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Watch a musician turn a basic drinking straw into an incredible medieval-sounding flute

Peter Bastian combined his training in physics and the bassoon to make this simple yet impressive instrument.

efepereth/YouTube

The sound Peter Bastian can pull from a straw is amazing.

Humans have been making music since before recorded history. Phoenix, Arizona's Musical Instrument Museum has over 4,200 musical instruments from around the world on display, and it's fascinating to see all the creative ways people have figured out how to make music over millennia. From turtle shell drums to animal bladder-based wind instruments, the ingenuity humans display in the pursuit of melody, harmony and rhythm is remarkable. It seems we can make music out of almost anything.

Case in point: Danish composer Peter Bastian's plastic straw flute.

When you hear that someone made a flute out of a straw, you might think, "Yeah, I've done that, too." But you've likely never seen one like this. Bastian played it like a double reed instrument, and it's surprisingly enjoyable to hear the sound he could pull out of it.

In this video, Bastian displays several different sounds and styles, which range from oboe-like to medieval flute to bagpipes, so be sure to watch to the end to get the full range. Watch:

"Here is an extraordinary example of the quality of the musician being more vital than the quality of the instrument. Outstanding contrast in timbre!" wrote on commenter on YouTube.

"Not only is it a straw, it's absolutely beautifully played, almost an oboe from nothing! Wonderful, I love the sound and the music," wrote another.

"In 1995 I sat a few meters from him in an auditorium at my music conservatory, listening to him playing on a straw," shared another. "It's hard to understand how Bastian could fill up the entire hall with such incredible resonance. And at the same time making it so beautiful."

According to IMDB, Bastion, who died in 2017, spent nine years studying physics but found himself increasingly drawn to music. Both of his parent were opera singers, and while he played multiple instruments, he primarily played bassoon and clarinet. His book, "Ind I Musikken" ("Into the Music" in English) became a bestseller and he was known for his passionate lectures on music—as well as the folk tunes played on his straw flute.

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'Fight Song' singer Rachel Platten designed a stylish new pin for a great cause.

'I've been learning lately that the voice in my head that makes me feel small, unworthy, and not good enough, is such a small piece of who I truly am.'

It's been nearly two and a half years since singer-songwriter Rachel Platten released "Fight Song," the near-inescapable empowerment anthem. The video for the hit single has been viewed on YouTube more than 291 million times and has sold more than 2 million copies.

Platten's song about finding the strength to try to make it in the music industry has inspired countless people around the world, taking on a life of its own. For some fans, the song has brought comfort in memory of a lost loved one; for others, it's been a catchall boost for getting through a tough time in life.

"Each story reminds me how powerful words can be, and keeps me going," Platten writes in an email, of the song's fans.

"I have loved having the chance to hear so many stories and learn of all the different ways that people across the world have made 'Fight Song' their own," she says. "Every story is just as important as the next."

Platten performing in 2016. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Crate and Barrel.

Platten recently teamed up with fashion brand Wildfang and nonprofit empowerment group I Am That Girl for the second edition of the "You Got This" inspirational pin collection.

The goal of "You Got This" is to inspire confidence in women and girls everywhere. The world can be a pretty rough place at times, and we can all use a bit of a reminder that there's a lot of power within each of us.

Why not wear it on your sleeve — literally?

The 2017 pin collection. Image courtesy of Wildfang.

Platten designed one of the pins ("Love Yo'self") in this year's collection. Other celebrity designers included Jackie Cruz from "Orange Is the New Black," soccer champion Megan Rapinoe, Bethany Consentino of Best Coast, and others.

For Platten, her pin's design is meant to acknowledge that, while the standards of perfection women are expected to meet are unrealistic, we're all perfectly imperfect in our own way.

Finding peace and confidence hasn't been easy for Platten. It's been a lot of work, but well worth the effort.

"I've been learning lately that the voice in my head that makes me feel small, unworthy, and not good enough, is such a small piece of who I truly am," she says. "I'm learning to not buy into that and to open my arms wide to the world and ask to surrender that small voice in place of the bigger, kinder, wiser, stronger voice who whispers 'You can TOO do this Rachel.'"

"Once I get back in alignment and remember who I truly am, and what I am capable of, the impossible all of a sudden seems possible again. I'd like every young woman to remember this."

The "You Got This" collection launches Aug. 3, and can be picked up at Wildfang's website. 10% of all proceeds go directly to I Am That Girl, a group aimed at empowering women and girls with a message of confidence, love, and self-acceptance.

