The Musical Wood That Sings

The daxophone is a wooden instrument that mimics the human voice. Played by rubbing a bow against a thin strip of wood, it produces haunting, speech-like sounds that sound startlingly biological.

Invented in the late 1980s, this unique device uses a single wooden blade clamped to a block containing contact microphones. By sliding a curved wooden handle along the blade, the player changes the pitch and timbre with incredible precision. Because of its organic construction, the instrument can create vocal cries, whispers, and groans. Many listeners find its voice-like quality eerie because it sounds so much like a living creature rather than a machine.