A kazoo is a musical instrument in which the player hums into it to produce a buzzing sound. The mirliton family of percussion instruments includes the kazoo. Mirlitons are ancient African instruments with a vibrating membrane that amplifies the humming sound. In the 1800s, the first kazoo was created. The majority of them are now made of plastic and are used as simple musical toys for children.
A kazoo is an unusual wind instrument because, unlike traditional wind instruments, it lacks buttons and valves and is played in a unique way. The kazoo’s sound is created entirely by the player’s voice. The membrane vibrates as a result of the humming and changes in response to the sounds in the player’s voice. The sound of other brass and woodwind instruments is simply amplified by the lips’ humming.
A kazoo is a musical instrument with open ends on both ends and a tapered bottom end. The membrane is located in a turret on the top of the kazoo. Kazoos are usually tube-shaped and short, but they can be made in almost any shape as long as both ends are open.
In the 1840s, Alabama Vest invented the modern kazoo and gave his blueprint to clockmaker Thaddeus VonClegg. Vest and VonClegg gave kazoo demonstrations at the Georgia State Fair in 1852, and their new instrument was well received. In the early 1900s, Emil Sorg and Michael McIntyre developed a large-scale manufacturing method for kazoos. In 1923, McIntyre was granted a patent and established the Original American Kazoo Company.
Although most kazoos are made of plastic nowadays, they can also be made of wood, metal, or glass. Some kazoos are made of gold or silver. The vibrating membrane was originally made of wax paper, but silicone plastic has since replaced it because wax paper tears and is not long lasting. The thin film that resonates the sound of the player’s voice is vital in a kazoo’s vibrating membrane.
The three pieces of the kazoo are injection molded before being assembled, decorated, and packaged. Some kazoos are sold as promotional items with company logos on them. The majority of kazoos have simple stickers on them, while others have a silkscreen design on them. The colored ink can be machine printed directly onto the kazoo using the silkscreen process. The ink dries quickly enough that the kazoo can dry before being removed from the machine.