The start of a new year is the perfect time to take up a new hobby, like learning to play a musical instrument. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on an expensive guitar or drum set. Instead, you can make a simple, but noisy, instrument from a few household supplies. Best of all, this instrument is easy to master. You’ll be a rock star in no time!
Supplies:
wooden clothespin with metal spring
rubber bands
masking tape
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Here’s How:
1.| Take apart the wooden clothespin by gently twisting the two pieces until the metal spring pops. You will not need the spring for this activity.
2.| Wrap masking tape six times around both ends of each of the wooden pieces. The tape should allow a small gap between the two pieces of wood when they are sandwiched together.
3.| Carefully stretch a rubber band lengthwise across one of the pieces. It is okay if the rubber band is a little bit loose.
4.| Place the two wooden pieces together with the flat sides facing each other.
5.| Wrap a second rubber band lengthwise around both pieces to hold them together.
6.| Now, blow through the gap in the center of the harmonica. It might take a bit of practice before you get the sound you want.
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More ideas:
Experiment with different types of tape, such as clear tape or electrical tape, and different widths of rubber bands. Does the noise produced by the harmonica sound different? How is it different?
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What's Going On?
— Sound comes from vibrations. Although different musical instruments produce different types of sounds, they each have something that vibrates. In the case of the harmonica, the rubber band vibrates when you blow through the center gap. The vibrating rubber band pushes on the surrounding air to create sound waves that travel to your ear.
— The frequency of a sound is called pitch. Some instruments have a higher pitch, while others have a lower pitch. In general, faster vibrations create a higher pitch. You can adjust the pitch of your harmonica by changing the rubber band or by squeezing the two wooden pieces together while you blow.
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Debbie DeRoma is the former educational manager at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
