
Encore
Questions from the gallery about weird instruments
- What are the most unusual instruments?
That depends on who is counting. Among instruments you can buy new, the theremin, the otamatone and the Omnichord have the best claim, and each one gets a reaction before it makes a sound.
- What is a silly instrument?
One that makes people smile before it makes a note. The kazoo and the swanee whistle lead the field, and the otamatone has the advantage of a face.
- What are the hardest weird instruments to play?
The theremin comes first, since there is nothing to touch and every note has to be found in the air. The otamatone follows, because its stem has no frets to guide a finger.
- Are weird instruments real instruments?
Yes, when they make controllable pitches, and most of ours do. The kazoo and the swanee whistle sit at the playful end, but they still reward practice more than their reputation suggests.
- Which weird instruments suit children?
The kazoo is the simplest and the Melody otamatone has built-in tunes. The jaw harp is the exception, as it is held against the teeth and is not for small children.
- Which weird instrument makes the best present?
The otamatone Regular works from the first press and starts conversations. The Stylophone and the kalimba are the quieter alternatives, and a kazoo is the modest one.
- Can a weird instrument be tried before buying?
One can, in a way. Our online chord strip plays in the browser and is free, though it is our own chord strip and not an Omnichord, so it shows the principle rather than the real thing.