This marble-powered music-making machine is insane but amazing

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See Martin Molin's 2000-ball instrument in action

Does spending 14 months building an outrageous musical contraption that's powered by marbles mean that you've lost yours? If the end result is as impressive as the Wintergartan Marble Machine, we'd say not.

Looking like a cross between a xylophone, an antique printing press and a spinning machine, this remarkable instrument is powered by 2000 marbles. Molin says that he hoped to film the performance above in such a way that people would be able to understand how the marble machine works, but we can't get our heads around it.

That doesn't really matter, though: just watch and be amazed. What next - a candle-powered effects pedal? (Actually, that's already been invented.)

Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.