Mini Kazoo Harmonica

by zeffer02

7.0K97

Intro: Mini Kazoo Harmonica

I will show you how to make a small, handy kazoo that is shaped like a harmonica. It has many uses, including annoying your fiends and for sound effects in a video, you choose. Make sure you use it wisely.

I am not responsible for any injuries.

STEP 1: Materials

You will need:
Wax paper
scissors
a ruler
glue
cardboard
duct tape
a marker

STEP 2: Measuring

You need a piece of cardboard that is 16cm (6" 4/8") wide and 4cm (1" 6/8") high.

STEP 3: Cutting

Now it's time to put the scissors to work! Cut out a 16cm wide and 2cm highpiece of cardboard, make two of these. Now fold those two pieces in half. Next, cut out four 2cm by 1cm pieces.

STEP 4: Cutting and Taping

Now you need to use the wax paper. The piece of wax paper is 8cm wide and 2cm high. Next is the taping, make this piece of tape 4 cm high and 8cm wide with cuts in the top corners large enough for the small pieces of cardboard. Make two of these pieces of tape and put them on the folded pieces of cardboard, make sure that one side of the cardboard has the side of tape on it that doesn't have the holes. Now take the small pieces of cardboard and glue/tape them to the spots on the cardboard that don't have tape on them. Do this with all four. Now put on the wax paper, tape it to both sides of the cardboard overtop of the small pieces of cardboard.

STEP 5: Finishing

Now to finish, tape both of the pieces of cardboard together with the small pieces of cardboard sides facing toghether. Make sure you tape on the sides. To use it blow into one of the sides and you should hear a sound similar to that of a kazoo. The url below will take you to a video of me playing the kazoo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WE5XxtX8gQ

7 Comments

sk8punk1025 14 years ago

i dont get how to tape the folded cardboard

zeffer02 14 years ago

I put some notes on the picture of the tape on step 4. Hopefully they help.

duckman633 14 years ago

Can i use something else than wax paper because i dont think that we have wax paper here in Holland

zeffer02 14 years ago

Ummm... I would use, maybe a piece of a receipt. If you used that it would be more high pitch. You could also use a piece of a plastic bag.   

motleyjust 14 years ago

I got a bit confused on step 4, but eventually figured it out.

An interesting and fun little instrument, but it is not a kazoo. It is an primative, unframed, free reed instrument similar to the bilu, which can be heard in some traditional Chinese music ensembles. A leaf, or a long blade of grass, is stretched between the sides of the thumbs and tensioned slightly by bending the thumbs, thereby raising or lowering the pitch. The tone of the instrument can be modified by cupping the hands so as to provide a resonant chamber.
It is in the light orange section here
http://www.ksanti.net/free-reed/description/taxonomy.html
The kazoo is classified as an indeterminate pitch membranophone. The pitch is determined by the pitch hummed or sung into it.
In the light blue-green section

Kiteman 14 years ago

A video or audio file of it playing would complete the project, and gain you a lot more votes.