Top 5 Weirdest Mutant Musical Instruments

In celebration of our Mutant Musical Instrument Build-Off, we've put together a Top 5 list of the weirdest musical inventions that combine elements from two or more instruments.  Got something weirder?  Post it in the Friends of C. B. Gitty Facebook page!!! 

#1 - The Bulbul Tarang from Punjab.  (Wikipedia link with more info.)  This instrument is a cross between a lap-style dulcimer and a piano.  The strings go underneath fretting keys that resemble a piano and the player uses a pick to strum the strings near the bridge.

#2. - The Stroh Violin.  (Wikipedia link with more info.)  The dobro of the violin world, the Stroh Violin was created to mechanically amplify the sound of a violin using internal resonators and a bell horn. 

#3 - The Marble Machine Marble Machine built and composed by Martin Molin.  The machine is powered by a hand-crank, and works by raising steel marbles through the machine into multiple feeder tubes, where they are then released from height via programmable release gates, falling and striking a musical instrument below. Instruments played by marbles striking them include a vibraphone, bass guitar, cymbal and emulated kick drum, high hat and snare drum using contact microphones. 

#4 - The Nyckelharpa.  (Wikipedia link with more info.)  This is a Swedish folk instrument that mixes elements of a bowed violin and hurdy gurdy.

#5 - the Harpejji - (Wikipedia link with more info.) Imagine Eddie Van Halen's tapping with a piano-inspired layout. 

We want to see your own mutant creations...and we're awarding $1000 in prizes!  Check out the Musical Mutants Instrument Build-Off Contest in the link below!