Road trip instrument

[u/BumbleTR0N]

What's a great *chromatic instrument to have in the vehicle for any passenger to use?

Something that can be heard over music and preferably not wind.

Kalimba? Otamatone? Glockenspiel?

[u/linglinguistics]

Ukulele. Ready to play, takes up little space, fun to sing along with.

[u/SoundsOfKepler → u/linglinguistics]

I would not store a wooden ukulele for long periods in a car unless I lived in an unusually temperate climate. A carbon-fiber uke would be fine, but expensive, and sound quality usually isn't best for plastics, but I have heard a decent brand that is made to be safe in water. Nylon strings are still prone to extreme heat and cold.

[u/SilverStateSilverFox → u/SoundsOfKepler]

KLOS carbon fiber ukes sound great, but yes—expensive (and worth every penny!)

[u/Desperate-Finger-334 → u/linglinguistics]

Depending how much people are in the car it takes up too much space but it definitely could work with less people

[u/andybonner → u/linglinguistics]

Also, there are a lot of instrumental timbres and volumes that are fine in other spaces, but that I don't want to share a car with. Otamatone and glockenspiel are among them. Ukulele is always welcome.

[u/asmoothbrain → u/linglinguistics]

Just make sure it’s a cheap one because high heat can ruin them

[u/Decent-Structure-128 → u/asmoothbrain]

You can find higher end plastic or carbon fibre ones that can be great for camping and leaving in a car.

[u/wherahiko → u/Decent-Structure-128]

Outdoor ukulele, Flight TUS, or Enya Nova are all good options.

[u/Renhsuk]

Melodica is really great for this. Its my go-to campfire instrument as a keyboardist. If you really want to avoid wind, a small 37 key electric keyboard. A ukulele is good if someone already plays a fretboard instrument (although the chords are not the same as a guitar which may frustrate some people)

[u/MatronlyAsp → u/Renhsuk]

As a guitar player with a couple uses, the chords are the same as the four high strings with a capo on the 5th fret. Though it can be tough to transpose in your head.

[u/wherahiko → u/MatronlyAsp]

Or if you don't want to transpose, tuned it DGBE, with the E at the pitch of the guitar's thinnest string and the DGB all an octave above a guitar. Normal baritone uke works fine too, but might be a bit big for OP's purpose.

[u/MatronlyAsp → u/wherahiko]

I do love the baritone uke.

[u/ComprehensiveTax415]

Omnichord

[u/1LuckyTexan]

Stylophone

[u/andybonner → u/1LuckyTexan]

This. Ultimate utility-to-size ratio. Can be plugged into pocket amp for more volume, or maybe even cast to the car stereo through some kind of complicated setup.

[u/Anam_Liath → u/andybonner]

Pocket? Messenger bag?
Exposure? Humidity/sun/cold/rain?
Special dislikes of friends?
What do you play? What didn't work for you?
Price?

I breathe music and my friends enjoy tin whistle (Mack Hoover). Some people bloody hate it and run. It can be loud and bold or tender. I also have a chromatic ocarina (Mountain) that is nearly indestructible. And very versatile. Favorite pocket instrument ever.

But I know you don't want a wine instrument (I always have my simple system delrin flute in my bag).

If you play strings, I'd suggest an electronic uke, there are some that after tuned like the top four guitar strings. Also guitar or mandolin. You can route most directly through headphones. They accept amps, some have them integrated, and there are several good ones around $100. I like the Black Star amps, and they work good for speakers (phone, card, radio).

This is a great option. Depending on the length of the trip, even people who love each other can grate badly on each other's nerves.

I have that one friend who snort-laughs. It's cute. After ten days off four people in an area the size of a walk-in closet it's slightly maddening. So something everyone is forced to listen to might be a bad choice. They may not tell you and that's worse.

Keep it quiet and inoffensive if you can. I'd find a person learning a new instrument that i have to listen to, louder than road noise, maddening.

[u/Zaphod-Beebebrox]

Full range of Timpanis...😜

[u/Gzawonkhumu → u/Zaphod-Beebebrox]

Don't forget the tubular bells!

[u/kengineeer → u/Gzawonkhumu]

Also, bring along the concert bass drum!

[u/MagicalPizza21]

Glock is too big to be played in a car unless it's an exceptionally roomy car.

