Episode 5: Why Do So Many Cultures Invent the Same Instruments?

Why do people separated by thousands of kilometres—and sometimes thousands of years—often invent remarkably similar musical instruments?

In this episode of The Musical Archeologist, Craig Dabelstein explores one of the most thought-provoking ideas from Belgian musicologist Ernest Closson. Is it because musical ideas travelled with migrating peoples? Or do human beings, faced with the same materials and the same musical challenges, naturally arrive at similar solutions?

From flutes and drums to stringed instruments and bagpipes, this episode examines why the history of musical instruments is filled with striking parallels across cultures. It is a fascinating exploration of human creativity, innovation, and the remarkable ways in which music reflects both our shared humanity and our cultural diversity.

Source: Ernest Closson, The Musical Instrument as an Ethnographic Document Translated by Craig Dabelstein Published by Maxime's Music

Learn more: Podcast: https://craigdabelstein.com/podcast/ Books: https://books.by/maximes-music Maxime's Music: https://www.maximesmusic.com/

Music composed by Jeffrey A. Young.