A tool powered by the noise of waves and wind. Strange and unusual musical instruments that you just want to play

Due to the energy turnaround, renewable energies are becoming increasingly important in Baden-Württemberg. The central element in this is the use of wind energy. In 2011, local wind power generated about one percent of the land's electricity. There were a total of 380 wind power plants in operation. By 2020, the total capacity of wind turbines should increase from 500 megawatts (as of 2012) to 3,500 megawatts. About ten percent of all electricity will have to be generated by wind power plants. One typical wind turbine with a nominal power of 2 MW, located in a favorable area in Baden-Württemberg, can theoretically supply over 1,000 households with electricity.

When developing wind energy, the impact on people and the environment must be taken into account. Wind power plants create noise. With proper planning and a sufficient distance from residential developments, wind energy installations do not cause any acoustic disturbance. Already at a distance of several hundred meters, the noise of a wind turbine is almost no higher than the natural noise of wind in vegetation. Along with sound waves, wind turbines produce, due to air flowing around the rotating blades, noise of a lower frequency, the so-called infrasound or extremely low tone. Hearing in this range is extremely insensitive. Yet within the framework of wind energy development, there are concerns that these infrasonic waves cause harm to humans or may be hazardous to their health. This brochure is intended to promote discussion on this issue.

What is sound?

Sound consists, simply put, of compression waves. As these pressure fluctuations propagate, sound is transmitted through the air. Human hearing is able to detect sound with a frequency of 20 to 20,000 Hertz. Hertz is a unit of frequency that is determined by the number of vibrations per second. Low frequencies correspond to low tones, high frequencies correspond to high tones. Frequencies below 20 Hz are called infrasound. Noise above the audio range, i.e. above 20,000 Hz is known as ultrasound. Low frequencies are sounds whose predominant part is in the range below 100 Hz. Periodic fluctuations in air pressure travel at the speed of sound, about 340 m/sec. Low frequency vibrations have a long wavelength, and high frequency vibrations have a short wavelength. For example, the wavelength of a 20-Hz tone is 17.5 m, and at a frequency of 20,000 Hz it is 1.75 cm.

How does infrasound travel?

The propagation of infrasound is subject to the same physical laws as all types of waves propagating in the air. A separate sound source, for example a wind power generator, emits waves that propagate spherically in all directions. Since the sound energy is distributed over an increasingly larger area, the sound intensity per square meter has an inverse geometric relationship: with increasing distance, the sound becomes quieter (see figure).

Along with this, there is the effect of absorption of waves in the air. A small part of the sound energy during propagation is converted into heat, resulting in an additional reduction in sound. This absorption depends on frequency: sounds of lower frequencies are reduced less, sounds of higher frequencies are reduced more. The decrease in sound intensity with distance significantly exceeds its loss due to absorption. The peculiarity is that low-frequency vibrations very easily pass through walls and windows, as a result of which the impact occurs inside the building.

Where does infrasound occur?

Infrasound is a normal part of our environment. It is emitted by a huge number of different sources. These include both natural sources, such as wind, waterfall or sea surf, and technical ones, such as heaters and air conditioners, street and rail transport, airplanes or audio systems in discos.

The noise of wind power plants.

Modern wind power plants produce noise over the entire frequency range, depending on the wind strength, including low-frequency tones and infrasound. This occurs due to the breakdown of turbulence, especially at the tips of the blades, as well as at the edges, crevices and struts. The air flowing around the blade creates a noise similar to the noise of a glider wing.

The sound emission increases with increasing wind speed until the unit reaches its rated power. After that it remains constant. Specific infrasound radiation is comparable to radiation from other technical installations.

Studies have shown that infrasound radiation from a wind power plant is below the threshold of human perception. The green line of the graph shows that at a distance of 250 meters the measured values ​​are below the perception threshold.

At the same time, a strong wind, passing through natural obstacles, can create infrasound of greater intensity. For comparison, inside an administrative building, according to measurements carried out by LUBW, the infrasound level lies below the green line. The wind speed in both cases was exactly 6 m/s. Many everyday noises contain significantly more infrasound.

The graph above shows an example of noise inside a passenger car. At a speed of 130 km/h, infrasound becomes even audible. When the side windows are open, the noise is felt as unpleasant. Its intensity is 70 decibels, i.e. 10,000,000 times stronger than near a wind turbine in strong winds.

