Item #: SCP-651
Object Class: Safe/Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: All personnel working at Site-██ are to be given Aptitude Test #651█. Only those who fail the test are to be permitted to handle or operate SCP-651 without supervision.
Description: SCP-651 purports to be a collection of homemade musical instruments, fabricated in ███ ████ circa 19██ by a blind street musician, █████ ██████. The instruments were acquired in █████████████, Germany in 19██. (For in-depth information on the history of SCP-651, consult Document #651MD. N.B.: DOCUMENT #651MD IS CLASSIFIED LEVEL 4 SECURITY)
The itemized list of instruments is as follows:
- One pair of bongo-like drums, triangular in structure, apparently meant to be set horizontally on the floor. To the larger is attached, by means of screws, a cymbal. (The drums are constructed of wood that has been identified as [DATA EXPUNGED] from ██████, while the skins have been chemically analyzed and determined to be [DATA EXPUNGED]. The cymbal itself is not brass, but [DATA EXPUNGED]; it remains unknown how their creator obtained these materials.)
- One set of [DATA EXPUNGED], which when struck produce sounds like a thumb piano.
- One maraca. The seeds it originally contained were replaced with [DATA EXPUNGED]
- One large metallic instrument, again triangular in structure. Apparently meant to be played with claves rather than drumsticks. Metallurgical analysis has shown that the sheet metal used in construction [DATA EXPUNGED]
- Three [DATA EXPUNGED]
Copies of these instruments are known to have been produced in Germany by █████ ███████, but as they do not exhibit any of the properties of SCP-651, the copies have been declared harmless. ███████, however, remains under surveillance.
The curious properties of SCP-651 are, simply stated, as follows: Persons with a certain aptitude for music are immediately drawn to attempt to play these instruments. Those who do so feel a strange compulsion to continue playing, creating improvisations that may last as long as fifteen minutes. Dr. █████, himself an accomplished amateur pianist, has noted that absolutely none of these improvisations are in the standard 4/4 time signature; he was reprimanded for conducting an unauthorized experiment in which he actively tried to play a 4/4 beat on the [DATA EXPUNGED] and failed, being temporarily incapable of playing any rhythm other than 5/4 (See Memorandum #651TS for full details).
It is particularly advised that personnel with a talent for writing music be kept as far from SCP-651 as possible. Of the personnel who have played these instruments, each one has found that for a period of about one week subsequent, it took an actual effort of will to think about anything other than music. At least six, both musicians and amateur composers, have mentioned an occasional compulsion to write music, with odd melodies running repeatedly through their heads that do not go away until transcribed onto paper; such compulsions usually occur within six months of having interacted with SCP-651. At least 17 completed compositions have been entered into Case File 651, which can be examined in Site-██ Reading Room B; the songs have been examined and found, without variation, to exhibit the following characteristics:
- [DATA EXPUNGED]
- [DATA EXPUNGED]
- [DATA EXPUNGED]
- [DATA EXPUNGED]
In two cases, researchers with no aptitude for music mentioned that handling SCP-651 gave them, instead, an occasional compulsion to write poetry. Their output has been examined and found, without variation, to exhibit the following characteristics:
- Meter: [DATA EXPUNGED]
- Rhyme scheme: [DATA EXPUNGED]
- General length: [DATA EXPUNGED]
What all of these, in tandem, may mean remains unclear at this time.
Two other personnel have mentioned hallucinating, while playing SCP-651, that they were on a street corner in ███ ████, dressed as [DATA EXPUNGED]. One subject complained of blurriness in his vision while holding the [DATA EXPUNGED] in his hands.
Conclusion: While not inherently dangerous, SCP-651 nevertheless merits continued study and examination. We may be able to find the properties which [DATA EXPUNGED], and understand how ██████ managed to build them into his instruments. The recommendation of Dr. ████ is that personnel displaying musical aptitude be kept away from them except in a controlled situation - the last thing we need is for two out of every five people at Site-██ to be stumbling about with songs and poetry rattling around in their heads. The real threat of SCP-651 is that it may serve as a quite literal distraction from more important (and more dangerous) SCPs.
I see no reason why these instruments need to be kept under such close watch. Do they really represent that much of a threat? - Dr. ██████████, ██/██/20██
Orders from O5. You want to ask them what's up, be my guest. - ████, Security, ██/██/20██
Yes, by all means please ask. I do have an explanation, but I'd rather give it in private, Doctor. Contact me directly if you're still interested. - O5-██