I have noticed recently that musical instruments appear to not exist in the Cataclysm universe, which I find odd since the amount of people with a guitar laying about that I know is fairly large. Perhaps instruments were replaced by sound boards that produced life-like sounds for music. If instruments were added, I would imagine there being things like guitars and harmonica that can be carried around and function as a morale improving thing like an MP3 player with no batteries required. There could also be bigger things like pianos and whatnot. If they were added the compensation for using them would be time required to play them.
Also, maybe when the NPCs of the game get implemented you could use the instruments to improve their favor with them if that’s going to even happen.
I think it would be cool (when morale is improved of course) to sit down for a couple hours and play the guitar, or even a musical piece on a piano.
Cataclysm needs more time-consuming tasks, I get bored quickly in my shelter when there’s nothing to read until nightfall.
And, in addition, you could maybe hang a harmonica around your neck, and use it- draining your dexterity a bit, but increasing your Focus a lot. (is that what it’s called? I haven’t played nightly builds yet)
If you’re going to build morale/focus with them, to say nothing of NPC relations, there’d better be a skill involved. 
(I’m gonna hold out for Bagpipes as an instrument, and Mansion/Pawn Shop only is fine. They were easily one of the best things in GH1. I’m thinking Stimulant bonus for hearing them up close, and the sound carries a good distance IRL.)
And there’s been an “instruments.json” for a while now. Would be nice to see it put to use.
I’ve added musical instruments to the game, with functionality, twice now. Something always happens and they get taken out though. T_T
The mp3 players make mention of guitars and whatnot. I always figured they were supposed to be there, they just hadn’t been added yet. I’d love to see them added permanently.
If you smash a zombie with an acoustic guitar it really should go ‘KABONG’ too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmemBa1HAzU
I did notice the guitar and drum items a while back, and wondered why they were never actually finished. 
Well, if we’re going to add skills for instruments, each one should have a “hidden” attribute that you don’t see in the skills screen. Instead, you could see them while choosing to play an instrument.
would be the most hacky way, but something along those lines would work well IMO. Also, if skill rust is on, these would rust very very slowly.
They did!
And they will again, I promise you!
Anyways, they originally got lost because the iuse system changed and they didn’t work anymore. I just need to rewrite the old stuff for the new system.
Make sure that if a character ever drops a pick it falls into the void. That’s what happens to all mine, pretty sure cthulu likes my guitar picks for some reason.