E-Instrumental

Electric Cigar Box Guitar w/ Pick-up Mic

Phase 1: Introduction and theory to instrument making from found and resourced items. History of microphones and speakers, the uses in music and art. Handmade string instrument building.

Participants will explore the theory and practice of:
- Building High-low Tech instruments
            Canjo (Single string handmade instrument)
            Contact Mic (Piezo Transducers, speakers as mics)
            Cigar Box Guitar (Multi-string handmade electronic instrument)
- Technical aspects to building electronic instruments
           Tuning Pegs
           Piezo Transducers
           Potentiometers & Knobs
           Soldering 1/4' and 1/8" audio jacks
           Electronic engineering (how will it connect and be transmitted)
- DIY Canjo & Cigar Box Guitar Culture
           Creating with recycled and reused materials
           Electronic art and music
           Festivals, groups, blogs on Cigar Box Guitars
- Tuning & playing your instruments
           Marking frets
           Holes and resonance
           Connecting to audio mixers and amps.

Phase 2: Students gather and collect found materials to create canjo. Then students work to build Electric Cigar Box Guitars. Students will demonstrate, and perform with their projects on the final day of the workshop.