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Thread: Underwater Instruments

  1. #1

    Underwater Instruments

    This may sound ridiculous but, I think it would be amazing to have some kind of underwater instruments. I know you wouldn't be able to play them so they would be strictly for photos. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make or what different instruments would like?


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  2. #2
    I have for awhile longed to own a harp. But to play it above water.

  3. #3

    Underwater Instruments

    Quote Originally Posted by Calizaire View Post
    I have for awhile longed to own a harp. But to play it above water.
    A harp underwater would look amazing! If it looked all rustic or faded you could say you got it from a sunken ship.
    But that would be difficult to get underwater. Perhaps if you made a prop lyre that would work too.



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    Last edited by MermaidRiku; 07-29-2016 at 08:08 PM.

  4. #4
    I have wanted a conch shell horn. I think a harp would be pretty for photos, maybe a little pendant ocarina that looks like a shell...I have seen some pretty regular ocarinas that would be pretty for photos and to play.

  5. #5

    Underwater Instruments

    Quote Originally Posted by A_Koi_Mermaid View Post
    I have wanted a conch shell horn. I think a harp would be pretty for photos, maybe a little pendant ocarina that looks like a shell...I have seen some pretty regular ocarinas that would be pretty for photos and to play.
    I actually got the lyre idea from Sheik from Legend of Zelda don't know why I didn't think of an ocarina! It's a great idea!



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    Last edited by MermaidRiku; 07-29-2016 at 08:47 PM.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Chesapeake Pod Merman Dan's Avatar
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    For an actual instrument that uses water to make sound: http://splashtones.com
    For mock instruments shaped like sea critters: http://www.fla-keys.com/news/news.cfm?sid=8931
    For an underwater band: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_57...b0613b512a3116
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  7. #7
    Thank you so much for your addition! Those look really amazing!


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  8. #8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebzN79oNTJg
    A great tutorial on how to make a conch shell horn.

  9. #9
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    You could probably just buy an old brass instrument (Trumpet, french horn(i suggest single, its cheaper), trumbone) and as long as you dry it out as much as humanly possible after every swim, you should be good You might even be able to praay paint it and then put some sort of sealant on top, then hot glue some shells!

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Calizaire View Post
    I have for awhile longed to own a harp. But to play it above water.
    I love harps too!


    ~Neerai Every, the Pirate Mermaid~

  11. #11
    You could make a prop harp from insulation foam, paint it, and coat it with a nontoxic waterproof sealant like silicone.


    And it's possible to play string instruments underwater, aside from the whole rotting and being destroyed part. You could use a waterproof guitar, made from a material like carbon fiber, or more inexpensively, the Makala Waterman is a plastic waterproof ukulele. I had one of these when I tried to learn ukulele a few months ago, and it was great. It's waterproof and borderline indestructible. I played it in the shower, though the fretboard cracked slightly (less than an inch) after I threw it about 30 feet and used it as a tennis racket to hit a banana.
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  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Takahao View Post
    You could make a prop harp from insulation foam, paint it, and coat it with a nontoxic waterproof sealant like silicone.


    And it's possible to play string instruments underwater, aside from the whole rotting and being destroyed part. You could use a waterproof guitar, made from a material like carbon fiber, or more inexpensively, the Makala Waterman is a plastic waterproof ukulele. I had one of these when I tried to learn ukulele a few months ago, and it was great. It's waterproof and borderline indestructible. I played it in the shower, though the fretboard cracked slightly (less than an inch) after I threw it about 30 feet and used it as a tennis racket to hit a banana.


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  13. #13
    The ukulele? It's awesome. It has decent tuning stability, which means it doesn't go bad, and the plastic body that makes it waterproof also gives it this mellow tone similar to that of a steelpan.

    You could try attaching some fake seaweed and aquarium plants to it, but I'm worried it might affect the tone. But some thinned acrylic paint applied to the inside, to look like ocean water could look pretty cool.
    Proud Merman, Eaglescout, DIYer, and lover of nature

  14. #14
    I have 2 harps. One of them is my lap harp that is only 1.5 octovea and about a foot tall. The other is 3.5 octaves and stands about 3 feet tall. I made it out of pcv pipe so i suspect it is waterproof. It is constantly slipping out of tune though.


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  15. #15
    Senior Member Euro Pod Echidna's Avatar
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    I know the "underwater instrument"-mers will love this:



    I've done it (with a much smaller harp xD ), since I still have not managed to get my hands on a hydraulophone sadly.

  16. #16
    Senior Member Euro Pod MermanOliver's Avatar
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    Interesting, didn't expect plucked strings like harps or ukulele to work well underwater. As far as I understood water dampens the free vibrating strings a lot, so continuously excited srings (like celli and violins) should work better, I always thought.

    If I remember correctly, it even has been a question in a quiz show a couple of months ago ("Die Maus-Show", for our German speaking mers ).

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  17. #17
    Senior Member Euro Pod MermanOliver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Echidna View Post
    I know the "underwater instrument"-mers will love this:



    I've done it (with a much smaller harp xD ), since I still have not managed to get my hands on a hydraulophone sadly.
    Ah, ok. Now that I was able to see the complete video (and read the description), that dampening was actually what happened, she noted it in the text that she had to dub the harp sound due to that (the first few notes were the original, as I understand). A cool effect, nevertheless.

    A mer-band would be cool! And I think there was a art project some time ago wich held an underwater concert, wasn't there?

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  18. #18
    Senior Member Euro Pod Echidna's Avatar
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    yes, the first few notes were original. Thought it sounded nice too, just like pizzicato strings.

    The underwater band/concert was a neat idea, but they are just regular dudes, not merfolk^^

  19. #19
    Bit of a necropost but I have recently learned that ocarinas are actually historic instruments not just from video games and I am obsessed. I bought two, but theres one thats shaped like a little shark that I want (and a few other water critters) that hangs on a necklace and I was curious if they would 1) work under water (although using precious air to play an instrument instead of stay under seems kinda dumb) and 2) if it would damage the instrument to be submerged. One of my thoughts was not necessarily playing under water, but that I wear it around my neck while swimming and play it above water.
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  20. #20
    Senior Member Euro Pod MermanOliver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by theMerFanc View Post
    Bit of a necropost but I have recently learned that ocarinas are actually historic instruments not just from video games and I am obsessed. I bought two, but theres one thats shaped like a little shark that I want (and a few other water critters) that hangs on a necklace and I was curious if they would 1) work under water (although using precious air to play an instrument instead of stay under seems kinda dumb) and 2) if it would damage the instrument to be submerged. One of my thoughts was not necessarily playing under water, but that I wear it around my neck while swimming and play it above water.
    It depends on the material if it would get damaged, I guess. If I am not too mistaken there are some made of burned clay or even metal. They should be quite water resistant and survive a swim.

    But you won't be able to actually play them under water. It was an experiment they did on TV, trying a trumpet, a guitar and a violin. The only instrument that actually worked somehow was the violin, due to the strings being constantly excited by the bow, although it would be quite ruined after that. The trumpet didn't work at all, and the same will go for all air-based instruments.

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