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Janelle Monáe nailed why it's so vital that women be in control of their choices.

How did Janelle Monáe go from being a poor young girl in Kansas City to one of Hollywood's breakout stars of 2016?

According to the music artist and actor, harnessing creativity, finding her confidence, and embracing the power of control were a few key factors.

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TNT​.

In Marie Claire's "2017 Fresh Faces" issue, Monáe opened up on a lot of different issues, like being a black woman in Hollywood — "We have to realize our power and our magic," she noted — and how poverty became her unlikely "superpower" as a kid — "Being poor helped me be more creative," she explained.

One of the more telling tidbits from the interview was Monáe's take on the importance of women having the control to be themselves in a world that's relentlessly trying to mold them into something different.

As she explained:

"It is important for women to be [in control], especially when gender norms and conformity are pushed upon us. Women automatically are told that this is how you should look. This is how you should get a man. This is how you should get a woman. You need to fit into all these boxes to be accepted. I don't subscribe to that way of thinking. ... I believe in embracing what makes you unique even if it makes others uncomfortable. I have learned there is power in saying no. I have agency. I get to decide."

So far, Monáe's decisions have shown she's a creative force to be reckoned with.

Monae, already a Grammy-nominated R&B, soul, and pop music artist, made waves on the big screen last year for her performances in "Hidden Figures" and "Moonlight," which were both nominated for Best Picture at the 2017 Oscars ("Moonlight," in spectacular fashion, won).

The star, who'd garnered few acting accolades prior to 2016, was celebrated as a force on screen in the two films, which, each in their own way, addressed race, sexuality, gender, and class in America's past and present.

Monáe portrayed Mary Jackson, who'd been a standout engineer at NASA, in "Hidden Figures." Photo by Hopper Stone.

Some music fans may have been pleasantly surprised at Monáe's seamless transition into a Hollywood star. But following her own unconventional path seems to be what Monáe does best: "I don't think we all have to take the same coordinates to reach the same destination," she told Marie Claire.

Spoken like a true trailblazer.

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Kid Cudi opens up about depression in a heartfelt Facebook post.

Rapper Kid Cudi lives with depression, and there's no shame in that.

"I am not at peace," wrote rapper Kid Cudi in a recent post to his Facebook page. "I haven't been since you've known me."

After checking himself into rehab on Monday, October 3, the Grammy-winning artist opened up about his long, often difficult battle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

"I'm sorry," he repeated throughout the post.

The truth is, however, that Cudi has nothing to apologize for.

Its been difficult for me to find the words to what Im about to share with you because I feel ashamed. Ashamed to be a...

Posted by Kid Cudi on Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Living with depression and anxiety is not some personal failing, nor is it something to feel shame about.

The World Health Organization estimates that, globally, around 350 million people have experienced depression. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide — and, in fact, it's the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 29. Each year, more than 800,000 people die by suicide.

Depression is the real deal, and there's no need to apologize for experiencing it.

Kid Cudi performs during the 2014 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella.

There is, however, a lot of stigma attached to it. By sharing his story, Kid Cudi is helping fight that.

A 1996 National Mental Health Association survey found that more than half of people polled view depression as "a sign of personal or emotional weakness," and a 2002 study discovered that nearly 1 in 5 view seeking medical treatment for depression a sign of weakness. They are wrong.

Kid Cudi performs in Cannes, France. Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images.

It's stigma like this, where people living with depression are made to feel as though they are weak, that dissuades people from seeking treatment. To step forward, despite all of this, and acknowledge that you're struggling with depression is a brave thing to do.

Perhaps the most important thing we can all take away from Kid Cudi's statement is that depression can be a very invisible illness to the outside world.

In lyrics, Cudi has touched on depression and anxiety. In "Lord of the Sad and Lonely," he references Xanax, a drug prescribed to treat anxiety. In "Soundtrack 2 My Life," he addresses his depression head-on: "I've got some issues that nobody can see / And all of these emotions are pouring out of me."

Still, if you're not paying attention, these hints can slip through the cracks. There are a number of warning signs to look out for in yourself, your friends, and your family.

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella.

October 2-8 is Mental Health Awareness Week. This year's theme centers on busting stigma. By opening up about his own struggles with depression, Kid Cudi is helping do just that.

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of suicide, call your doctor’s office, call 911 for emergency services, go to the nearest hospital emergency room, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255).

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