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1. Subtle textures that keep you hooked

One of the key strengths of “All I Got” is its background movement – textures and subtle details that fill out the sound without overwhelming the mix or distracting from the main elements. A combination of white noise sweeps and percussive sounds, both small and not-so-small, creates a sense of movement just below the surface, evolving subtly as the track progresses.

Keinemusik keeps these background elements subtle, prioritizing the atmosphere they create rather than drawing direct focus. This approach rewards repeat listening – these textures may not be immediately apparent, but they add a tension and depth that makes the track compelling. This adds replay value, as listeners notice something new each time.

Komplete’s Replika XT plugin is excellent for creating similar dynamic background elements. Replika XT emulates analog-style delays and modulation, creating textures that are both rich and natural. The analog characteristics of this delay add a nuanced, driven sound that contributes to the track’s backdrop without overtaking it.

Pro tip: Use the Lo and Hi Cut parameters to control where the delay sits in the mix. Cutting higher frequencies can help blend the delay into the track’s background, especially for detailed elements. Automating these cuts can help the delay weave in and out of focus at key moments.

Some musicians are content working with familiar, time-tested instruments that deliver predictable but reliable results. Others, however, push beyond convention. They seek to make sounds that could never have been heard before. Over time, musicians and instrument makers have experimented with new materials and designs that sometimes lead to groundbreaking inventions, and sometimes make oddities that push the boundaries of what we consider music to be.

These weird instruments challenge our way of thinking about music-making. Some have found their way into mainstream music, but others remain niche curiosities that are waiting to be explored by adventurous composers and music producers.

In this article, we’re diving into ten of the weirdest instruments ever created. Some are steeped in tradition, and others are futuristic experiments. All of them show how far musicians will go in the pursuit of new sounds.

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Creating weird instruments: musicians as innovators

The need for new sounds is a constant in music. As genres evolve, we as artists and producers look for fresh ways to capture our artistic visions. Sometimes, we simply want to surprise our audiences. That’s why we can spend hours creating the perfect synth patch, why orchestral composers experiment with extended techniques, and why some experimental musicians build custom instruments from scratch.

Some of the most famous innovations in music history started as strange, niche ideas. The electric guitar, the synthesizer, and the drum machine were once considered radical departures from traditional instruments. Today, they define entire genres.

Let’s take a look at some of the most unique instruments of all time.

Kerry, could you share a bit about your background and what inspired you to found the Young Urban Arts Foundation?

I was born into chaos at Holloway Prison, to a mother serving time. My father was deeply involved in crime and my early years were marked by instability, poverty and survival. I grew up in an environment where options felt limited and I saw how easy it was to get caught in a cycle that seemed impossible to escape.

Music became more than just an escape, it was a lifeline. It connected me to mentors, to people who genuinely cared and to a world beyond what I knew. Without those key influences, without those people who saw something in me before I saw it in myself, my story could have been very different.

I was at a crossroads. One where the wrong step could have taken me down a very different path. Instead, I was given an opportunity. There wasn’t a single defining moment but a series of moments. People, music and experiences that guided me towards something greater. One of those was my time in New York, immersed in hip-hop culture, battling, learning and seeing that there was more out there for me. That trip shifted my perspective, it made me realise that my voice had power.

That’s why I founded the Young Urban Arts Foundation (YUAF) because I know that access to creativity, mentorship and opportunity can change lives. I wanted to create the kind of support system I never had growing up. A space where young people feel seen, heard and empowered. Through our Studio Bus, we bring creativity directly into communities, offering young people a way to express themselves, heal and build self-belief.

For me, music was never just about sound, it was about survival, transformation and rewriting my story. Now, through YUAF, I’m helping the next generation rewrite theirs.

Daphne Oram (1925–2003) was a trailblazing electronic composer, inventor of the Oramics Machine, and a passionate advocate for electronic music as a legitimate art form. She co-founded the influential BBC Radiophonic Workshop and contributed significantly to the development of experimental sound techniques. Despite receiving an offer to study at The Royal College of Music in 1942, Oram chose to work as a Junior Studio Engineer at the BBC, where her career in electronic music began.

By the mid-1940s, Oram was composing music that combined acoustic orchestration with live electronics and turntables. She lobbied the BBC to provide electronic music facilities and began experimenting with musique concrète techniques, recording, manipulating, and looping tape sounds.

In the 1950s, her groundbreaking experiments with tape machines culminated in the creation of the BBC’s first wholly electronic score using sine wave oscillators, tape recorders, and filters. This growing demand for electronic sounds led to the establishment of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1958, which Oram co-founded.

