Make a Rubber Band Bass

There's the rubber band guitar, then there’s the rubber band bass, which is re-tuneable, and you can even Make Rubber Band Bass Effects. Follow these easy steps to make your own.

Steps

  1. Get a box, preferably a rather large one. Make sure that there are no other openings in it. Cut a big circular (or other desired shape) hole. What the hole does is increase the volume, so if it isn't there, you can't hear the bass. It won't make much of a difference if the hole is too big or too small.
  2. Put on rubber bands that have been cut, preferably thick rubber bands. Put the tightest one at the bottom. It should still make a rather bass like sound. The next up should be lower, then again, and the last one should be really low, but still audible.
  3. Make the bridge. Get a piece of wood about an inch tall and put it right on the side to make it so that when you pluck a string, it doesn't hit the box, but it creates the sound that is therefore amplified by going in the box through the hole, which will then resonate into the sound that you want.
  4. Jam or tape a stick in the side, that’s the handle. Duct tape over all air exits and entries after jamming a stick into the side. You can also go without a handle.
  5. If you want to, you can decorate it with anything you want. Just don't make it too heavy or coat in something like metal, it may change the sound.
  6. Learn the notation system. Since there are no frets, there are only four notes. A, B, C and D, or 1, 2 3 and 4. The lowest one is D, then A is the highest. A/1, then B/2, C/3 and D/4. Although these may not be the actual pitches, this will do for our demonstration.
  7. Pluck them however you want. Try different methods, like slap bass, which is pulling them up and then releasing for a pluck, or using a guitar pick for it, or just your fingers like normal. Note that when you use a pick, it isn't as loud. You can also try it with an amp, just get a megaphone on a tripod and play in front of it while it's on.
  8. Try playing this basic song (Mary had a Little Lamb). This may require some retuning, but this gets strings A/1, B/2 and C/3 in tune with A/1 being B in the musical alphabet, B/2 being A in the musical alphabet and C/3 being G in the musical alphabet. ABCB AAA BBB AAA ABCB AAA BBCBA. (You'll have to tune the A, B and C strings so that A is B in normal music, B=A in normal music and C=G (This song usually is based around A, G and B)
  9. Make Rubber Band Bass Effects
  10. Try to write a song.
  11. Try getting someone on the rubber band guitar, and another on the drums, and then one singing. It has a cool feel. If someone else is listening, you may want to put a microphone up to the instruments to make them heard.



Things You'll Need

  • A box
  • Scissors
  • Rubber bands
  • Tape
  • A piece of wood one inch thick

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