Writing Prompt

WRITING OBSTACLE

Describe a musical instrument that hasn't been invented yet.

Consider not just its physical appearance, but the way it could be played, and the unique sound it would produce.

Writings

Something

Me and Buddy stumble into the rocky ruins, hunting for whatever it was our client was in hysterics about.

Something of immense value yada yada. Just another job to me and Buddy, but apparently the absolute motherload for our employer.

Anyway.

We navigate into the halls of some sort of important and very dated looking temple, its worn down textures and splitting marble a telltale sign of it’s apparent age.

Mother Nature made herself pretty comfortable here too. Had to kill a few hostile occupants of the insect and reptilian variety to get in here.

We’re walking past a load of old rickety chests and tightly locked golden coffins as Buddy stops suddenly enough to make me spill my instant coffee onto the floor.

“Wha- what’s the big idea-“

Well, I’ll be.

Straight out of something you’d see in some type of children’s fairytale. A levitating stringed looking instrument with a strangely long neck, shimmering nylon strung tightly across the bow and two symmetrically carved holes in its base was slowly rotating in the crevice to our left, humming with a sort of low rumble that made my insides relatively uncomfortable.

“I’d uh, I’d assume that’s it there.”

Buddy turns to me, an expectant look on their otherwise usually blank face.

“Uh, no. We definitely aren’t touching it directly.” I was hearing a whispering voice that sounded like it was ringing in unison with the seemingly neutral ambience in the room, and it was making me increasingly unnerved.

I get that it’s special, but maybe it’s locked away down here for a reason. You had to have a very very specific set of instructions to get in here, and I’m not particularly interested in being possessed by some random of ancient artifact.

Buddy’s anxious body language also appears to be growing disconcertingly restless.

“Fine. Use the glitter gloves, put it in the kevlar bag as fast as possible without damaging it, and let’s get the hell out of here.”

Buddy frowns.

“This is your speciality, not mine. I get us in and out, you handle the technicalities.”

Buddy shoves on the gloves, grabs the instrument with more aggressive emphasis than I would have preferred and places it in the bag.

“Great. Now we leave.”

And then we return to hand over whatever this subtly chattering instrument is.

I let out a long sigh.

Honestly, some days I question whether I’m cut out for this line of work. One of these days I’m gonna get yanked into an alternate dimension or something.

Cartunet

A Cartunet isn’t just an instrument—it’s pure adrenaline on wheels, a high-octane ride through the landscape of sound. You sit on it, feet on the pedals, hands gripping a stationary bar, and suddenly, you’re not just playing music; you’re driving it. The way your feet handle the pedals, the way your hands tweak the controls—it’s like you’re behind the wheel of a street racer, about to take off through winding roads.

Let’s take a closer look at its form. Designed by a world-class team of musicians from the London philanthropic and select members of Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT), this marvelous modern-day musical marvel can sing up to fifteen thousand revolutions per minute. It has a sleek white, curved fiberglass body housing a single black Recaro leather seat with red stitching. In front of the seat and seemingly hovering above the floor, rest three gray Graphite foot pedals positioned in a way that would look at home in most any sports car worth its salt. And there’s even a cup holder for good measure.

Now on to function. The leftmost pedal is the clutch. But, instead of gaining speed through shifts, you’re shifting octaves. Move the shifter knob with your right hand and… BAM! The music launches into the stratosphere, bright, echoing notes soaring above everything akin to hitting a long straightaway with the accelerator pinned. Downshift and it’s the opposite—you dive into deep, resonant tones that threaten to rip open the floor. Release the clutch… slowly… and the sound flows, smooth and effortless, your musical score drifting through a perfect turn. But instead, let go fast, and the octave drop hits, _hard, _the road suddenly disappearing beneath you. Oh yeah!

The brake pedal in the middle is all about control. Tap it and the music snaps into staccato beats, sharp and precise. You hear the whir of the compact C-Clef®️ engine. Press harder, and it’s like slamming the brakes—everything pulls back, reverse reverb sucking the sound into a tight, controlled stop. You can pulse it too, keeping a rhythm and making the music throb like an engine at idle.

