Musical Instrument Out of Cardboard

We used circuits and paper to make an instrument that senses touch to output different sounds.

The paper stuff - four of each:

• 4x4 cardboard foam
• 3x3 matboard with 2x2 hole inside
• 3x3 cardboard
• 8-9 inch wire in color 1
• 8-9 inch wire in color 2

Eight of these:

• 3x3 tinfoil

Tools and other materials:

• 10x11 chipboard
• markers
• tape
• box cutter + mat
• copper tape
• A makey makey

Assuming everything is cut and ready, we can start layering the correct materials together.

1. The thick cardboard foam is the base, so we put that on the bottom.
2. Tape the tin foil in the center of the cardboard foam. If the dimensions are right, there should be a 1-inch margin between the tin foil and the cardboard foam.
3. On top of the foil, tape the frame/mat board
4. For the top layer (what we press onto the foam to make the button pressable), tape the remaining four tinfoil cuts onto the four chipboard pieces.

Now we want to add wires so that electrical signals can pass between the two foil things when they touch.

1. Cut two holes on the bottom foam board, make sure one goes through the tinfoil
2. Feed wire in color 1 through the bottom of the foam board through to the other side of it, then attach it to the chipboard with tin foil by taking it with copper tape
3. Feed wire in color 2 through the bottom of the foam board under the tin foil that sits on the foam. tape with copper tape.

1. Tape the chipboard with tin foil onto the foamboard with tinfoil, both foils facing each other.
2. Don't forget to decorate the chipboard, that's what people will be seeing (but be careful to not make it wet).

If all four keys are wired up and ready to go, we can start putting it on the bigger board. To do this:

1. Figure out where the keys/buttons will be placed, make sure wires are long enough to reach the makey makey/circuit board
2. when you decided that^, cut holes where you estimate the wires to go through
3. put the keys onto the board with the holes on it, and thread the wire through it
4. when everything is secure, tape everything down from the bottom

1. Make a new project on scratch
2. Start with the WHEN conditional statement block, then choose the key that activates the circuit
3. attach the START SOUND block under it, attach a file of a sound that you want to be played
4. attach the STOP under that block, and choose 'this script'

1. Clip the other end of the wires to corresponding buttons on the makey makey
2. plug in the makey makey to your computer, and run scratch
3. if you press the cardboard, you should hear sound coming out!