Low-frequency noise assessment.

In the range of low-frequency oscillations below 100 Hz there is a smooth transition of auditory perception from hearing the strength of sound and pitch to sensation. Here the quality and method of perception changes. The perception of pitch decreases and disappears completely with infrasound. In general, it works like this: the lower the frequency, the stronger the sound intensity must be in order for the noise to be heard at all. Low-frequency exposures of higher intensity, such as the above noise from inside a car, are often perceived as pressure on the ears and vibrations. Prolonged exposure to vibrations of this frequency can cause noise in the head, a feeling of pressure or rocking. Along with hearing, there are also other sense organs that perceive low frequencies. This is how sensitive skin cells perceive pressure and vibration. Infrasound can also affect spaces in the body such as the lungs, nostrils and middle ear. Very high intensity infrasound has a masked effect in the mid and lower sound range. This means: With very strong infrasound, the hearing is not able to simultaneously perceive a quiet sound in this higher frequency range.

Health effects

Laboratory studies of the effects of infrasound show that high intensities above the threshold of perception can cause fatigue, loss of concentration and exhaustion. The body's most well-known reaction is increased fatigue after hours of exposure. The sense of balance may also be affected. Some researchers felt a sense of uncertainty and fear, while others experienced a decrease in breathing rate.

Further, as with sound radiation, at very high intensity there is a temporary decrease in hearing, this effect is known to visitors to discos. Long-term exposure to infrasound can cause long-term hearing loss. The noise level in the immediate vicinity of a wind generator is very far from such effects. Due to the fact that the hearing threshold is clearly exceeded, irritation from infrasound is not expected. There is no scientific documentation about the effects we talked about.

Conclusions:

The ultrasound produced by wind turbines is definitely below the limit of human sensitivity. According to the current state of science, harmful effects of ultrasound from wind power plants are not expected.

Compared to vehicles like a car or an airplane, the infrasound from wind power plants is negligible. Observing the overall range of sound frequencies, we see that the noise from a wind power plant already a few hundred meters away is almost inaudible against the background of the wind in the vegetation.

It is necessary to pay attention to the compatibility of wind power plants and residential buildings. The Baden-Württemberg Wind Energy Regulations stipulate a safety distance of 700 m between wind energy installations and residential buildings for local and land use planning. As an exception, with careful study of individual cases, the distance can be either increased or decreased.

One of the main arguments against the use of wind generators is noise . Wind power plants produce two types of noise: mechanical and aerodynamic. The noise from modern wind generators at a distance of 20 m from the installation site is 34 - 45 dB. For comparison: background noise at night in a village is 20 - 40 dB, noise from a passenger car at a speed of 64 km/h is 55 dB, background noise in an office is 60 dB, noise from a truck at a speed of 48 km/h at a distance from it at 100m is 65 dB, the noise from a jackhammer at a distance of 7 m is 95 dB. Thus, wind generators are not a source of noise that has any negative impact on human health.
Infrasound and vibration - another issue of negative impact. During operation of the windmill, vortices are formed at the ends of the blades, which, in fact, are sources of infrasound; the greater the power of the windmill, the greater the vibration power and the negative impact on wildlife. The frequency of these vibrations - 6-7 Hz - coincides with the natural rhythm of the human brain, so some psychotropic effects are possible. But all this applies to powerful wind power plants (this has not even been proven in relation to them). Small wind energy in this aspect is much safer than railway transport, cars, trams and other sources of infrasound that we encounter every day.
Relatively vibrations , then they no longer threaten people, but buildings and structures; methods for reducing it are a well-studied issue. If a good aerodynamic profile is chosen for the blades, the wind turbine is well balanced, the generator is in working order, and technical inspection is carried out in a timely manner, then there is no problem at all. Except that additional shock absorption may be needed if the windmill is on the roof.
Opponents of wind generators also refer to the so-called visual impact . Visual impact is a subjective factor. To improve the aesthetic appearance of wind turbines, many large companies employ professional designers. Landscape designers are hired to justify new projects. Meanwhile, when conducting a public opinion poll, the question “Do wind turbines spoil the overall landscape?” 94% of respondents answered negatively, and many emphasized that from an aesthetic point of view, wind generators fit harmoniously into the environment, unlike traditional power lines.
Also, one of the arguments against the use of wind generators is harm to animals and birds . At the same time, statistics show that per 10,000 individuals, less than 1 die due to wind generators, 250 due to television towers, 700 due to pesticides, 700 due to various mechanisms, and 700 due to power lines. - 800 pcs., because of cats - 1000 pcs., because of houses/windows - 5500 pcs. Thus, wind generators are not the biggest evil for representatives of our fauna.
But in turn, a 1 MW wind generator reduces annual emissions into the atmosphere by 1800 tons of carbon dioxide, 9 tons of sulfur oxide, 4 tons of nitrogen oxide. Perhaps the transition to wind energy will influence the rate of decline of the ozone layer, and, accordingly, the rate of global warming.
In addition, wind turbines, unlike thermal power plants, produce electricity without using water, which reduces the use of water resources.
Wind generators produce electricity without burning traditional fuels, which reduces demand and fuel prices.
Analyzing the above, we can say with confidence that From an environmental point of view, wind generators are not harmful. The practical confirmation of this is thatThese technologies are gaining rapid development in the European Union, USA, China and other countries of the world. Modern wind energy today generates more than 200 billion kWh per year, equivalent to 1.3% of global electricity production. At the same time, in some countries this figure reaches 40%.

