Some instruments are bigger than others. But which instruments are the biggest of them all? Let’s take a look at three interesting and sizeable instruments.
Humans have developed hundreds of musical instruments, ranging from the traditional and beloved piano to unusual pieces like bagpipes and didgeridoos. Most of these instruments feature slim, dainty figures small enough for the average human to wield, but others are more cumbersome. Ahead, read about some of the largest kinds of musical instruments.
Powwow Drums
Who needs hand drums when you can get a drum so massive that eight people can play it at once? Most powwow drums are handmade from wood and rawhide and range from two to three feet wide. They’re quite stately in appearance.
The powwow drum has a large personality to match its physical immensity. Powwow drums play a special role at powwow ceremonies, which are colorful gatherings where people from various Native American tribes get together to dance, sing, socialize, and celebrate their culture and heritage.
Zeusaphone
Everyone knows Zeus, the ancient god who uses lightning bolts as weapons and has romanced just about every single lady in Greece. You might have already guessed it, but the Zeusaphone is an instrument powered by electricity—and like Zeus, it’s larger than life. It uses Tesla coils to produce musical tones via sparks.
Zeusaphones vary in size. Most of the size comes not from the Tesla coils themselves, but from the arcs of electricity they generate, which can be anywhere from a few inches to several feet long.
Octobass
Luthier Jean-Baptise Vuillaume knew he was born for a purpose. Turns out, that purpose was inventing one of the largest kinds of musical instruments in the world—the octobass, a massive fiddle that’s the size of two fully-grown men and produces a sound so sonorous it puts regular basses to shame.
In fact, the octobass is much too unwieldy for one person alone. It takes two people to play the fiddle—one draws the bow while the other frets the strings.
