Andy Thurlow has passed away March 2022. Luckily his work has made it into a Museum - the 10 Forward Museum in Green field MA - also check out the follow up 2nd documentary I made about his more recent musical inventions: ruclips.net/video/vVTVjznfG0E/видео.html
So sorry to lose him! I've just discovered him through this video and he's so cool! His instruments would be perfect for a dystopian musical, like a musical version of Mad Max
I immediately recognized the "instrument" at 0:55, the first "out of this world" instrument. It's an exhaust mixer for an internally bypassing turbofan engine. Most likely for a Pratt & Whitney JT8D, used on the MD80-88, B727, and B737-200.
"So if you just hand a person a guitar he'll say wow I can't play that but with these that doesn't happen because no one else has played them before and so they don't have that burden of expectation on them" That's a great idea.
How fun! I can just imagine what this guy’s mother went through when he was a toddler - probably couldn’t keep him out of the pots and pans. Thanks for posting this.
If Frank Zappa was still alive he would immediatly invite this guy to come over and invent some things for him or he would go to the guy's workplace to start recording for a new album.
I see this and my mind immediately goes to Mad Max. This is seriously like Post-apocalypse tribal rhythm-music. I don't care how high you were when you made these instruments, props for creating something truly unique and inspired.
Yeah! Over ten years ago, some of these instruments were set up at High Mayhem festival in Santa Fe, NM. I played them, and sampled some of them, unplugged during the day. But others played them at night in a giant jam at full levels of amplification and plenty of libations. A blast was had by all, as Andy has made it so ANYONE can partake in the joy of music-making.
These are awesome. It's so amazing to think about how different we all are from each other and what we each are capable of with our different styles of creativity. There's a ton of undiscovered, beautiful talent among us.
get a team of musicians to work with all these instruments and u could probably create some of the greatest effects and emotional tones for movies, games, or anything
If you're interested in handmade and experimental musical instruments, I'd suggest finding a copy of _Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones_ (and also the follow-up, _Orbitones, Spoon Harps & Bellowphones_). It's a book/CD combo written by Bart Hopkin, the publisher of _Experimental Musical Instruments_ magazine and an avant-garde musician himself. This is not a plug, by the way. I picked up a copy of _Orbitones_ about 15 years ago at Harmony House because it caught my eye. It was great and kickstarted my interest in the subject.
What a genius! I initially felt inclined to call him a crackpot but after watching I totally get where he's coming from. He'd be great to work with for a film or something, I mean really - that's what he's doing. Like a lot of old films that couldn't digitize their audio, they'd come up with weird instruments like these to make the sounds needed. Really cool.
Creator is Andy Thurlow. Read what he writes on his Anarchestra bandcamp page: "I price all of my music at $0.00, but Bandcamp only allows a limited number of free downloads per month. If you see a price it means that the free downloads have been used up for the month. If I set a price lower than the $7.00 default, there won’t be any free downloads ever. If there are more sales there end up being more free downloads. I’m not trying to get anybody to spend money (I loathe capitalism and the comercialzation of everything, especially the arts). I make music, not product. If you end up buying something, at least you have enabled 2 other people to get something for free (which is a good thing). Or check back until it’s free again. Please feel free to duplicate and pass along." What an awesome guy! I recommend everybody to listen to his music online anarchestra.bandcamp.com It's unexpectedly nice for my ears and mind.
I've enjoyed creating such things too. My family has a power equipment business, so there is a lot of parts and materials, as well as the tools to create them. I also enjoy taking half assembled engines and playing the different parts of them to make one piece of percussive music. I enjoy fashioning metal like in this video too.
The Daisy, Dron, Sprymbal, Hendecq and Smelly Old Hary were my personal favorites. Great sounds coming from them. Also, though I'm sure these are prototypes and manufactured versions would be cleaner and shinier, I like the scrap-metal makeshift look of these instruments. It's like as if they were made for the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max. Keep up the good work.
Some of these are cool, others just bad homemade versions of instruments that already exist only the real ones work better. For example, he made his own vibraphone. It has exactly the features of a vibraphone and is played the same way, but sounds dead because he isn't good at making vibes.
A classmate of mine from college built his own marimba. I couldn't do it, but he did. His sounds great so he calls it a marimba. I guess if he screwed it up and it sounded worse than a marimba he could have called it a woodysmackything and say he invented a new instrument. That makes sense right?
+Ryan Alexander Bloom It makes sense in the imagined case that you've proposed, but I think that this guy might be a little more genuine than that, even if a segment of his instruments are based off of other ones.
I love this so much! The idea of instruments that anyone with musical background can play is so cool to me! I also love strange instruments. One day, I swear, I will visit this place!
