KVR Audio

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:09 am

alvfaria wrote:I loved it! Do you have schematics of how to construct these stuff? I like the drums very much!

(I have a secret dream to construct a homemade drum kit)

Not schematics as such, but there is quite a bit of information about how I built the drums in my Photo Album http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 244&type=3 .

Click on the photo of the three drums and there is information both in the picture and in the discussion below it. The main thing to know is that the drum shell has to be very rigid to take the pressure of the 2.5mm nylon blind cord that I use to tie the drum skins on with. And the hard part is getting the cord tight enough; you have to go round and round the drum progressively pulling on each "Vee" of the cord so that it pulls the skin really tight.

You could probably work out a way to use standard drum hardware on the drum shell, but I like to keep my instruments as low-tech as possible.

Alec.

tropicalontour · Post by **tropicalontour** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:53 am

outbackyak wrote:I thought people might like to see this little vid I made of the home-made musical instruments I use with young children in kindergartens, schools and child care centres here in Perth, Western Australia. I don't do performances with the instruments, I do hands-on programs where the kids get to explore and play all the instruments through free and structured play.

Most of the instruments are made from junk and recycled materials and they are designed to be very easy to play, to be very safe, and to be almost unbreakable, since 5 year olds are the single most destructive force known to humankind.

Shameless plug: if you like what you see feel free to head over to http://www.facebook.com/ChildsPlayMusicPerth and hit that Like button.

Alec.

Wish you had used a lavalier mic. so that the narration in the video was the same level as the instruments.

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 1:11 pm

tropicalontour wrote:Wish you had used a lavalier mic. so that the narration in the video was the same level as the instruments.

Yes, I know, and on the useless Windows Movie maker there isn't any way to increase the volume that I can find; reduce yes, boost no. I know zilch about making movies, unfortunately.

Does anybody know how I could strip the audio out so I could fix the levels in my sequencer? If I could capture the audio it would be easy to use a bit of automation and a little compression to bring the levels up.

And then add it back in as a soundtrack (I think I can do that with Movie Maker).

I've just done another little movie of how to make a simple wind instrument and the problem is even worse, some parts are almost inaudible.

Alec.

alvfaria · Post by **alvfaria** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 1:57 pm

Hey outbackyak, do you know it?

http://www.balloondrums.com/

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 5:49 pm

alvfaria wrote:Hey outbackyak, do you know it?

http://www.balloondrums.com/

Yep - I asked about it in Getting Started and I've semi-fixed the audio with Reaper; good enough, if not perfect. I'll probably get a decent video editor sometime, but right now Movie Maker will do, since the videos are just "How-To's" for YouTube.

GaryG · Post by **GaryG** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:37 pm

very cool and inspiring.

If you're after 'promoting' your work, Make magazine always seem keen on people who both make stuff (obviously...

) and have a passion for passing it on. Their editor (Mark Frauenfelder) seems to have a thing for cigar box guitars so they'd probably love your video.

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:45 am

alvfaria wrote:Hey outbackyak, do you know it?

http://www.balloondrums.com/

I didn't notice your link, and thought you were asking a different question - sorry!

I didn't know about this site, but I've made balloon drums - they are very cool, although they tend to be too quiet for using them in my programs.

This is a great site, and I'm going to post it on my Facebook Page - thanks for bringing it to my attention

GaryG wrote:very cool and inspiring.

If you're after 'promoting' your work, Make magazine always seem keen on people who both make stuff (obviously... Smile) and have a passion for passing it on. Their editor (Mark Frauenfelder) seems to have a thing for cigar box guitars so they'd probably love your video.

I'll have to check out that magazine - thanks!

Alec.

Winstontaneous · Post by **Winstontaneous** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 9:38 pm

This is great stuff!

I recently taught a workshop for adults called "Experience Harmonics!" in which I showed a group of people (including non-musicians) how to hear and produce the harmonic series using plastic whirly tubes, metal bars/rods on balloons, and rubber bands stretched on boxes. In the second half I taught people harmonic singing and encouraged a jam.

I used (stole, really!) a bunch of ideas from Bart Hopkin's "Experimental Musical Instruments" and "Making Musical Instruments with Kids." I actually live about 30 miles from him, saw him play a solo guitar gig last New Years Eve, keep meaning to see if he does workshops/seminars.

Arts/music education have been gutted in California too, I'm also interested in ways to fill in those gaps.

Also I HIGHLY recommend Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition. It's the consumer version of Vegas Pro. It's about $70 on its own or you can get it bundled with the consumer versions of ACID, SoundForge, and DVD Architect. IMO nothing in its price range on Windows comes close, and I actually prefer it to Final Cut Pro.

jobromedia · Post by **jobromedia** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:01 pm

This is pure and simply awesome. There is a program called Youtube downloader that lets you convert a video to audio. Using it all the time when I wanna sample from youtube.

xoxos · Post by **xoxos** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:47 pm

!

def. check out all of this guy's videos.. there's only a few but the fujara and overtone flute would be nice additions..

more ideas from a wide range of instruments played by nadishana

http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=VGbFB91eM34
i'll let you paste these links so they won't clog up the page.. parts 1 and 2 of this tutorial will cost you nine minutes, but it's the best introduction to overtone singing i've found, and probably a lot of fun for kids.. not to mention beneficial in many ways

http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=grsVLyN6jUY
an amusing example of the same fellow

http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=mO4Uh-Mini4
impressive demonstration 'amazing grace' overtone singing

BERFAB · Post by **BERFAB** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:31 pm

Alec-
I watched your vid with my 10 year old daughter - a budding drummer and singer. Loved it. We were both thoroughly amused and enthralled. Your students must love it.

Great work.
Cheers
-B

gutta96 · Post by **gutta96** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:46 am

outbackyak wrote:I thought people might like to see this little vid I made of the home-made musical instruments I use with young children in kindergartens, schools and child care centres here in Perth, Western Australia. I don't do performances with the instruments, I do hands-on programs where the kids get to explore and play all the instruments through free and structured play.

Most of the instruments are made from junk and recycled materials and they are designed to be very easy to play, to be very safe, and to be almost unbreakable, since 5 year olds are the single most destructive force known to humankind.

Shameless plug: if you like what you see feel free to head over to http://www.facebook.com/ChildsPlayMusicPerth and hit that Like button.

Alec.

Yo, your good man!..lol thats neat!

jesse247 · Post by **jesse247** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:17 pm

Mate your unreal! looks like your having more fun than the kids... keep up the creativity .... would love to see the the hole ensemble in action especially the random beats of the kids playing. I think you could create a junior "Blueman" act

Check out my home-made musical instruments!