The MIM: The most incredible museum you'll ever hear ♪♫

We recently spent another afternoon at The MIM. This very unusual museum is located in Scottsdale, AZ and is "The Musical Instrument Museum". I think this was our fourth visit and I still am in awe. This is a global collection of all types of instruments, simply astounding. The presentation is excellent wireless proximity sound system that ties into each display for personal enjoyment. If you live in or visit the greater Phoenix area, you must go. The MIM website is comprehensive and will help to explain The MIM experience (link at end of this blog).

The MIM experience is simply overwhelming. But I would like to focus on just a few of the more unusual instruments...

The theremin is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the thereminist (performer). The instrument's controlling section usually consists of two metal antennas which sense the relative position of the thereminist's hands and control oscillators for frequency with one hand, and amplitude (volume) with the other. The theremin was originally the product of Russian government-sponsored research into proximity sensors.

Leon Theremin

There is a whole section just on harmonicas and some of the more unusual were this 6 sided version. There was also a short 1" long version and large 2 foot long version. There were harmonicas with horns like a trumpet.

Beethoven's 5th: Harmonicas

There are many harp guitars and similar type instruments with some fretted strings and some strings that are open and are plucked or resonate in harmony with the chords being played.

Harp guitar

There is an exhibit about instruments built from landfill trash. Absolutely beautiful story. Additionally in other exhibits are electric guitars made from old gallon oil cans or cigar boxes as the body. Certainly we're all familiar with the steel drums made from old 50 gallon drums. "Music is the language of the soul" is written all over the MIM, literally and figuratively.

Landfill Harmonic

 The MIM homepage : details, directions, costs, pictures, sounds, events...