Rubber Band Box Guitar

This is probably one of the easiest instruments ever. But if you learn why and how this instrument works you will understand how almost all string instruments work.

Hear it

YOU WILL NEED

- A BOX, either a cardboard one or preferably, a styrofoam box. If you use a cardboard box, a shoebox will do, but a small corrugated cardboard box (one with those little tiny spaces between the sheets of cardboard) will word better.

- RUBBER BANDS. You should try a variety of rubber bands to see which make the best sound. In general, the thicker the better (since there is more stuff vibrating it should be louder), but if you TOO thick a rubber band, it might collapse the box, especially with a shoebox.

PROCEDURE

1. First, just stretch a rubber band, pull it and then let it go. It should vibrate quite visibly. Notice, however, how quiet it is. That is because the only thing vibrating is that little piece of rubber.

2. Take the top off your box if it has one.

3. Take the rubber band and stretch it around the box so that it passes over the open top of the box.

4. Pluck the rubber band and you should hear the sound as much louder, especially with a corrugated cardboard or styrofoam box. You should be able to feel the box vibrating when the string vibrates. That is the whole idea of RESONATORS - the vibrate along with the string to make it sound louder, the same as the hollow body of a guitar, or a violin, or a banjo, etc. There may also be an additional effect of the interior body of the box reflecting the sound.

In the case of the corrugated cardboard box, what is vibrating is the tiny air spaces sandwiched between the layers of cardboard. In the case of the styrofoam, what is vibrating is the air or gas trapped inside the tiny plastic bubbles that make up the styrofoam. Actually, styrofoam is a fabulous resonator as we will see in several future instruments.

5. Put more rubber bands on the box. Be careful, if you wrap TOO many rubber bands around it might collapse and/or break the box.

6. To tune your rubber band box guitar, you can make the strings tighter or looser across the open top. Take the rubber band at the side of the box and stretch it out and down to make it tighter. When you put it back against the box, the rubber will have enough "grab" to hold on the the tuning for a while. Experiment with the other rubber bands to find a tuning you like.

Optional: Paper Towel Tube Neck

Every kid knows a guitar isn't a guitar without a neck. So get a paper towel tube and trace on one of the smaller sides of the box. Cut a hole slightly smaller than the traced circle (use a knife or sharp scissors - GET HELP FROM A PARENT ON THIS!) and slide the tube into the hole. If it doesn't fit just right you can cut the hole a bit bigger or tape it up a bit. Never mind that the strings don't go up the neck - the neck is just there to look cool. If you want to have strings going up the neck, well you'll just have to wait for the Tube-Tar!

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