Disillusioned by the BBC’s focus on using the Workshop primarily for background music and sound effects rather than original compositions, Oram left the organization just one year after its founding. She set up her own studio, Oramics Studios for Electronic Composition, at Tower Folly. There, she explored her artistic vision more fully, composing works for radio, film, advertisements, exhibitions, and live performances. Her uncredited contributions even included sound effects for James Bond films such as Dr. No and Goldfinger.

Oram’s most notable invention, the Oramics Machine, was a revolutionary “drawn sound” synthesis and sequencing system. It allowed users to draw waveforms, pitches, and volume envelopes on film to generate sounds, embodying her innovative spirit and commitment to expanding the boundaries of electronic music. Today, she is remembered as a pioneer whose contributions helped shape the evolution of electronic music.

What is a soundtrack?

In its broadest sense, “soundtrack” can mean all of the sound in a film, including music, dialogue, and foley. Some people use the term soundtrack to refer to a film’s general soundworld – not just the music.

More often, though, “soundtrack” describes the songs or compositions used in a film – especially if these songs weren’t made specifically for the film. Many films use pre-existing music, such as beloved pop songs or famous classical pieces, to evoke a certain mood or era. When we talk about this music, we’re talking about a movie’s soundtrack.

Assembling a soundtrack is often the work of a Music Supervisor, who sources the perfect music and gets it licensed for use in the film.

To make things more complicated, “soundtrack” has an extra, overlapping meaning. When the music from a film is released commercially, this release is often referred to as the soundtrack, or OST (original soundtrack).

An OST typically features music from the original score, pre-existing songs used in the film, or a combination of the two. It might also include dialogue and foley, or even music that was never featured in the film – such as a song that the director found inspiring.

The best soundtracks (or OSTs) create a pleasurable listening experience that immerses the listener in the atmosphere of the film. Different OSTs approach this in different ways.

Replicating acoustic instrumentation has to be done with grace. You need to make sure that the dynamics are there and feel played. You need to tastefully disguise the layers and fit them into the room using reverb and compression. You need to ensure smooth transitions between notes and have the proper wavelength.

Generally speaking, it’s good to use most sample-based instrumentation in an additive sense, but not as the main character. That does depend on the library as well. Not all sample-based libraries are created equal. Some are better at mimicking reality than others.

Start making sampler-based instruments sound real

We’d like to extend a massive thank you to Towerz for joining us and sharing his expertise on making sampler-based acoustic instruments sound lifelike as if played by a real musician. He really hit the nail on the head, emphasizing that a lot comes down to layering, attention to detail, and using the right Kontakt libraries.

These details might seem obvious once you know they’re there, but are often overlooked by newer producers. Knowing these intricacies is crucial in turning sampler-based instruments into lifelike sounds. Hopefully, by the end of this interview, Towerz has given you a fantastic starting point to replicate these techniques and achieve similar results in your own music.

And as always, none of this would be possible without powerful tools like Kontakt 8, so be sure to check it out through the link below.

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5. Balance hardware and software in your productions

While acknowledging the power of modern software, Saunderson still appreciates the tactile experience of working with hardware synthesizers and controllers. He combines the best of both worlds, using Ableton and Maschine alongside classic synths like the Matrix and Moog Sub 37. “I appreciate the new school, but I still like a combination of hardware and software.”

Kevin also brings his video home with key advice for new producers about mastering a few tools thoroughly rather than spreading yourself too thin:

“Learn your tools, don’t use too many synthesizers and keys, and plugins, especially in the beginning. Get a few things that you need and learn them well.”

Start learning your tools

We hope you’ve been inspired by Kevin Saunderson’s music production tips. Explore Maschine+ and start making your next song using hands-on programming with premium instruments and effects.

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When layering samples in Kontakt, keeping things clear is key. What’s your approach for making sure all those layers stay distinct and hit right?

I like to put a ton down, and remove later.

A lot of the times when I’m working, I will speed-run numerous ideas, put down everything that sounds good to me at the moment – and delete or move it around the project.  If it’s not adding anything, so be it. Speaking of layering, one of my favorite moves with Kontakt is to browse some of the libraries like Straylight and Pharlight – you can get impressive drone notes and atmosphere quickly.

Try picking one that works well with a higher note – something like C4-C5, and then something that works well down an octave from there or two. Play the drones at the root note of the scale and then play your chord progression only with a nice fat Reese bass underneath – EQ out the drone notes low end and anything that gets in the way and you’re already off to a great start for an atmospheric, moody songstarter.

Now fire up something like Una Corda and play the chord progression, and you’re off to the races.