It’s no longer that uncommon to see a typewriter in a home. The antique piece of office supply can frequently be found decorating desks and end tables, highlighting the vintage #aesthetic of your hipper friends (or favorite celebrities). However, despite the typewriter’s resurgence into popular interior design, the machine has basically drifted pretty exclusively into the land of home decor. By and large, the machines go unfortunately unused.
However, to one Boston music group, typewriters have become more vital than ever. While the group probably still does its typing on a modern-day computer, they’ve given typewriters a new lease on life by revamping them in to musical instruments. Anyone who has ever used an old typewriter knows the litany of unique sounds that come from the machine, and those noises have been wielded by these creative musicians to form an actual band that plays actual songs. Meet the Boston Typewriter Orchestra:
Ever since the percussion group Stomp hit theaters in the ’90s, non-musical objects have been roped into creating all sorts of unique, percussive tunes. But for the Boston Typewriter Orchestra to not only be able to string together errant sounds in something pleasant to listen to, but also organize several people to contribute to one song is pretty impressive. I mean, if you watch any movie set in a 1940s office environment, you can see how quickly a group of people working on typewriters can become nothing more than cacophony.
The Boston Typewriter Orchestra is captivating audiences everywhere, and has made a number of original, typewriter-based songs. While the orchestra does tour, you don’t have to leave your house to hear the sweet sounds of the typewriter. The orchestra decided to fully embrace its vintage feel, and has even released a vinyl, and will be featured in the upcoming documentary California Typewriter. If you want to get a better taste of the group’s musical stylings, you can check out more of their songs on their website.
What do you think of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra? What other nontraditional instruments have you seen musicians use that you found inspiring? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Feature Image: Great Big Story/Youtube