The creator of the anarchestra “Andy Thurlow” has passed away this week. The world has lost a brilliant creator. Check out his most recent creation in the doc: ruclips.net/video/vVTVjznfG0E/видео.html
+julienhmulder I truly believed that there would be such a comment. When I thought about it I wanted to comment it but then I said "nah someone must have said that already, it's too obvious" xD
I think that you can't have it.. if you want to play it, you have to go there and then... nothing. There are no links to any shop or any private mail, I think
Andy Thurlow has passed away March 2022. Luckily his work has made it into a Museum - the 10 Forward Museum in Green field MA - also check out the follow up 2nd documentary I made about his more recent musical inventions: ruclips.net/video/vVTVjznfG0E/видео.html
Rest in peace, Mr. Thurlow.
So sorry to lose him! I've just discovered him through this video and he's so cool! His instruments would be perfect for a dystopian musical, like a musical version of Mad Max
"Anyone can play these because there is no burden of expectation"
This is why this guy is a legend.
I love his philosophy about people learning instruments that don’t have expectations behind them
It's the main reason why i got myself a tongue drum
Better than blue man group? Well I do like it. No crowd needed. Thanks. 👍
These instruments are like the type of ideas we have while we're stoned but never follow thru with... It appears he's committed.
I immediately recognized the "instrument" at 0:55, the first "out of this world" instrument. It's an exhaust mixer for an internally bypassing turbofan engine. Most likely for a Pratt & Whitney JT8D, used on the MD80-88, B727, and B737-200.
Special interest moment
It takes so many years to understand a single note.and this man has innovated hundreds of instruments
sounds like post apocalyptic tribal instruments to me
+Yamifira “the” chosen juan i was just about to say that :D
ninja'd
ha.ha..ha oh man you're the smartest person here
Comment of the year!
Or more like a Mad Max band theme, right?
I wish more people had access to unusual instruments! I wonder what children growing up with these instruments would make as adults.. so cool!
stoners
HAHAHA
They'd probably be hippies.
Google up Gregg Miner and Peter Pringle.
Me too!!!
"So if you just hand a person a guitar he'll say wow I can't play that but with these that doesn't happen because no one else has played them before and so they don't have that burden of expectation on them"
That's a great idea.
2:08 sounds absolutely fantastic!
His purpose behind making these instruments completely amazes me. Through his method of creating new instruments, he re-ignites people's curiosity.
I really like that Dron.
Sarek me too it's my favorite
How fun! I can just imagine what this guy’s mother went through when he was a toddler - probably couldn’t keep him out of the pots and pans. Thanks for posting this.
Alot of these instruments sound like they could make a Zelda temple theme lol
Tom Waits needs to go to this guy's shop and make an album.
Oh my gosh I was thinking the exact same thing!
Don't forget Primus!
My thoughts as well
William Stephens I think more like a horror movie studio/sound effects area.
I reckon he already did ... for Mule Variations. :-)
If Frank Zappa was still alive he would immediatly invite this guy to come over and invent some things for him or he would go to the guy's workplace to start recording for a new album.
I see this and my mind immediately goes to Mad Max. This is seriously like Post-apocalypse tribal rhythm-music. I don't care how high you were when you made these instruments, props for creating something truly unique and inspired.
I want to have a soundtrack made exclusively by these instruments
Yeah! Over ten years ago, some of these instruments were set up at High Mayhem festival in Santa Fe, NM. I played them, and sampled some of them, unplugged during the day. But others played them at night in a giant jam at full levels of amplification and plenty of libations. A blast was had by all, as Andy has made it so ANYONE can partake in the joy of music-making.
John Malkovich spends his free time making fart noises, cool
I am about to say john malkovich
do it
Mohn Jalkovich.
This is nuts, and the names he gives to his instruments are beyond epic ahah! Hendecq, basok, sprymbal, kyzyl kym, I love that guy!
Konami should contact this man for the soundtrack of their next Silent Hill.
Except that that won't happen cause Kojima is gone
Sergeant Flipper I don't think Kojima is absolutely necessary to create a new Silent Hill.
Abner Anaya A vital part to say the least
"This one is DJ Flatus"
"It sounds like farts!"
Flatus: gas generated in the stomach or bowels
Andy is flat-out brilliant! How I would love to go see and even play his works. Thanks for sharing this video.
These are awesome. It's so amazing to think about how different we all are from each other and what we each are capable of with our different styles of creativity. There's a ton of undiscovered, beautiful talent among us.
get a team of musicians to work with all these instruments and u could probably create some of the greatest effects and emotional tones for movies, games, or anything
great for horror/psychedelic or culture movies/sounds/music...
So incredible. I love the part where a group of people were invited to come in and play. Awesome.
