Posted by Eric on January 29, 2004 at 07:39:22:
In Reply to: I Need to Build a Bass Instrument ASAP! posted by Allison on January 28, 2004 at 22:48:25:
If you can find a cheap source of 4" PVC pipe, make an instrument I invented, the Plungophone! It's just a length of pipe plugged one one end that is played by sticking a sink plunger in the open end and yanking it out really fast. It makes a sound somewhere between a string bass or bass clarinet, but more powerful than either. With a plunger in each hand and some coordination you can play tunes on it with an array of pipes.
It is a 1/4 wave pipe resonator. The pipe length is C/4/frequency. It's really best for notes below the bass clef, though. If the pipe is less than about 3 feet long the notes don't have much sustain.
- Eric Bamberg