Online dating for teenagers and young adults seems a relatively simple pursuit requiring little more than an exchange of photographs and a passing reference to some common interests. And that's it, the match is made, although it might not last more than a few days! But for the older and more experienced adult, dating is usually a more complex issue, in which both the man and the woman will expect more from their potential partner.

So why not give yourself a head start and make your profile that much more interesting. Being able to play a musical instrument, particularly an unusual musical instrument, will not only make your profile stand out from the herd but will also arouse much interest and curiosity. At the very least you should arouse some interest and probably a few dates, but in many cases you will soon find that you have become a veritable magnet to the opposite sex.

Let's take a look at the next four unusual musical instruments you might consider adding to your online dating armory. They range from the most ancient to the most modern, so there is sure to be one to appeal to every musical taste.

LightHarp. The LightHarp uses lasers, spotlights and light sensors to trace virtual strings through space for performers to play. I believe something similar was used by Mr Spok to charm the heart of many an interstellar traveler. The instrument does not produce sound itself, rather it controls computers and synthesizers.

The current version of the LightHarp has been designed in leather by the famous leather artist, Garry Greenwood. The LightHarp is also the World's first Indian computer music instrument and resembles a veena in shape and design. It has a total of 32 light-sensor virtual strings, each of which play either individual notes, music samples or act as frets on a string. But although designed for playing Indian music, the LightHarp is also capable of performing dense polyphonic textures with micro-tonal tunings.

Nano Guitar. Now here's an instrument guaranteed to please the technology-minded, and it comes in one convenient pocket-sized package. Keep one by you at all times. You never know when it might come in handy!

The smallest guitar in the world, the Nano Guitar is only 10 micro-meters in length -- about the size of a single cell -- with six strings each about 50 nanometers, or 100 atoms, wide. The original Nano Guitar was made to resemble a Fender Stratocaster. The new, "playable" version, actually about five times the size of the original, is modeled on the Gibson Flying V.

The strings are actually silicon bars, 150 by 200 nanometers in cross-section and ranging from 6 to 12 micrometers in length (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter, the length of three silicon atoms in a row. For comparison, the diameter of a human hair is about 200 micrometers, or 200,000 nanometers). They vibrate at frequencies 17 octaves higher than those of a real guitar, so special listening skills will be required!

Serpent. An instrument with certain extra-musical overtones and in the right hands a lethal weapon in your armory to beguile your beloved. Just don't overdo it, the effects can be earth-shattering!

The Serpent is an ancient musical wind instrument, related to the modern tuba, invented by Canon Edmé Guillaume in 1590 in France, and was first used to reinforce the sound of church choirs. It was made from wood and blown with a cup shaped mouthpiece. Played softly, it has a firm mellow tone. At medium volume, it produces a robust sound -- something of a cross between the tuba, bassoon and French horn. But when played loudly, the serpent can produce seriously unpleasant noises reminiscent of an animal in distress.

Theremin. The Theremin is perhaps my preferred instrument, and one of the most versatile. But as with all musical instruments worthy of the name, please consider the neighbors and try to perfect your technique before rushing out to try this.

The Theremin is one of the earliest electronic instruments, the forerunner of the electronic synthesizer. However it is unique in that it is played without ever physically touching it. Invented by the Russian inventor Leon Theremin in the 1920s, the instrument is outfitted with two antennae and when the hands of the player enter the electrostatic field around each antenna, changes in pitch and volume occur.

For years the Theremin enjoyed cult status in sci-fi movies (such as Bernard Herman's score for the 1951 classic The Day the Earth Stood Still) and it is still used today in movies and by a number of contemporary musicians including bands such as Led Zeppelin, Radiohead and Portishead. In fact the Theremin is enjoying a veritable musical renaissance!

I hope you have enjoyed learning about these intriguing musical instruments, mention of any one of which on your adult dating site profile is bound to generate a lot of interest. But it's for you to take it from there!