How do you make a diddley bow

Traditional blues musicians like Bo Diddley and Lonnie Pitchford have used this instrument to make an amazing variety of songs. Sounds are created when air molecules vibrate — or move back and forth very fast. To make musical sounds, we need vibrations to happen in a precise way. The frequency of the vibration needs to stay constant, in order to create a stable pitch. The frequency of the vibration also needs to be controlled by the person making the music.

When you pluck a string on a stringed instrument, you pull it out away from the body of the instrument, and then release it. Pluck the string on your diddley bow and watch what happens. Now, slide the tin can along the string and stop it, then pluck the string again. What do you notice about the way the string moves? How does it affect the sound? Move the tin can to different points along the string and try plucking it again.

Where do you hear the highest pitch? Where do you hear the lowest pitch? A string that is fixed at both ends, like on a stringed instrument, creates nodes, or points where there is no vibration, at each end. Think of two people turning a jump rope.

The rope is turning, similar to the vibrating string. The handles are not turning, but are held in place, similar to the nodes. When a vibrating string is in motion, it moves in a pattern called a wavelength. The height of the wavelength and its frequency determine whether a pitch is low or high.

When you experiment with placing the can at different points on your diddley-bow string, you can see how much the string can move and fast it can move, and can notice how this affects the pitch. See how loud your diddley bow is now! Option 2. Watch this video for another option. Check out these resources for learning more about electrifying your diddley bow.

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Next Prev. Step 2: String the wire on the board. Step 3: Install the bridge.