This instrument uses 2,000 marbles to create insane music

Not your average one-man-band

This instrument uses 2,000 marbles to create insane music

You probably haven't heard of the Swedish band Wintergatan. It features Martin Molin on bass, Martin Molin on drums, Martin Molin on xylophone... basically, it's not your average band.

Martin Molin is the creator and player of the Wintergartan Marble Machine - a vast wooden contraption that sends some 2,000 marbles scattering around its many tracks and cogs, causing them to "play" a variety of instruments in a programmed sequence. Think of it as the modern answer to an old street organ - but without the monkey dancing around on top.

Having recently finished his machine, and coded a series of musical pieces for it, Molin is preparing to go on tour in the summer. 

Check out the final build in action below - and then proceed to marvel at the "making of" video, that gives an insight how complex the 3,000-piece creation is. 

And no, it doesn't play Wonderwall

YouTube YouTube
Watch On
YouTube YouTube
Watch On

(Photo: Samuel Westergren)

Marc Chacksfield
Content Director

As Content Director of Shortlist, Marc likes nothing more than to compile endless lists of an evening by candlelight. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.