When we think about future technologies, we often overlook a field where incredible advances are happening: acoustics. Sound turns out to be one of the fundamental building blocks of the future. Science is using it to do incredible things, and you can be sure we'll hear and see a lot more in the future.

This system was developed as a more environmentally friendly alternative to modern refrigerators. Unlike traditional models that use chemical refrigerants to the detriment of the atmosphere, a thermoacoustic refrigerator works well with inert gases like helium. Since helium simply leaves the atmosphere if it suddenly enters it, the new technology will be more environmentally friendly than any other on the market. As this technology develops, its designers hope that thermoacoustic models will eventually surpass traditional refrigerators in all respects.

Ultrasonic welding

Like many technologies, this one was discovered by accident. Robert Soloff was working on ultrasonic sealing technology when he accidentally touched the tape dispenser on his desk with his probe. Eventually, the two parts of the dispenser were welded together, and Soloff realized that sound waves could bend around the corners and sides of hard plastic to reach the internal parts. Following the discovery, Soloff and his colleagues developed and patented an ultrasonic welding method.

Since then, ultrasonic welding has found wide application in many industries. From diapers to cars, this method is used everywhere to join plastics. Recently, they have even been experimenting with ultrasonic welding of seams on specialized clothing. Companies like Patagonia and Northface already use welded seams in their clothing, but only straight ones, and they are very expensive. Currently, hand sewing is still the simplest and most versatile method.

Theft of credit card information

Security specialist Dragos Rui got the idea after he noticed something strange with his MacBook Air: after installing OS X, his computer spontaneously downloaded something else. It was a very powerful virus that could delete data and make changes at will. Even after uninstalling, reinstalling and reconfiguring the entire system, the problem remained. The most plausible explanation for the immortality of the virus was that it resided in the BIOS and remained there despite any operations. Another, less likely theory was that the virus used high-frequency transmissions between the speakers and microphone to manipulate data.

This strange theory seemed incredible, but was proven at least in terms of possibility when the German Institute found a way to reproduce this effect. Based on software developed for underwater communications, scientists developed a prototype of a malicious program that transferred data between laptops not connected to the Network using their speakers. In tests, laptops could communicate at a distance of up to 20 meters. The range could be expanded by linking infected devices into a network, similar to Wi-Fi repeaters.

The good news is that this acoustic transmission occurs extremely slowly, reaching speeds of 20 bits per second. While this is not enough to transmit large packets of data, it is sufficient to transmit information such as keystrokes, passwords, credit card numbers and encryption keys. Since modern viruses can do all this faster and better, it is unlikely that the new speaker system will become popular in the near future.

Acoustic scalpels

Doctors already use sound waves for medical procedures like ultrasounds and breaking up kidney stones, but scientists at Michigan State University have created an acoustic scalpel that is precise enough to separate even a single cell. Modern ultrasonic technologies make it possible to create a beam with a focus of several millimeters, but the new instrument has an accuracy of 75 by 400 micrometers.