Good job these are made from scratch it's obvious this man is smart
This guy would be perfect making sound effects for films with all that stuff.
I like his reason for creating these works of art. way to think out of the box
2:07 I thought he was going to play Toxicity
And breaking bad afterwards
Beautiful , exotic and out of this world sounding music. Now we just need a worthy composer to write a symphony for these instruments.
imagine being on acid in there
If you're interested in handmade and experimental musical instruments, I'd suggest finding a copy of _Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones_ (and also the follow-up, _Orbitones, Spoon Harps & Bellowphones_). It's a book/CD combo written by Bart Hopkin, the publisher of _Experimental Musical Instruments_ magazine and an avant-garde musician himself. This is not a plug, by the way. I picked up a copy of _Orbitones_ about 15 years ago at Harmony House because it caught my eye. It was great and kickstarted my interest in the subject.
gspendlove Bart Hopkin is awesome, his book Musical Instrument Design is what got Anarchestra started in the first place.
if i was making horror movies, i would definitely visit this guy
What a genius! I initially felt inclined to call him a crackpot but after watching I totally get where he's coming from. He'd be great to work with for a film or something, I mean really - that's what he's doing. Like a lot of old films that couldn't digitize their audio, they'd come up with weird instruments like these to make the sounds needed. Really cool.
Rest in peace Andy🙏 Thanks SH for showing us this unique and interesting man and his creations!
Amazing
pretty sure this dude did a lot of drugs in the 70s
you look like you just did a lot of drugs about 5 minutes ago
I'm glad that Malkovich is being so creative with his explorations beyond acting
Creator is Andy Thurlow.
Read what he writes on his Anarchestra bandcamp page:
"I price all of my music at $0.00, but Bandcamp only allows a limited number of free downloads per month. If you see a price it means that the free downloads have been used up for the month. If I set a price lower than the $7.00 default, there won’t be any free downloads ever. If there are more sales there end up being more free downloads. I’m not trying to get anybody to spend money (I loathe capitalism and the comercialzation of everything, especially the arts). I make music, not product. If you end up buying something, at least you have enabled 2 other people to get something for free (which is a good thing). Or check back until it’s free again. Please feel free to duplicate and pass along."
What an awesome guy!
I recommend everybody to listen to his music online anarchestra.bandcamp.com
It's unexpectedly nice for my ears and mind.
+obezijana originals.azpm.org/s/14648-musical-sculptures-designed-to-create-community/ Interview
thanks
I think Tim Burton just found his music composer
+Iusethis4comments Steampunk too! ;D
+Repent In Reprise Exactly what I was thinking.
Danny will never be replaced!!!
2:45 left speaker blow-out. Really cool video, thanks. The ending music sounds like background music for an old Twilight Zone episode.
Someone: Sleeping....
Their IPhone alarm: 4:09
Lol
1:24 sounds like some Zelda temple music.
as a music producer this would be heaven when coming up with a sound/drum kit!
so this is how they make the soundtracks for the zelda games
This man walks a fine line between madness and genius!
This is awesome, I don't have words to describe the feeling I got from these instruments and the idea behind of it - just try and play
Sounds like a Primus song
Like, the one and only Prome Crimus?
Bexy Evans havent heard that one before...
They do awesome music, you'd like them. ThePyro
Bexy Evans ill check em out
I made a spelling mistake, they're called 'ThePrimeCronus ' ThePyro
Some of these sounds reminded me of post apocalyptic video game soundtracks.
So this is how it feels being John Malkovich....
awenindoe the fuck?
This man is a legend, I love him.
I've enjoyed creating such things too. My family has a power equipment business, so there is a lot of parts and materials, as well as the tools to create them. I also enjoy taking half assembled engines and playing the different parts of them to make one piece of percussive music. I enjoy fashioning metal like in this video too.
the lead singer of tool needs to visit and work with this man.
The Daisy, Dron, Sprymbal, Hendecq and Smelly Old Hary were my personal favorites. Great sounds coming from them. Also, though I'm sure these are prototypes and manufactured versions would be cleaner and shinier, I like the scrap-metal makeshift look of these instruments. It's like as if they were made for the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max. Keep up the good work.
Very Tom Waits, very good
+Andy Boily I almost ruined my expensive Apple monitor when I read this comment - as it was sprayed with coffee...
I. Hernandez in a positive
or negative way ?
+I. Hernandez totally positive
+Andy Boily Very EInstürzende Neubauten, I would add.
Anything can be a musical instrument, you just have to play it in such a way that is pleasant to the ears
00:54 That one looks like a trimmed turbofan engine exhaust mixer, like the one in Rolls-Royce RB211 turbofan.
