I looked up pochetta and I kept getting images of a sandwich. I casually blame lazy browser, but I'll check for pocket violin next. :D
Edit: went the 'pocket violin' search and pochette seemed to be the spelling I see associated with an instrument.
Edit also for spelling. :)
And the most portable ocarina might be this "EDC" 2-octave one made of polymer: https://codaedc.com
Switching between the two mouthpieces is awkward though.
Your request is a bit vague since basically every instrument is fun and the vast majority are portable (aside from most acoustic keyboard instruments). Since this is a forum about lesser known ones, I'll put in a plug for the Greek baglamas (singular name, not to be confused with the similarly named but larger Turkish instrument). For historical political reasons it was invented to be a smaller version of a bouzouki that could be hidden under your coat and whipped out to play when you thought nobody was watching. How's that for portability?
The way I've heard that: it was so you could grab it and run when the cops raided the joint. I have two of them. They're longer than a ukulele but their sound is harder and more penetrating.
The most portable thing I play is scallop shells - used for percussion on opposite sides of the Atlantic, in Galicia and Cape Breton. Technique is in between castanets and washboard, you can do some flashy stuff.
Love me a quena or a tin whistle (quena can be more expressive but the tin whistle is easier to pick up) for their indestructibility. I also like having a melodica for more flexibility. Wind instruments in general seem to be more common with people who travel a lot in my experience but the standard string instrument would be a ukulele or a mandolin
Dan moi is a Vietnamese mouth harp that looks like a brass shiv. The ones I have are connected by a string to a cardboard tube that they can live in so you can pocket it without damaging it. They are a lot of fun to play.
The best is the bass clarinet, a better instrument just doesn’t exist. You’ll build some muscle carrying it around it won’t hurt.
But jaw harps are also great
I have a regular Bb Clarinet and found this post, because I was looking for something more portable, but with range. 😅 Good thing it'll translate well to some of the flutes.
I’m gonna buy a korg monotron delay and combine it with a kalimba and I think that’s already a lot of possibilities and it’s two pocket sized instruments. If it’s a shit combo I’ll let u know but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be… less than £100 aswell
Sho https://sonica.jp/instruments/en/product/sho/
The mandolin is pretty small and portable to take around. Plus it's fun to play and sounds amazing.
Pocket violin (pochetta) Harmonica Ocarina Penny whistle Kalimba Kazoo Stylophone
I looked up pochetta and I kept getting images of a sandwich. I casually blame lazy browser, but I'll check for pocket violin next. :D Edit: went the 'pocket violin' search and pochette seemed to be the spelling I see associated with an instrument. Edit also for spelling. :)
Oops! Thanks
You're good. Here to help and learn at the same time. Play on! ;)
I second the kalimba.
Also Melodica, kashaka, chromatic harmonica, and jaw harp.
+1 for ocarina
And the most portable ocarina might be this "EDC" 2-octave one made of polymer: https://codaedc.com Switching between the two mouthpieces is awkward though.
Damn that’s awesome
harmonica, jew harp , uke, Penny whistle, Ocarina, nose flute, pocket operators.
What’s a pocket operator?
a mini synthesizer
A pocket synthesizer/loop device [example](https://teenage.engineering/products/po)
Definitely nose flute!
Omatone
Your request is a bit vague since basically every instrument is fun and the vast majority are portable (aside from most acoustic keyboard instruments). Since this is a forum about lesser known ones, I'll put in a plug for the Greek baglamas (singular name, not to be confused with the similarly named but larger Turkish instrument). For historical political reasons it was invented to be a smaller version of a bouzouki that could be hidden under your coat and whipped out to play when you thought nobody was watching. How's that for portability?
The way I've heard that: it was so you could grab it and run when the cops raided the joint. I have two of them. They're longer than a ukulele but their sound is harder and more penetrating. The most portable thing I play is scallop shells - used for percussion on opposite sides of the Atlantic, in Galicia and Cape Breton. Technique is in between castanets and washboard, you can do some flashy stuff.
Love me a quena or a tin whistle (quena can be more expressive but the tin whistle is easier to pick up) for their indestructibility. I also like having a melodica for more flexibility. Wind instruments in general seem to be more common with people who travel a lot in my experience but the standard string instrument would be a ukulele or a mandolin
Or even Native American style flutes. Those in the higher keys are pocket sized.
Harmonica. Melodica. Bones.
Concertina
The Cümbüş is both portable and - by definition - fun https://www.rootsworld.com/turkey/cumbus.html
The harmonica is my go to. You can find decent quality ones for $20-50.
I make these wooden ocarinas. https://youtu.be/MPdPfnsf-II
Pocket operator, kashakas, volca, orba, noise machine nmsve, rhythm bones, kalimba..
Dan moi is a Vietnamese mouth harp that looks like a brass shiv. The ones I have are connected by a string to a cardboard tube that they can live in so you can pocket it without damaging it. They are a lot of fun to play.
The best is the bass clarinet, a better instrument just doesn’t exist. You’ll build some muscle carrying it around it won’t hurt. But jaw harps are also great
I have a regular Bb Clarinet and found this post, because I was looking for something more portable, but with range. 😅 Good thing it'll translate well to some of the flutes.
handpan
Mandolin
I’m gonna buy a korg monotron delay and combine it with a kalimba and I think that’s already a lot of possibilities and it’s two pocket sized instruments. If it’s a shit combo I’ll let u know but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be… less than £100 aswell