The general technology has been known since the late 1800s, but the new scalpel is made possible by using a lens wrapped in carbon nanotubes and a material called polydimethylsiloxane, which converts light into high-pressure sound waves. When properly focused, sound waves create shock waves and microbubbles that exert pressure on a microscopic level. The technology was tested by removing a single ovarian cancer cell and drilling a 150-micrometer hole into an artificial kidney stone. The authors of the technology believe that it could finally be used to deliver drugs or remove small cancerous tumors or plaques. It can even be used for painless operations, since such an ultrasound beam can avoid nerve cells.

Charging your phone with your voice

Since sound is simply the compression and expansion of gases in air, and therefore movement, it can be a viable source of energy. Scientists are experimenting with the ability to charge your phone while it's in use - while you're making a call, for example. In 2011, scientists in Seoul took zinc oxide nanorods sandwiched between two electrodes to extract electricity from sound waves. This technology could generate 50 millivolts simply from the noise of traffic. That's not enough to charge most electrical devices, but last year engineers in London decided to create a device that produces 5 volts - enough to charge a phone.

While charging phones with sounds may be good news for chatters, it could have a major impact on the developing world. The same technology that made the thermoacoustic refrigerator possible can be used to convert sound into electricity. The Score-Stove is a stove and refrigerator that extracts energy from the biomass fuel cooking process to produce small amounts of electricity, on the order of 150 watts. It's not much, but it's enough to provide energy to the 1.3 billion people on Earth who don't have access to electricity.

Turn the human body into a microphone

This device includes a microphone attached to the computer. When someone speaks into a microphone, the computer stores the speech as a recording on repeat, which is then converted into a barely audible signal. This signal is transmitted through a wire from the microphone to the body of anyone holding it, and produces a modulated electrostatic field that causes tiny vibrations if the person touches something. The vibrations can be heard if a person touches someone else's ear. They can even be transmitted from person to person if a group of people are in physical contact.

For best results, the algorithm requires that the number of frames per second in the video be higher than the frequency of the audio signal, which requires a high-speed camera. But, at worst, you can take a regular digital camera to determine, for example, the number of interlocutors in the room and their gender - perhaps even their identities. The new technology has obvious applications in forensics, law enforcement and spy warfare. With this technology, you can find out what is happening outside the window by simply taking out your digital camera.

Acoustic masking

Although this cape may not prevent eavesdropping, it can be useful in places where the object needs to be hidden from acoustic waves, such as a concert hall. On the other hand, the military has already had its eye on this camouflage pyramid, since it has the potential to hide objects from sonar, for example. Because sound travels underwater much the same way as through air, acoustic cloaking can make submarines undetectable.

Tractor beam

By focusing two ultrasonic beams on a target, the object can be pushed towards the source of the beam, scattering the waves in the opposite direction (the object will appear to bounce on the waves). Although scientists have not yet been able to create the best type of wave for their technology, they continue to work. In the future, this technology could be used directly to control objects and fluids in the human body. For medicine it may turn out to be indispensable. Unfortunately, sound does not travel in the vacuum of space, so the technology is unlikely to be applicable to control spaceships.

Tactile holograms

The technology was originally designed to apply force to your skin to facilitate gesture control of certain devices. A mechanic with dirty hands, for example, might flip through the owner's manual. The technology needed to give touchscreens the feel of a physical page.

Because this technology uses sound to produce vibrations that reproduce the sensation of touch, the level of sensitivity can be changed. 4-Hz vibrations are like heavy raindrops, and 125-Hz vibrations are like touching foam. The only drawback at the moment is that these frequencies can be heard by dogs, but the designers say this can be fixed.

Now they are finalizing their device to produce virtual shapes like spheres and pyramids. True, these are not entirely virtual forms. Their work is based on sensors that follow your hand and generate sound waves accordingly. Currently, these objects lack detail and some precision, but designers say that one day the technology will be compatible with a visible hologram and the human brain will be able to put them together into one picture.

Based on materials from listverse.com

Today, scoring theater plays and films is relatively simple. Most of the necessary noise exists in electronic form; the missing ones are recorded and processed on a computer. But half a century ago, amazingly ingenious mechanisms were used to imitate sounds.

