Who needs an EBow when you can have an EGurdy? The spinning disc is coated with rosin to bow the guitar strings, kinda like the wheel inside a hurdy gurdy.
instrument-a-day 13: EGurdy
Reply
instrument-a-day 12: oak ocarina
I had a 20 by 1.5 inch slab of oak, so I designed an ocarina that could be assembled from cross-sections that would fit on it. I cut the parts on the laser cutter, glued them together, and it still didn't work until I took Bre's suggestion and coated the entire thing with glue to plug up any tiny holes.
If you have access to a laser cutter, you can get the plans and assembly instructions from http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1816
instrument-a-day 11: bottlecap rattle
It's a bunch of bottlecaps on a string. It sounds ok, looks pretty (I love the colors), and smells like a party!
p.s. I'll be performing with many of these instruments at Barbes in Brooklyn, Wednesday March 3rd, along with Chris Williams and thing-a-dayer Jason Das, who are the Glass Bees!
instrument-a-day 10: aluminum scrap metallophone
Some aluminum bars from another project, string, rubber bands, and a
fruit basket I found in the trash. I didn’t tune the bars, just
picked my favorites from the pile.
fruit basket I found in the trash. I didn’t tune the bars, just
picked my favorites from the pile.
instrument-a-day 9: rubber banjo
The traditional rubber-bands-on-a-box instrument, with a piezo contact
microphone. I didn’t try to tune the strings, just worked with what I
got.
microphone. I didn’t try to tune the strings, just worked with what I
got.
instrument-a-day 8: walnut rattle
I don’t know why I kept all those walnut shells. Finally, here’s a
use for them.
use for them.
instrument-a-day 7: second try horn
Since my first horn was a failure, I tried again, this time in
acrylic, with a narrower tube and larger holes. But it still doesn’t
work as anything but a kazoo. Third try soon!
acrylic, with a narrower tube and larger holes. But it still doesn’t
work as anything but a kazoo. Third try soon!
instrument-a-day 6: wave scraper
Can you take an audio waveform, laser-cut it into a piece of acrylic,
and then play it back by scraping the waveform?
(Spoiler: NO.)
and then play it back by scraping the waveform?
(Spoiler: NO.)
instrument-a-day 5: bass horn
“bass” because it makes a low note and because it’s made of basswood.
The reed is cut from the plastic lid of a takeout soup container. The
thing only makes one note – I put in some random finger holes but they
make no difference! I suspect the horn is way too wide for its
length– I’ll try to make a skinnier one soon.
The reed is cut from the plastic lid of a takeout soup container. The
thing only makes one note – I put in some random finger holes but they
make no difference! I suspect the horn is way too wide for its
length– I’ll try to make a skinnier one soon.
