I am not talking about the dried fruit, Kazoo. Kazoos are great fun, especially for those who don’t have a great singing voice. Just hum into the mouthpiece and the vibrating drum enriches your sound with a chorus of buzzing plastic. Although you can purchase kazoos at local toy stores yet- here’s one that you can construct at home.
Things Required:
Clean cardboard tube (removed from paper towelling)
Pair of scissors
Cellophane-type plastic
Tape
Directions:
Find a scrap piece of cellophane-type plastic. This clear, light-gauge plastic is easily recognized by the “crinkling sound” it makes when crumpled. Cut off a section of cardboard tube that is about 6 inches long. Squish down this tube.
Use your scissors to cut carefully a rectangle about the size of a postage stamp near the middle of the tube. Cover the hole with cellophane. Use tape to secure all four edges of the plastic to the tube. Hum into one end of the tube. What do you hear? How is the sound produced? Can you change the characteristics of the sound by using different-sized holes? Try it and find out!
This Is What Happens:
As you hummed into the tube, you created sound waves. These waves travelled along the inside of the tube. As they passed the cellophane, the sound waves energized the plastic, causing it to vibrate. The vibrations of the plastic generated sound waves. This buzzing noise added to the hum and produced a richer, fuller and “buzzier” sound.