Tim Skorenko

These amazing noise machines have been exhibited over the past years in a variety of places, for the first time a few years ago at the Polytechnic Museum. There we examined this entertaining exhibition in detail. Wood-metal devices that amazingly imitate the sounds of surf and wind, passing cars and trains, the clatter of hooves and the clanking of swords, the chirping of a grasshopper and the croaking of a frog, the clanging of tracks and exploding shells - all these amazing machines were developed, improved and described by Vladimir Aleksandrovich Popov - actor and the creator of noise design in theater and cinema, to whom the exhibition is dedicated. The most interesting thing is the interactivity of the exhibition: the devices are not, as is often our custom, behind three layers of bulletproof glass, but are intended for the user. Come, spectator, pretend to be a sound designer, whistle with the wind, make noise with a waterfall, play with the train - and it’s interesting, really interesting.

Harmonium. “The musical instrument harmonium is used to convey the noise of the tank. The performer simultaneously presses several lower keys (both black and white) on the keyboard and at the same time pumps air with the help of pedals” (V.A. Popov).

Noise master

Vladimir Popov began his career as an actor at the Moscow Art Theater, even before the revolution, in 1908. In his memoirs, he wrote that since childhood he was fond of sound imitation, trying to copy various noises, natural and artificial. Since the 1920s, he finally went into the sound industry, designing various machines for the sound design of performances. And in the thirties, his mechanisms appeared in films. For example, with the help of his amazing machines, Popov voiced the legendary painting by Sergei Eisenstein “Alexander Nevsky”.

He treated noise like music, wrote scores for the sound background of plays and radio shows - and invented, invented, invented. Some of the machines created by Popov have survived to this day, gathering dust in the back rooms of various theaters - the development of sound recording has made his ingenious mechanisms, which require certain handling skills, unnecessary. Today, the noise of a train is simulated using electronic methods, but in priestly times, a whole orchestra, according to a strictly specified algorithm, worked with various devices to create a reliable imitation of an approaching train. Popov's noise compositions sometimes involved up to twenty musicians.

Tank noise. “If a tank appears on the scene, then at that moment four-wheeled devices with metal plates come into action. The device is driven by rotation of the cross around an axis. The result is a strong sound, very similar to the clanging of the tracks of a large tank” (V.A. Popov).

The results of his work were the book “Sound Design of a Performance,” published in 1953, and the Stalin Prize received at the same time. We can cite here many different facts from the life of the great inventor - but we will turn to technology.

Wood and iron

The most important point, which exhibition visitors do not always pay attention to, is the fact that each noise machine is a musical instrument that you need to be able to play and which requires certain acoustic conditions. For example, during performances, the “thunder machine” was always placed at the very top, on the walkway above the stage, so that the peals of thunder could be heard throughout the entire auditorium, creating a feeling of presence. In a small room, it does not make such a bright impression, its sound is not so natural and is much closer to what it really is - the clanging of iron wheels built into the mechanism. However, the “unnaturalness” of some sounds is explained by the fact that many of the mechanisms are not intended for “solo” work - only “in an ensemble”.

Other machines, on the contrary, perfectly imitate sound regardless of the acoustic properties of the room. For example, the “Roll” (a mechanism that produces the sound of the surf), huge and clumsy, so accurately copies the impacts of waves on a gentle shore that, closing your eyes, you can easily imagine yourself somewhere by the sea, at a lighthouse, in windy weather.

Horse transport No. 4. “A device that reproduces the noise of a fire truck. In order to produce a weak noise at the beginning of the device’s operation, the performer moves the control knob to the left, due to which the noise intensity is softened. When the axis moves to the other side, the noise increases to a significant degree” (V.A. Popov).

Popov divided noises into a number of categories: battle, natural, industrial, household, transport, etc. Some universal techniques could be used to simulate various noises. For example, sheets of iron of various thicknesses and sizes suspended at a certain distance from each other could imitate the noise of an approaching steam locomotive, the clang of production machines, and even thunder. Popov also called a huge grumbling drum a universal device, capable of working in different “industries.”

But most of these machines are quite simple. Specialized mechanisms designed to imitate one and only one sound contain very interesting engineering ideas. For example, the fall of water drops is simulated by the rotation of a drum, the side of which is replaced by ropes stretched at different distances. As they rotate, they raise fixed leather whips, which slap the next ropes - and it really looks like drops. Winds of varying strength are also simulated using drums rubbing against all kinds of fabrics.

