Let’s talk about some great moments in timbre. Timbre is the different ways you can express the same sound. For example, a G played by a trumpet sounds totally different from a G played by an acoustic guitar which sounds different from a G played by a banjo.

Even within instruments there’s a huge range of timbre. A muted trumpet sounds different from a trumpet with no mute. Electric guitars have an endless combination of effects. So, what are some of your favorite unique moments in timbre? I’ll give you some of mine:

The strange sound of an acoustic guitar recorded into a tape recorder and then re-recorded into a studio feed. It sounds like some weird, loosely strung electric guitar.

The backwards guitar solo around 1:32 here feels like some sleepy, weird trance.

The way Jimi Hendrix made his guitar sound like sirens and dropping bombs.

Tom Morello’s otherworldly tones are always fascinating. 3:54 in:

Speaking of otherworldly, the theremin is an alien invention.

Hard to imagine the soundtrack of the west without the slide guitar.

One more, a list about timbre wouldn’t be complete without the weirdness of the talk box.