The most unusual musical instruments

Before washing machines became widespread, all washing was hand-washing. Doing laundry required soaking every shirt and sock in water, soaping it and rubbing it over a metal washboard to get rid of the dirt. After machines took over, enterprising musicians found other uses for washboards. “The washboard as a musical instrument is believed to have originated on Southern plantations, when slaves would make music with whatever tools were available. By the 1930s, the washboard had found its way into mainstream musical acts,” CBS News reported in 2018. “At its core, it's just metal and wood, typically played with thimbles to avoid hurting your fingers.” According to hobby website Our Pastimes, washboards are “currently used by performers of zydeco, jazz, jug bands and various forms of folk music.” Some companies now manufacture specialized electric and acoustic washboards. To hear the musical washboard, listen to this clip from British duo The Washboard Resonators. If you happen to have a washboard, start learning to play it here.