Drum leather

Perhaps the most remarkable story associated with the reconstruction of Popov's machines happened during the manufacture of the large grunt drum. For a huge musical instrument with a diameter of almost two meters, leather was required - but it turned out that it was impossible to purchase dressed, but not tanned, drum skin in Russia. The musicians went to a real slaughterhouse, where they bought two freshly skinned bulls. “There was something surreal about it,” Peter laughs. “We drive up to the theater by car, and we have bloody skins in the trunk. We drag them onto the roof of the theater, we strip them, dry them - for a week the smell lingered throughout Sretenka...” But the drum was a great success in the end.

Vladimir Aleksandrovich provided each device with detailed instructions for the performer. For example, the “Powerful Crack” device: “Strong dry thunderstorm discharges are performed using the “Powerful Crack” device. Standing on the platform of the device, the performer, leaning his chest forward and placing both hands on top of the gear shaft, grabs it and turns it towards himself.”

It is worth noting that many of the machines used by Popov were developed before him: Vladimir Alexandrovich only improved them. In particular, wind drums were used in theaters back in the days of serfdom.

Graceful Life

One of the first films entirely scored using Popov’s mechanisms was the comedy “A Graceful Life” directed by Boris Yurtsev. Apart from the voices of the actors, in this film, released in 1932, there is not a single sound recorded from life - everything is simulated. It is worth noting that of the six full-length films shot by Yurtsev, this is the only one that has survived. The director, who fell into disgrace in 1935, was exiled to Kolyma; his films, except for La Fine Life, were lost.

New incarnation

After the advent of sound libraries, Popov's machines were almost forgotten. They have become relegated to the category of archaisms, a thing of the past. But there were people interested in the technology of the past not only “rising from the ashes,” but also becoming in demand again.

The idea of ​​making a musical art project (at that time not yet formalized as an interactive exhibition) had long been simmering in the minds of Moscow musician and virtuoso pianist Peter Aidu - and now it has finally found its material embodiment.

Device "frog". The instructions for the “Frog” device are much more complicated than similar instructions for other devices. The performer of the croaking sound had to have good command of the instrument so that the final sound imitation would be quite natural.

The team working on the project is partly based at the School of Dramatic Art theatre. Peter Aidu himself is the assistant to the chief director for the musical part, the coordinator of the production of exhibits Alexander Nazarov is the head of theater workshops, etc. However, dozens of people not connected with the theater took part in the work on the exhibition, but were ready to help and spend their time on strange cultural project - and all this was not in vain.

We talked with Peter Aidu in one of the rooms with the exhibition, in the terrible noise and commotion generated by visitors from the exhibits. “There are many layers to this exhibition,” he said. — A certain historical layer, since we brought to light the story of a very talented person, Vladimir Popov; interactive layer, because people enjoy what is happening; musical layer, since after the end of the exhibition we plan to use its exhibits in our performances, and not so much for scoring, but as independent art objects.” While Peter was speaking, the TV was playing behind him. On the screen is a scene where twelve people harmoniously play the composition “The Noise of a Train” (this is a fragment of the play “Reconstruction of Utopia”).

"Roll". “The performer activates the device by rhythmically rocking the resonator (device body) up and down. The quiet breaking of waves is accomplished by slowly pouring (not completely) the contents of the resonator from one end to the other. Having stopped pouring the contents in one direction, quickly move the resonator to a horizontal position and immediately move it to the other side. A powerful surge of waves is accomplished by slowly pouring out the entire contents of the resonator to the end” (V.A. Popov).

The machines were manufactured according to the drawings and descriptions left by Popov - the originals of some machines preserved in the Moscow Art Theater collection were seen by the creators of the exhibition after the completion of the work. One of the main problems was that parts and materials that were easily obtained in the 1930s are not used anywhere today and are not available for free sale. For example, it is almost impossible to find a brass sheet with a thickness of 3 mm and dimensions of 1000x1000 mm, because the current GOST implies cutting brass only 600x1500. Problems arose even with plywood: the required 2.5-mm plywood, by modern standards, belongs to model aircraft and is quite rare, unless ordered from Finland.

Automobile. “The noise of a car is produced by two performers. One of them rotates the handle of the wheel, and the other presses the lever of the lifting board and opens the lids” (V.A. Popov). It is worth noting that with the help of levers and covers it was possible to significantly vary the sound of the car.

There was another difficulty. Popov himself repeatedly noted: in order to imitate any sound, you need to imagine absolutely exactly what you want to achieve. But, for example, none of our contemporaries have ever heard the sound of a semaphore switching from the 1930s live - how can you make sure that the corresponding device is made correctly? No way - you can only rely on intuition and old movies.

