Original American Instruments?

[Don Lampson]

I've always heard that the banjo was the only true American instrument, invented by Roscoe Sweeny in the 1830s..... I wonder if this is perhaps an outdated truth, or urban myth?

Isn't the pedal steel is another? What do you folks think? Can anyone come up with another instrument of uniquely American invention?

Don

[Otterhound]

The electric guitar , mountain dulcimer .

[guitar george]

The sousaphone.

From the internet: Any American can recognize the opening notes of “Stars and Stripes Forever” and that most essential instrument of the American marching band — the sousaphone. The sousaphone is named after John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), who had early sousaphones made according to his specifications in the late nineteenth century.

[Jim Owen]

Don,
The banjo was probably an African import. Jefferson records that slaves played something called a banjer.

[Silurian]

Synthesizer?

It wasn't the first electronic instrument. But my understanding is that Moog produced the first commercial device that today we would call a synthesizer capable of being played live.

[Long Jon]

Didn’t you chaps come up with the armadillo shell rattle ? Or clapsticks ?


The Swanee whistle .. ?

[jpd]

http://americaomg.com/amazing-musica...ented-america/

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by Long Jon

Didn’t you chaps come up with the armadillo shell rattle ? Or clapsticks ?


The Swanee whistle .. ?

Clapsticks have been in use in Australia by the native people for a very long time .

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by guitar george

The sousaphone.

From the internet: Any American can recognize the opening notes of “Stars and Stripes Forever” and that most essential instrument of the American marching band — the sousaphone. The sousaphone is named after John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), who had early sousaphones made according to his specifications in the late nineteenth century.

Isn't the Sousaphone just another configuration of a tuba, only easier carry?

Don

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

The electric guitar , mountain dulcimer .

The electric guitar is just another guitar. The fretboards are the same. I think the mountain dulcimer would qualify - If indeed, it was invented in America?

Don

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Don Lampson

The electric guitar is just another guitar. The fretboards are the same.Don

Can’t agree. Leo (Fender) has patents that make it completely different. If it were an acoustic with a pickup, yes. Thet’s Like saying American Football is the same as rugby. Similar ball and played on a large pitch but two different games.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by Don Lampson

Isn't the Sousaphone just another configuration of a tuba, only easier carry?

Don

My understanding of the Sousaphone is that it was designed to be easier to carry in a marching band as well as project its sound differently than the tuba . How ironic that the video of Stars and Stripes is performed without a Sousaphone . the tuba certainly is more appropriate for the seated band configuration because of its more compact shape as well as projecting its sound upward instead of forward .

[Bikewer]

I seem to recall that the Dulcimer is just a type of Zither, well-known in Europe prior to the founding of the colonies here.

[lowrider]

A zither is more like an auto-harp. You could make a case though, the a dulcimer is an adaptation of a violin.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by lowrider

A zither is more like an auto-harp. You could make a case though, the a dulcimer is an adaptation of a violin.

Or even a hammered dulcimer .
The mountain dulcimer has more in common with a scheitholt than other instruments .