Transparency Note: Bzzzzzzzt. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
This Wednesday, January 28, is National Kazoo Day.
If you think the kazoo is just a cheap plastic party favor found in the bottom of a goody bag, you are mistaken.
The kazoo is actually a piece of history.
It is one of the few musical instruments invented in America (in the 1840s by a man named Alabama Vest in Macon, Georgia).
It is also the most democratic instrument in the world.
You don't need lessons. You don't need talent. If you can hum, you can play.
This Wednesday, we are bringing the buzz back. Here is how to celebrate the loudest day of the month.
The Upgrade: Go Metal or Go Home
If you are still playing a plastic kazoo, you are missing out. Plastic vibrates poorly and sounds "thin."
If you want that rich, raspy, bluesy tone, you need Metal.
-
The Pick: The Original Metal Kazoo.
-
Why it wins: It’s made in Western New York (at the original factory!). It feels substantial in your hand, it’s practically indestructible, and the sound is surprisingly loud. It turns a "toy" into an actual instrument.
Shop Metal Kazoos on Amazon
The Activity: "Guess That Tune"
This is the perfect 10-minute game for a Wednesday night dinner or a car ride.
The Rules:
-
One person hums a song into the kazoo.
-
Everyone else has to guess it.
-
Pro Tip: Start with movie themes (Star Wars, Harry Potter, Mission Impossible). They are hilarious when rendered in "buzz."
The "Serious" Musician Option: The Electric Kazoo
Did you know you can plug a kazoo into an amplifier?
If you have a musician in the family (or a teenager you want to make laugh), get them the Hummbucker Electric Kazoo.
-
What it is: It has a pickup inside. You plug it into a guitar amp or a distortion pedal.
-
The Result: You sound like a heavy metal guitarist, but you are just humming. It is the single funniest thing you will ever hear.
The History Lesson (To Share at Dinner)
When the kazoo was first presented at the Georgia State Fair in 1852, it wasn't called a kazoo.
It was called the "Down South Submarine."
(Because it looks like a submarine. Get it?)
Make Some Noise.
Life is serious. Work is stressful.
Sometimes, the only cure is to put a piece of tin to your lips and hum the theme song to Jurassic Park.
Happy Kazoo Day!
Show Us Your Skills
We want to hear it!
Post a video of your best Kazoo solo on Instagram or TikTok and tag us @OnManyOccasions.
0 comments