2:07 That's actually how a sitar basically works.
imagine combining some of those instruments as a band
This is stuff you'd hear in a Tool song
Yeah, specially the Dron 2:07
***** Not in some older songs like Vicarious and Schism unfortunately lol.
+Unex Compartment more like a german record from the 70s, think faust, amon duul, etc
i bet i heard these in a few newer tom wait's songs
My left ear really enjoyed the narration
Now I really want him to get a whole bunch of artists together and have them make music using only his instruments
Sound very like fallout wasteland band feel to it
Some of these are cool, others just bad homemade versions of instruments that already exist only the real ones work better. For example, he made his own vibraphone. It has exactly the features of a vibraphone and is played the same way, but sounds dead because he isn't good at making vibes.
A classmate of mine from college built his own marimba. I couldn't do it, but he did. His sounds great so he calls it a marimba. I guess if he screwed it up and it sounded worse than a marimba he could have called it a woodysmackything and say he invented a new instrument. That makes sense right?
+Ryan Alexander Bloom It makes sense in the imagined case that you've proposed, but I think that this guy might be a little more genuine than that, even if a segment of his instruments are based off of other ones.
maybe that's not the sound he was trying to achieve.
Breaking bad on that sitar thing, I see you
bahaha I hear it
This is the most chaotic hippy ass thing I've ever seen, & I love it
Lots of really nifty percussion instruments, I'll say ! I loved the Dron, had a really sweet, unearthly tone. I like the modified kalimbas/mbiras.
some of those actually sound great!
***** and when the band came in, it sounded like a tom waits record
I'd love to see some cheesy sci-fi soundtrack made with stuff like this :) That'd be sweet. Some Tatooine Cantina type thing.
Sounds like something Tom Waits would talk over.
The line between genius and insanity is nonexistant
Man, I was musical instrument inventor as a kid and did not even know it. Awesome!
These sound like the ost for machinarium or samorost
because traditional instruments are too mainstream
where can i download the .mp3?
po pt5 reminds me of benny berigan's caravan
+Corl Franco Use "RUclips to MP3" converter tool online.
+Corl Franco Hi Franco, where are you from?
4ºN 74ºW
+Special Head crazy
Beautiful ingenuity! I love the new assortment of tones. It's energizing!
Thanks for sharing your talents online. Blessings
I wish there was footage of all of Moondog's instruments. That man was a pioneer...and he did it all without sight.
I love this so much! The idea of instruments that anyone with musical background can play is so cool to me! I also love strange instruments. One day, I swear, I will visit this place!
would love to see Blue Man Group play with all these.
This man should work on the next madmax movie.
I would LOVE to go there and get this amazing experience! Putting this on my destination list.
The creator of the anarchestra “Andy Thurlow” has passed away this week. The world has lost a brilliant creator. Check out his most recent creation in the doc: ruclips.net/video/vVTVjznfG0E/видео.html
Very strange, but awesome :O sounds like horrormovie or other paranormal films =) really cool!
He looks like a homeless verison of John Malkovich. Awesome instruments tho
Pois é irmão, parece sim com John Malkovich, nossa, como que pode ser tão igual assim!!!
+julienhmulder I truly believed that there would be such a comment. When I thought about it I wanted to comment it but then I said "nah someone must have said that already, it's too obvious" xD
+julienhmulder lol trying to network it so hard to get views trying to network remember to slow down and enjoy life Thanks.
+julienhmulder John Malkovich looks like a homeless version of John Malcovich...
4:19 Instant remind of Age of Empires sound lol
Amazing! I would love to have some of those instruments. They would fit my music pretty well.
The guy that made these is a genius. Seriously creative
That "instrument" at 0:53 is a mixer-unit from a jet engine exhaust section.
+lhl2500 Yes it's an exhaust mixer circa 1960..1970.
If I lived in the world of Mad Max, I would have this guy on top of my car!
These are actually all very cool
And my best friend's name is Soren and is there any way I can buy that instrument or have him make me one?
1:05
I think that you can't have it.. if you want to play it, you have to go there and then... nothing. There are no links to any shop or any private mail, I think
The instruments sounds like tinkering, and I like it. Give this guy 5000 years of building instruments and he’ll hand you a violin.
I love the musicians being let loose on the room of instruments
3:26 That's Bruford's rudiment from King Crimson's Discipline...
If I was a 60's or 70's pothead, I'd be saying far out man, that's groovy. But I'm not.
Because you are stupid?
+blueknight Someone got heated. LOL.
Triggered.
+blueknight TRIGGERED
Deep! Snappy!
I feel like this is how music in a far away alien civilization sounds.
When they all played the instruments at the end, I was really seeing the potential
literally unlocking the sounds of the universe that would never otherwise be discovered.