Take your creations beyond the workshop and onto the stage with diy music instruments! Let us show you how these creations range from simple, basic setups that produce beautiful sounds to more complex projects that require a greater level of engineering knowledge. With these tutorials and examples, we’ll guide you on this journey to make your own musical instrument for experimental, artistic or everyday use – so whether you’re starting out new or a seasoned sound creator, come explore the wonderful world of making your own music.
Found in the MAKE Flickr pool: Canberra circuit bender and MAKE author Brian McNamara‘s cool noisemaker. This unit makes a huge range of strange noises. You start by setting the controls on the top of the unit, this sets up a sweep on the LEDS, by moving the LEDs around the light sensors a basic […]
Mike Reetz writes: I love drumming, but hate transporting my whole set around, so I designed a drum kit using a suitcase as the bass drum. The whole set fits inside the suitcase! My suitcase drum set sounds surprisingly good. Audiences love it. His instructions are incredibly detailed. Learn how to select and modify a […]
I merged my MIDI-playing code with my scooter-driving code and put them both on the new, rad-hardened 3ph v3.1 controller. [Thx, ChArLeS]
Doug Kovach sent me a link to this awesome project he recently completed. It’s a cross between two iconic effects pedals, the FuzzFace Fuzz pedal and the Colorsound MKII ToneBender. In the video, he presents a little history of the pedals, his research into the circuits, his experiments (and failures) in creating this new dual […]
Bzzzzrrrreeeeepehkhkhkhhhhhhhk! Build your own Noise Toy with this kit from the Maker Shed. Plug in your headphones and glitch out, or jack into an amp and play it as an instrument. These kits come with a custom-printed circuit board, a noise generating microchip from their live performances, two buttons for modulating the sound, headphone jack, […]
CRAFT and MAKE pals Jessica Wilson and J. Stevens have worked up this cute “canjo” made from a tuna can: The Tune-a-Fish Special 25 inches (63.5 cm) long with a 4 inch (10 cm) diameter can. This simple, two-string, fretless Canjo is handmade from recycled materials and includes a glass slide and a plastic pick. […]
Spotted in the MAKE Flickr pool from user Leadtowill, this MIDI-speaking 8-note electromechanical xylophone. Here it is playing “Ode to Joy.”