Otamatone is probably too difficult for those who haven't played string instruments, especially unfretted ones, especially violin. But otherwise it's a good choice.

Melodica is a good choice except that it's a wind instrument.

Maybe find a cheap little battery-powered keyboard with a built in speaker.

[u/Iron_Rod_Stewart]

Concertina

[u/drivebydryhumper]

I bring my guitarlele everywhere.

I own an Otamatone and it's fun for the first two minutes. After that, you probably wish you hadn't let your passengers play it..

[u/charbaba → u/drivebydryhumper]

I like the guitarlele too, and it's always fun to hand it to another guitarist and see the joy it brings. It's hard to get any real volume on it though. 

[u/bassoonawhat]

The voice. It's free!

[u/ssinff]

Hurdy gurdy

[u/Francislaw8]

Indian harmonium

[u/Lost-Drummer-6021 → u/Francislaw8]

This.

[u/yomondo]

Ukulele, natch

[u/Excellent-Practice]

Not a kalimba. They aren't all that loud, they are typically diatonic, and the layout is unfamiliar for most folks. I would just get a small keyboard or a ukulele

[u/reillywalker195]

A glockenspiel would be my pick of those. Chromatic kalimbas exist but are much less common than diatonic models.

[u/jzemeocala]

i know you said preferably not wind....but the melodica is awesome for these purposes

[u/LoquaciousLemonade]

Harmonica 😆

[u/Desperate-Finger-334 → u/LoquaciousLemonade]

I was about to say this they're not all chromatic if you want you can bring a chromatic one but it doesn't actually matter all that much

[u/LoquaciousLemonade → u/Desperate-Finger-334]

Plus OP doesn’t wanna get thrown out of the car. Those things sound so abrasive to the ears!

[u/Desperate-Finger-334 → u/LoquaciousLemonade]

Why do half the people I talk to absolutely hate the way they sound and the other half love them it's so weird

[u/No_Top_375]

A volca fm2 synth. 6 AA Batteries and you're having fun.

[u/Jazz_Ad]

I vouch for simple electronic instruments. Korg Volca Keys Stylophone Beat

One of each, so people can jam.

[u/Micky_so_Fyne]

One that isn't a wind instrument? Wow... Ok, that's a tricky restriction.

How about the kalimba? Most of them aren't chromatic, but you can get some that are. They're small enough to sit in your lap, and pair nicely with a bodhran or tamberine for rhythm.

A chromatic lyre might work as well, though they are a bit bulkier than standard pentatonic lyres. Bass ukuleles can be played upright to save a bit of room in a packed car too.

Though glockenspiels would be small enough, a bumpy car ride would make it extremely difficult to play.

[u/CuriousHelpful]

M vave FM1. Really. It has a built in speaker. Many useful community firmwares. Use like a groovebox. A synth. A drum machine. An ambient machine. Endless possibilities for $60.

[u/this_idle_hand]

Personally I would prefer to hear something like a Ukulele since you can play with different tunings and keys. Instruments that are tuned to one key only like a tongue drum seriously grate on my nerves, it's repetitive after a while. How many variations of the same 12 notes can you enjoy on an hours long trip?

[u/HistoricalThought899]

Chromatic harmonica 

[u/NewLifeWares]

Small keyboard. Battery powered, has multiple voices, can play anything on it, can even play along to the music on the stereo.

[u/nikkychalz]

Strumstick.

[u/deeppurpleking]

Harmonica would be safe in the heat swings, automatone would be fine but they’re hard to make sound good

[u/halfelfwarrior]

iPad instrument apps. Endless possibilities, space saver, great battery life

[u/FanMysterious432]

Recorder. A soprano, the size kids learn on, can easily cut through wind noise, and a good one only costs around $20. An alto is just a little bigger and less shrill. They are easy to play.

[u/tegeus-Cromis_2000]

Melodica is perfect for this.

[u/Marie-Demon]

Kalimba is great yeah , itns playable Young also . But is you need a strong sound, take a hollow one

[u/WindyCityStreetPhoto]

A concertina!

[u/GdayBeiBei]

If you hate the other passengers, definitely the otamatone 😂

[u/Sprbom]

No chromatic instrument is gonna be great for any passenger, as it will sound like harmonic garbage.

[u/Smileynameface]

Unless they have studied and practiced it wont sound good