How to Play Experimental Music

Don't think., Start looking at things and thinking what weird things you could do to it that would make it sound cool., Go out and by a cheap violin bow and some rosin (its the dried tree sap stuff string players smear all over the bow hair) Try...

12 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Don't think.

    Just grab some old drumsticks and head to your garage.

    Don't have any drum sticks? Pencils, dowels, anything will work for now, but it is a good idea to pick up some cheap drumsticks at a local music store.

    In the garage, jam out.

    Figure out how different things sound.

    Just have fun, and change the beat around.

    Play with friends, get an awesome rhythm going.

    Note: your sticks will break, so don't use anything nice.
  2. Step 2: Start looking at things and thinking what weird things you could do to it that would make it sound cool.

    What if I attached snare drums to a piano? I'm serious, I bet it would sound awesome. , Random stuff.

    Cymbals and stretched out wire work nicely. , By different sizes and pitches and the stretch them out on a frame of wood.

    You may need to make a resonator box in order to hear anything.

    Also try adding hammers (not the kind you build a house with, the piano kind.) that strike the strings With a little work and improvisation, you can make some really, really awesome sounds.

    Also, while looking through the music supplies, look for new ideas, and ask the attendant if you don't know about some things.

    Music store employees always know what they are talking about. , Experiment with sounds on the computer, and get/make a MIDI controller so you can trigger the sounds remotely.

    Get creative with Computer Music technology.

    You can by little acoustic drum triggers that they use for writing drum music, attach them to anything, and hook them up to a digital drum brain.

    Hook that up to your computer/MIDI sequencer, and you have yourself a cheap digital drum, that can play anything.

    Get even more creative, devise a device that turns on and off radios that are set to different static frequencies.

    That's sure to sound cool.

    Also, play with old guitar/bass amplifiers and old synthesizers.

    Research circuit bending on the Internet and with a little electronics knowledge you can modify synthesizers and other circuits to sound funkier than they already are.

    Do what ever floats your boat, just not on new, expensive stuff. , Our band calls ours the Gehttolyn.

    Use mic stands, drum stands, wood scraps, etc. to make a sweet console.

    Here are some instrument ideas to start you off: multiple balloons stretched tightly over a coffee can, CDs make a good cowbell, speaker grilles, sheet metal, tile pieces, flower pots, soda bottles of all types, cans, PVC pipe is awesome, wood blocks can be really good sounding. , But try playing them differently.

    Look at a guitar like you never have seen one before.

    Say to yourself "What is that?" Play it weirdly. ,,
  3. Step 3: Go out and by a cheap violin bow and some rosin (its the dried tree sap stuff string players smear all over the bow hair) Try bowing stuff.

  4. Step 4: While you are at the music store

  5. Step 5: you can pick up some guitar

  6. Step 6: violin

  7. Step 7: bass strings.

  8. Step 8: Enter the electronic world of music.

  9. Step 9: Now take all of your experimentation and combine it together to make sort of a super-junk-instrument of doom.

  10. Step 10: Add in real instruments if you like.

  11. Step 11: Play with other people for best results.

  12. Step 12: Have fun.

Detailed Guide

Just grab some old drumsticks and head to your garage.

Don't have any drum sticks? Pencils, dowels, anything will work for now, but it is a good idea to pick up some cheap drumsticks at a local music store.

In the garage, jam out.

Figure out how different things sound.

Just have fun, and change the beat around.

Play with friends, get an awesome rhythm going.

Note: your sticks will break, so don't use anything nice.

What if I attached snare drums to a piano? I'm serious, I bet it would sound awesome. , Random stuff.

Cymbals and stretched out wire work nicely. , By different sizes and pitches and the stretch them out on a frame of wood.

You may need to make a resonator box in order to hear anything.

Also try adding hammers (not the kind you build a house with, the piano kind.) that strike the strings With a little work and improvisation, you can make some really, really awesome sounds.

Also, while looking through the music supplies, look for new ideas, and ask the attendant if you don't know about some things.

Music store employees always know what they are talking about. , Experiment with sounds on the computer, and get/make a MIDI controller so you can trigger the sounds remotely.

Get creative with Computer Music technology.

You can by little acoustic drum triggers that they use for writing drum music, attach them to anything, and hook them up to a digital drum brain.

Hook that up to your computer/MIDI sequencer, and you have yourself a cheap digital drum, that can play anything.

Get even more creative, devise a device that turns on and off radios that are set to different static frequencies.

That's sure to sound cool.

Also, play with old guitar/bass amplifiers and old synthesizers.

Research circuit bending on the Internet and with a little electronics knowledge you can modify synthesizers and other circuits to sound funkier than they already are.

Do what ever floats your boat, just not on new, expensive stuff. , Our band calls ours the Gehttolyn.

Use mic stands, drum stands, wood scraps, etc. to make a sweet console.

Here are some instrument ideas to start you off: multiple balloons stretched tightly over a coffee can, CDs make a good cowbell, speaker grilles, sheet metal, tile pieces, flower pots, soda bottles of all types, cans, PVC pipe is awesome, wood blocks can be really good sounding. , But try playing them differently.

Look at a guitar like you never have seen one before.

Say to yourself "What is that?" Play it weirdly. ,,

About the Author

H

Helen Stevens

Creates helpful guides on hobbies to inspire and educate readers.

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