But the real fun of the Cartunet is that “go” pedal on the right. Press it lightly, and the music starts to swell, like you’re picking up speed on an empty road. Everything builds in slow-motion. Press it harder and, whew, it all kicks into high gear. The tempo ramps up. Notes fire off. Like a nimble car racing through tight corners. But slam the pedal and oh baby—you hit overdrive. The sound; raw, distorted, roaring. A beehive of activity pushed to eleven—symphonious chaos in the extreme.

Play the Cartunet! Rev up your life!

THE TURKISH LUR

Archeologists have made a breaking discovery in Turkey’s ancient musical history: the lur.

The lur is believed to be an instrument denoted primarily to funerary settings, as it was unearthed in the site of an ancient morgue— however, interestingly enough, similar artifacts have been found in courthouses and prisons, only they are made out of steel instead of wood.

The lur is a heavy seven-stringed wooden instrument, measuring around a foot and a half in length. A**ll nine discovered artifacts of the lur weigh an average of twenty-two pounds. **Instead of being positioned on a surface to be played, it is hypothesized that the lur was instead carried by its musician, as it is equipped with a heavy leather strap to go around the torso. Though lack of evidence makes it difficult to prove whether fingers or picks were used to pluck the strings.

The strings make discordant, wobbly notes, similarly to a harp or untuned guitar. The lur’s sounds have been recorded in a study to cause unease in listeners, and to “sound like a woman’s gasp.”

As archeological evidence shows, the wooden lur was practiced in funerals, with a linked Turkish poem describing the high and low notes of the lur as representative of the dead’s soul having performed both evil deeds and good deeds.

In matters of law and punishment, the lur’s steel-designed cousin is believed to even play a role in the final rulings. The steel lur produces sharper and longer notes, and may have presented one’s innocence or guilt depending on the sequence that was played.

Luminara

Physical Appearance: The Luminara is an ethereal, semi-transparent instrument resembling a cross between a harp and a crystal chandelier. It stands about five feet tall, with a gracefully curved frame made from a lightweight, luminescent alloy that refracts light, casting colorful patterns on surrounding surfaces. The strings, composed of a blend of fine gossamer and synthetic fibers, shimmer in a spectrum of hues that change according to the pitch being played. At the top of the instrument, a series of delicate, crystal-like prisms dangle, each resonating with the vibrations of the strings, producing a soft, shimmering chime when touched. Playing the Luminara: The Luminara is played using a combination of touch and movement. Musicians wear specially designed gloves embedded with sensors that detect gestures and finger placements. Players can pluck the strings with their fingertips for a traditional sound or sweep their hands in fluid motions to create sweeping arpeggios and cascading melodies. The instrument responds to the player's movements, allowing them to manipulate the sound’s dynamics and timbre. Additionally, the Luminara features a unique “hover” technique: by moving their hands above the strings without making contact, players can create resonant harmonics and ethereal overtones, producing otherworldly sounds that seem to float in the air. The instrument also includes a built-in sound modulation system that allows for the layering of effects such as reverb, echo, and even synthesized sounds, enabling musicians to craft intricate sounds-capes. Unique Sound: The Luminara produces a sound that is both haunting and celestial, characterized by a blend of rich, warm tones and crystalline chimes. When plucked, the strings evoke a deep, resonant warmth akin to a cello, while the hovering techniques generate airy, bell-like tones that dance around the listener, creating an immersive auditory experience. The versatility of the Luminara allows it to traverse various musical genres, from classical to ambient to electronic. Its sound can shift from the gentle lullaby of a nightingale to the powerful crescendo of a storm, depending on the player’s expression and technique. The result is a captivating harmony that seems to echo the emotions of the performer, making each piece a unique moment in time. In performance, the Luminara not only captivates the audience with its sound but also with its visual effects; as musicians play, the instrument lights up in sync with the music, creating a mesmerizing display of colors that enhances the overall experience. The Luminara becomes not just an instrument, but a conduit for storytelling, evoking imagery and emotions that resonate deeply with all who listen.