But in general, the creators’ intuition did not disappoint - they succeeded. Although noise machines were originally intended for people who knew how to operate them, and not for fun, they are very good as interactive museum exhibits. Rotating the handle of the next mechanism, looking at a silent movie broadcast on the wall, you feel like a great sound engineer. And you feel how under your hands not noise is born, but music.

Thanks to musical instruments, we can produce music - one of the most unique creations of man. From trumpet to piano and bass guitar, they have been used to create countless complex symphonies, rock ballads and popular songs.
However, this list contains some of the strangest and most bizarre musical instruments that exist on the planet. And, by the way, some of them are from the category of “does this even exist?”
So here are 25 truly strange musical instruments - in sound, design or, most often, both.

25. Vegetable Orchestra

Formed almost 20 years ago by a group of friends interested in instrumental music, the Vegetable Orchestra in Vienna has become one of the strangest instrumental groups on the planet.
The musicians make their instruments before each performance - entirely from vegetables such as carrots, eggplants, leeks - to create a completely unusual performance that the audience can only see and hear.

24. Music Box

Construction equipment is most often noisy and annoying with its rumble, in strong contrast to a small music box. But one massive music box has been created that combines both.
This nearly one-ton vibratory compactor has been redesigned to spin just like a classic music box. He can play one famous tune - “The Star-Spangled Banner” (US anthem).

23. Cat piano

I would like to hope that the cat piano never becomes a real invention. Published in a book highlighting strange and bizarre musical instruments, the "Katzenklavier" (also known as the cat piano or cat organ) is a musical instrument in which cats are seated in an octave according to the tone of their voice.
Their tails are extended towards the keyboard with nails. When the key is pressed, the nail presses painfully on the tail of one of the cats, which produces the desired sound.

22. 12-neck guitar

It was pretty cool when Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page played a double-neck guitar on stage. I wonder what it would be like if he played that 12-neck guitar?

21. Zeusaphone

Imagine creating music from electrical arcs. Zeusophone does just that. Known as the “Singing Tesla Coil,” this unusual musical instrument produces sound by altering visible flashes of electricity, creating a futuristic-sounding electronic instrument.

20. Yaybahar

Yaybahar is one of the strangest musical instruments that came from the Middle East. This acoustic instrument has strings connected to coiled springs that are stuck into the center of the drum frames. When the strings are played, the vibrations echo throughout the room, like echoing in a cave or inside a metal sphere, creating a hypnotic sound.

19. Sea organ

There are two large sea organs in the world - one in Zadar (Croatia) and the other in San Francisco (USA). They both work in a similar way - with a series of pipes absorbing and amplifying the sound of the waves, making the sea and its vagaries the main performer. The sounds that the sea organ makes have been compared to the sound of water entering the ears and the didgeridoo.

18. Pupa (Chrysalis)

The dolly is one of the most beautiful instruments in this list of strange musical instruments. Modeled after the massive, round, stone Aztec calendar, the instrument's wheel rotates in a circle with strings taut, producing a sound similar to a perfectly tuned zither.

17. Janko Keyboard

Janko's keyboard looks like a long, irregular chessboard. Developed by Paul von Jankó, this alternative arrangement of piano keys allows pianists to play pieces of music that would be impossible to play on a standard keyboard.
Although the keyboard looks quite difficult to play, it produces the same number of sounds as a standard keyboard and is easier to learn to play because changing the key only requires the player to move their hands up or down, without having to change fingerings.

16. Symphony House

Most musical instruments are portable, and the Symphony House is definitely not one of them! In this case, the musical instrument is an entire house in Michigan with an area of ​​575 square meters.
From the opposite windows that allow the sounds of nearby coastal waves or the noise of the forest to penetrate, to the wind blowing through the long strings of a distinctive harp, the entire house resonates with sound.
The largest musical instrument in the house is two 12-meter horizontal beams made of anegri wood with strings stretched along them. When the strings are played, the entire room vibrates, giving the person the feeling of being inside a giant guitar or cello.

15. Theremin

Theremin is one of the very first electronic instruments, patented in 1928. Two metal antennas determine the position of the performer's hands, changing the frequency and volume, which are converted from electrical signals into sounds.

