From balloon-request@fooledya.com Wed May 8 09:30:13 1996 Date: Wed, 8 May 1996 09:21:14 -0400 (EDT) From: Larry Moss To: Balloon Sculpting Mailing List Subject: Re: Balloon Instruments (Was: Chicago Hope) In-Reply-To: <9605081302.AA09497@addor.med.unc.edu> Message-Id: > I've experimented with blowing up a 6-12 inch bubble in a 260, trying it, > then stepping on the knot and pulling the uninflated part taut, and > playing it upright (plucked) bass style. I haven't quite managed a real > scale (and probably won't) but it's a nifty bit anyway... I haven't managed a real scale, but I have played a recognizable version of Happy Birthday on a balloon banjo. It doesn't usually come out as though I'm playing anything in particular since I need to "warm up" with each instrument I make for longer than I've got to get the feel right. But it still goes over well. Maybe I'll force myself to be more consistent in making them. Basically it's a 260 with about 3 inches uninflated at the end. Tie a knot at the end of the inflated portion. (The uninflated portion will be the string.) Make a loop with the inflated portion of the balloon. Stretch the tail to teh opposite end of the loop. You've got a banjo. You can do all sorts of twists to spiff up the instrument if you want. While you pluck the string, pull the neck to various tensions. It's obvious how to make it if you look at it. I'm not in the right state of mind to describe it. ______ / ____ \ --------/ /____\ \ --------\ \____/ / \______/ That make any sense? Another idea for instruments came during the recent RIT Juggle-in. I put a ball inside a balloon basketball. (The one posted a while back.) The ball does some interesting things in flight with the ball inside. One person noticed later in the day that the ball makes an intersting sound when you get it swirling inside the balloon. Various balloons inflated to different sizes with balls inside makes for an interesting set of instruments. Joe, were you still around when we were doing that? Larry