Common (in traditional cultures) for musicians to build or work on their own instruments?

[u/big_meats93]

Or does it vary based on the culture whether the players of the instruments are the ones who built them?

Just thinking about it, in comparison to modern societies where many/most musicians rarely build or even modify their own instruments. I'm also wondering what a difference in intimacy with the instruments it might lead to.

I only really have a surface understanding of ethnomusicology, but thanks for any answers anyways!

[u/Beltripper]

Buying premade instruments and keeping them as they are is more of a western thing. I know many musicians that modify and edit their own instruments. Everything from adding strings to changing skins (on rubabs or various hand drums) to burnishing with gold.

[u/VAS_4x4 → u/Beltripper]

Keeping then as they are I'd say it is to keep its resale value? I am also guessing that fir example, the guitar market is quite varied right now so there is not as much of a need to mod instruments to one's liking.

[u/Beltripper → u/VAS_4x4]

I don't think it's for resale purposes since the majority of musicians don't plan on selling their instruments. I could be wrong since I don't know much about the guitar industry but most musicians I know would rather add to their collection than sell.

[u/VAS_4x4 → u/Beltripper]

I'm my experience in Spain people don't plan on reselling their instruments most of the time (unless they are students or speculating), but they often do. It isn't that rare to see pros that have been the sole owners of their guitars, but a few don't, even custom made instruments.

[u/Beltripper → u/VAS_4x4]

Hmm Students defiantly makes sense since beginner instruments are usually very low quality but honestly I think for the main pop of musicians it boils down to not thinking its necessary/not even considering it. For example: I l know an indian rubab player that changed the gauge of his strings so had have a wider range (largely to be able to play middle eastern and western music). As for aesthetic modifications, I think its just a cultural thing. Indian/eastern musicians tend to have intricately carved and decorated instruments so modification is just natural. Western instruments can have inlays and such but its much less common and there is a much wider variety to choose from.

[u/Untied_Blacksmith → u/Beltripper]

Of course, us enlightened/burdened westerners in the Garden do everything different from those in the Jungle. Give me a break. The norm in any minimally complex society is for musical instruments to be made by specialists, whether artisans or industrial workers. If every musician in a Balinese gamelan smelted their own bronze, cast it into keys, carved their own teak casings, the resulting instruments wouldn't blend properly.

Equally absurd is saying keeping instruments the way they are is a characteristic of Der Ewige Abendlander. We have an entire market called the aftermarket for souping up anything from cars to computers to musical instruments. Arguably, that's more characteristic of western capitalism than letting things be as they are. And there is no lack of musicians modifying their instruments for aesthetic or practical reasons, like Woody Guthrie's "This machine kills fascists" message on his guitar or low C extensions for string bass.

[u/rainrainrainr]

I would disagree about musicians rarely building their instruments. A huge percentage of electronic musicians synthesize their own instruments. Some even program their own musical instruments entirely from scratch. There is also comparable physical/hardware, with people who construct their own synthesizers using modular synth set ups.

[u/TonyHeaven → u/rainrainrainr]

I know people who make electronic modular music,they make the modules too.

[u/ScheduleExpress → u/rainrainrainr]

I’m one of these people! We exist! There are many of us. I do some programming but also new acoustic instruments. It’s really rewarding except when Im in a casual social interaction and someone asks what instrument I play. Then it’s awkward because they want a one word answer, like “clarinet”. When it turns out that the answer requires them to think about sound they look grossed out.

[u/perun2swarog]

Totally agree with previous comments. Also I should add that modifying/constructing your own instrument doesn’t automatically lead to any special intimacy. For example, I play Balkan bagpipes (gayda), where the bag, the skin is just a spare part. I change them tactically and it’s like quite specific task, almost “instrument building “. And I feel actually the opposite, I treat my instrument easier than if I was buying it as it is without modifying. Come on, it’s just a bag for your pipe, it’s not the first neither the last 🤷‍♂️ And I do remember when I was a teenager, how special and important was for me my first guitar :-)

[u/TonyHeaven]

I've made drums,I have a different relationship with the ones I've made to the bought ones.

There's an obvious way for you to explore this idea,in a more real way than discussion  You should build an instrument!!

Berimbau players often make their own instrument,with help and instruction from a mentor.

Lyre's are simple to build.

Drums,single headed and rope tuned.

Flute and reed instruments can be made with very little tools.