14. Uncello

More like the model of the universe proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century, the unzello is a combination of wood, pegs, strings and an amazing custom resonator. Instead of a traditional cello body that amplifies the sound, the unzello uses a round fishbowl to produce sounds as the bow is played across the strings.

13. Hydrolophone

The hydrolophone is a new age musical instrument created by Steve Mann that emphasizes the importance of water and serves the visually impaired as a sensory exploration device.
Essentially, it is a massive water organ that is played by plugging small holes with your fingers, from which water slowly flows, hydraulically creating the traditional organ sound.

12. Bikelophone

The Baiklophone was built in 1995 as part of a project to explore new sounds. Using a bicycle frame as a base, this musical instrument creates layered sounds using a loop recording system.
It is constructed with bass strings, wood, metal telephone bells and more. The sound it produces is truly incomparable because it produces a wide range of sounds from harmonious melodies to sci-fi intros.

11. Earth Harp

Somewhat similar to the Symphony House, the Earth Harp is the world's longest stringed instrument. A harp with stretched strings 300 meters long produces sounds similar to a cello. A musician wearing cotton gloves coated with violin rosin plucks the strings with his hands, creating an audible wave of compression.

10. Great Stalacpipe Organ

Nature is full of sounds that are pleasant to our ears. Combining human ingenuity and design with natural acoustics, Leland W. Sprinkle installed a custom lithophone in Luray Caverns, Virginia, USA.
The organ produces sounds of varying tones using tens of thousands of years old stalactites that have been converted into resonators.

9. Serpent

This bassy wind instrument, with a brass mouthpiece and finger holes like a woodwind, was so named because of its unusual design. The curving shape of the Snake allows it to produce a unique sound, reminiscent of a cross between a tuba and a trumpet.

8. Ice organ

The Swedish Ice Hotel, built entirely of ice in winter, is one of the most famous boutique hotels in the world. In 2004, American ice sculptor Tim Linhart accepted an offer to build a musical instrument that would fit the hotel's theme.
As a result, Linart created the world's first ice organ - an instrument with pipes entirely carved from ice. Unfortunately, the life of this unusual musical instrument was short-lived - it melted last winter.

7. Aeolus

Looking like an instrument modeled after Tina Turner's bad hairstyle, the aeolus is a huge arch with many pipes that catches every breath of wind and converts it into sound, often produced in the rather eerie tones associated with a UFO landing.

6. Nellophone

If the previous unusual musical instrument resembles Tina Turner's hair, then this one can be compared to the tentacles of a jellyfish. To play a nellophone, which is constructed entirely of curved pipes, the performer stands in the center and strikes the pipes with special paddles, thereby producing the sound of the air resonating within them.

5. Sharpsichord

One of the most complex and strange musical instruments on this list, the sharpsichord has 11,520 holes with pegs inserted into them and resembles a music box.
When the solar-powered cylinder turns, a lever rises to pluck the strings. The power is then transferred to the jumper, which amplifies the sound using a large horn.

4. Pyrophone Organ

This list covers many different types of repurposed organs, and this one might be the best of them all. Unlike using stalactites or ice, the pyrophonic organ produces sounds by creating mini-explosions with each keystroke.
Hitting the key of a propane and gasoline-powered pyrophonic organ provokes exhaust from the pipe, like a car engine, thereby creating sound.

3. Fence. Any fence.

Few people in the world can claim to be a “fence-playing musician.” In fact, only one person can do this - Australian Jon Rose (already sounds like the name of a rock star), creating music on fences.
Rose uses a violin bow to create resonant sounds on tightly strung "acoustic" fences, ranging from barbed wire to chain link fence. Some of his most provocative performances include playing on the border fence between Mexico and the United States, and between Syria and Israel.

2. Cheese Drums

A combination of two human passions - music and cheese - these cheese drums are a truly wonderful and very strange group of instruments.
Their creators took a traditional drum kit and replaced all the drums with massive round heads of cheese, placing a microphone next to each to produce more delicate sounds.
For most of us, their sound will be more like the drumsticks of an amateur drummer sitting in a local Vietnamese restaurant.

1. Loophonium

As a small tuba-like bass musical instrument that plays a leading role in brass and military bands, the euphonium is not such a strange instrument.
That is, until Fritz Spiegl of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra created the toiletphonium: a fully functioning combination of a euphonium and a beautifully painted toilet.