There’s life in the old orchestra yet:

Amit Zoran has used a 3D printer to print a playable flute. I hope that in years to come, many imaginative instruments can be printed and played. We are in a long trough of despond, a period of time in which canned music and electronic keyboards are replacing musical instruments. Aside from the odd contrabassoon and many imaginative-looking guitars, little innovation has come to the rescue of traditional instruments. But now, we can hope for myriads of creative musicians to invent and play the instrument of their desires.