Music

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.

Building a Bass Guitar from a Hollow Core Door

Building a Bass Guitar from a Hollow Core Door

By Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

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“Upcyclist” Tim Sway experiments with building a bass guitar from a cast-off door.

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Watch High Voltage Plasma Vortices Dance On Your Speaker

Watch High Voltage Plasma Vortices Dance On Your Speaker

By Jeremy S Cook

Jeremy S Cook

Jeremy is an engineer with 10 years experience at his full-time profession, and has a BSME from Clemson University. Outside of work he’s an avid maker and experimenter, building anything that comes into his mind!

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The vortex of arcing electricity seen in Anthony Garofalo’s speakers rely on the Lorentz force. It’s a super cool effect that you must watch!

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What I Learned Building a Mechanized Spinning Musical Instrument

What I Learned Building a Mechanized Spinning Musical Instrument

By Barb Noren

Barb Noren

Barb is a maker, maker educator, and Lead Tinkering Instructor at the reDiscover Center in LA. She makes weekly high-speed project videos on her YouTube channel, Barb Makes Things. On any given day, she may be doing woodworking, 3d modeling and printing, electronics, Arduino, wearables, and papercraft.

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The hexachord is a mechanized, spinning musical instrument that creates the music of a small string ensemble.

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Watch How a Cityscape Composes Its Own Song on a Player Piano

Watch How a Cityscape Composes Its Own Song on a Player Piano

By Jeremy S Cook

Jeremy S Cook

Jeremy is an engineer with 10 years experience at his full-time profession, and has a BSME from Clemson University. Outside of work he’s an avid maker and experimenter, building anything that comes into his mind!

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Akko Goldenbeld turned a map of his city into a musical score for a player piano with this ingenious design.

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How To Make a Guitar from a Shovel

How To Make a Guitar from a Shovel

By Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn

Bob from I Like to Make Stuff shows you how to make a one-string electric guitar from a shovel

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