The Classic Waterphone
This exotic instrument creates ethereal sounds that have been featured in horror movies, popular music, and used to communicate with whales and other cetaceans. It was invented in 1968 by Richard Waters who wanted to combine the design and tones of the Tibetan Water Drum and African Thumb Piano. The waterphone has a stainless steel resonator bowl that holds water and is surrounded by 28 bronze tonal rods. It is played by striking the rods or sliding a bow across them. Angling the instrument moves the water, producing a continuous glissando from one pitch to another, generating sounds similar to that of a musical saw, Theremin, or whale calls.
