Studying an unusual instrument means going against the grain of the system: most schools don’t teach it, specialised teachers are few, and pedagogical material is scarce. But the community that forms around a rare instrument tends to be intense, generous and very well connected. Here is a map of resources for some of the less obvious instruments.

Viola da Gamba

The bowed string instrument of the Baroque era, predecessor of the cello. It has six strings, frets, and a sound unlike any modern instrument.

Where to learn: specialist conservatories in Europe — the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel is one of the leading institutions for early music performance. In the UK, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music both offer viola da gamba.
Online: structured courses are scarce. The Viola da Gamba Society (UK) has resources and a teacher directory.
Reference: Jordi Savall (Catalan) is the most important viola da gambist in the world. His recordings with Hespèrion XXI are the essential starting point. Paolo Pandolfo is another key contemporary reference.

Harpsichord

The keyboard instrument that preceded the piano (plucked strings rather than struck). Enormous repertoire: Bach, Scarlatti, Couperin.

Where to learn: major conservatories with early music departments — Basel, The Hague (Royal Conservatoire), London. Summer courses in Italy (Accademia Chigiana, Siena) and Germany are well established.
Online: Tonebase has expanded its catalogue to include period instruments, with professors specialising in early repertoire.
References: Scott Ross, Gustav Leonhardt, Trevor Pinnock — three very different interpretive schools representing distinct national traditions and aesthetics.

Theremin

The only instrument played without physical contact. Controlled by the position of the hands in an electromagnetic field: one vertical antenna for melody, one horizontal for volume.

Where to learn: in-person options are very limited worldwide. The key reference is Carolina Eyck, Dutch thereminist who created the main pedagogical method (the “Eyck Method”) and offers online courses on her website.
Community: Theremin World — forum, resources and teacher directory. The global community is active and very welcoming for beginners.
Where to start: the Moog Theremini is the most affordable digital version for learning, with assisted tuning that makes the first steps easier.

Oud

The plucked string instrument of Arab and Mediterranean origin, predecessor of the European lute and guitar. Central in classical Arab, Turkish and Persian music, and in some flamenco repertoires.

Where to learn: Lessonface has teachers covering Arab, Turkish and Persian oud traditions, accessible to students anywhere. In London, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) offers programmes in world music including oud.
Online: Arab Instruments on YouTube has useful introductory material for beginners. Lessonface remains the best option for structured one-to-one lessons.
Festivals: world music festivals and ethnomusicology conferences often bring master oud players for workshops — worth checking local programme listings.

Carillons and Church Bells

The carillon is a percussion instrument of fixed bells, played from a manual keyboard (with the fists, not the fingers) and a pedalboard. There are hundreds of carillons across Europe, many accessible to the public through open concerts.

Where to learn: the world reference school is the Royal Carillon School “Jef Denyn” in Mechelen (Belgium), with summer courses and full professional carillonneur training. Instruction is available in English.
Network: the World Carillon Federation connects schools and performers worldwide and maintains a directory of teachers and instruments.
Getting started: many carillonneurs are open to showing their instrument to curious visitors — contacting your nearest carillon tower is often the best first step.

Reed Instruments — the Arundo Donax Connection

Arundo donax (giant Mediterranean cane) is the material from which clarinet, oboe, bassoon and saxophone reeds are made. A lively community of luthiers, performers and researchers has formed around this material.

Festival Arundo Donax: a festival dedicated to reed instruments, with construction workshops, concerts and research into the acoustic properties of cane. Highly specific but extraordinarily rich for oboists, clarinettists and instrument makers.
Mediterranean cane traditions: flaviol, gralla, tenora — instruments central to Catalan popular music culture. These traditions are preserved through direct transmission in folk music associations and popular culture groups.
For professional oboe and bassoon: making and adjusting your own reeds is a skill that leading performers master. Some chamber music festivals and orchestras offer dedicated reed-making workshops.

Sitar and Instruments of the Indian Subcontinent

Where to learn: very few schools in most Western cities. Individual teachers, yoga centres and cultural institutes sometimes offer introduction.
Online: Sitar Academy Online — structured courses in English with teachers in the tradition. The recordings of Nikhil Banerjee and Ravi Shankar are the unavoidable references.
Important note: classical Indian instruments (sitar, tabla, sarod) traditionally require years of study and a guru-student relationship with a master. Online learning is a useful initial supplement, not a substitute for that relationship.

Finding Teachers for Any Instrument

When there is no school: Lessonface, TakeLessons and the instrument’s own network (societies, federations, specialist festivals). The community around a rare instrument is small but very accessible — an email to the relevant society almost always gets a response. Teachers of unusual instruments tend to be receptive to new learners because the continuity of the tradition matters to them.

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