How to Make a Comb Instrument

An instructional video to show you how to make music with a comb and parchment paper - A follow up video to our cover of Love yourself by Justin Bieber where we play the saxophone part on combs.

[@ipsurvivor]

Jimi Hendrix played “comb and paper” on “Crosstown Traffic”. It supplements his lead guitar parts. It’s really more like an improvised kazoo than a saxophone. It’s in the same class of instruments as the kazoo known as Membranophones. They are “singing” Membranophones. A bass drum and many other drums are Membranophones as well as percussion instruments in that a membrane helps to produce the sound.

[@singgeek]

Hi ipsurvivor, Wow really cool to hear about Hendrix and also thank you for sharing your knowledge about the Membranophones :)

[@duanedibbley258]

I came here after reading that the kazoo in lovely Rita by the Beatles, was comb and tissue paper

[@singgeek]

Hi Duane Dibbley, I did not know they use comb and tissue paper in that song. Thanks for sharing! That's super cool :)

[@vspishkabesyaki]

same

[@gangstalker9]

Crosstown traffic by Jimi also has a comb and paper instrument

[@kebonwhefghost9151]

Me too

[@profile2047]

The Abbey Road studios tissue paper was cheap and terrible according to the sound engineer, but apparently that makes a for a good comb kazoo.

[@salsaroja9740]

The novel ‘1984’ mentions playing “a comb and a piece of toilet paper” and I was thinking HOW THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN?? Thanks for educating me.

[@jacky3671]

Izal toilet paper, back in the day, was like greaseproof paper (or baking paper) nothing like the kind we have now that acutally works. Bl**dy awful stuff!

[@Snacksaloon]

My grandma was telling me her dad in Ireland use to play his comb like this :)

[@singgeek]

So did mine! That is how I learned it. Thanks for sharing your story :)

[@MrLeiduowen]

And the Scots, too, but they were allegedly always short of combs :D

[@stammishosaina5631]

I... Uh what? That sounds, eh... Great...

[@dougpeters1625]

blast from the past of my childhood! Thanks for this!

[@singgeek]

Haha yes exactly! I also learned this when I was a kid :)

[@uncledubpowermetal]

Damn, his low note actually sounded like a sax

[@PerfactUniversity_369]

🎉

[@jiibomcdinonald1874]

This has a 2007 feeling to it

[@stigglescee]

I haven't done this since I was a kid. I forgot all about it!

[@singgeek]

It was the same for me. Good memories :)

[@D0S81]

So it works the same as a kazoo? I actually found musical combs! They use different length prongs and when u flick it it plays good mythical mornings theme tune, but with this I can play anything. All we need now is a comb keyboard and we could start a band

[@nightspooky]

Amazing. I wish I learn that too.

[@akroplex699]

I tried it the first time. IT WORKED!

[@christoromiarafael8864]

How work this ?

[@GrahamByrne63]

Cool,I’ll have to make one 👌

[@luisenriquearizmendi4771]

Fue muy útil. Gracias.

[@kirigayakazuto3248]

Wow amazing my mother told me this and i didn't believe..i search and then i watch your video and then i realized its true. I like your video

[@kolejnytrup]

For wet lippers - use foil 😉

[@quietsometimes4538]

I tried it and you can do it with just your fingers if you position them right or even sing words with it

[@PerfactUniversity_369]

*Pretty cool..😮🇮🇳😌*

[@ukaaltansukh8367]

Love your vid

[@BretDHammer]

Very instructional!!!

[@singgeek]

Thanks Bret! We are happy that you like it. Feel free to send us a video or picture of your comb saxophone :D

[@christianyunca9489]

No se si sera cierto . Pero a mi no me sale de esa manera me sale otra forma y con papel y bolsa

[@jaidenzhou1303]

gonna keep a comb and some baking paper in case I forget my saxophone for music lessons

[@reirei5555]

how did you made that sound im still confused:((

[@duraidhaboubi1818]

Great !

[@wallacewestmeath]

used to do this as a kid .. not yesterday

[@raulsouza5866]

Jimi Hendrix used this in Crosstown Traffic

[@christoromiarafael8864]

How does it work?

[@Cernunnas]

"STOP BEING SO HAPPY" - hahahah

[@jennifergonzalez802]

can I use wax paper instead?

[@singgeek]

You definitely can! Let us know how it goes :)

[@yerow8563]

wait a minute! i cant get this combsax sound :( i did everything and just after i blew the doo doo sound it doesnt make any sound :( help

[@singgeek]

Did you watch the tips and tricks part of the video? I have found that it helps to focus on making your lips vibrate lightly agains the paper. Please let us know if you figured it out!

[@skeletonentertainment4201]

Can i use something other than parchment paper

[@singgeek]

I've seen other people use a plastic bag but I have not tried it out myself yet. Let me know how it goes :)

[@GangsterHivMan]

I used a napkin

[@ZenaHerbert]

We used to use tissue paper or tram tickets.

[@rajeevswaroop7115]

right on the track i myself.oohow aaha ouch in pouches cross ched

[@rosayang3996]

0:55

[@mattxgordon1]

Yay

[@ecclesiasticman4417]

Now I understand what 1984 meant.

[@kevinriddle3611]

voiced sounds will work

[@haku_alo]

do we have to inhale or exhale while playing this

[@haku_alo]

holyfuck i learned

[@haku_alo]

🎃🎃🎃

[@jabarnm]

Well i still don't know how to make it sounds just like the video. help me pls :(

[@singgeek]

Hi we know it takes some practice. We did not get it right away either! How can we help?

[@BARRANEOMER]

Watch this tutorial might helps czcams.com/video/Jzcq3u4MjEY/video.html

[@xhuntaar136]

I'm gonna try lol

[@singgeek]

Please do and let us know how it works out :)

[@pablobagolin]

"It's Me, Mario!"

[@sohampanchal7710]

Make avengers theme song with it
It will be lit 🔥🔥

[@almalakii96]

1984

[@FrickFoster]

That's how I got here

[@MilesWilliams88]

Dude, yes!

[@shraddhaskitchenz8517]

Didnt u reaslise it can be also a air horn

[@dogdaysminifacts1534]

Pls do more diy instrument pls

[@richardarolland6659]

We always used wax paper. I need to experiment.

[@TK-ij2xi]

I'm here because of Jeannie Roberts and well, Snoopy Come Home.

[@ghostobiwankenobi6324]

Who remembers that guy on bgt

[@bingle2484]

Mama mia

[@mylieelliot9918]

My grandpa told me he used to do this

[@joshuaprick2596]

You don't even need a comb for this. Just watch a tutorial on the beatbox technique called "siren".

[@munjulurimvsrmurthy3972]

p

[@munjulurimvsrmurthy3972]

l

[@munjulurimvsrmurthy3972]

.

[@rohweirbaldera4649]

Nic e

[@trezza181]

HOVERBIKES

[@sulcusmb4207]

But they were making hover bike sounds!

[@mikeyproductions11]

How tf u do this??

[@hamdansiddique131]

I cant make that sound :( I didn't even press my lips hard , I can mostly hear my own voice

[@naisho0_]

Impossible

[@SamJonesNW]

The level of friendzone shown in the video is unparalleled

[@abhay8437]

Anyone here from the book “1984“?

[@twilightafar]

abhay Greetings!

[@koto485]

yes

[@connormccullough2226]

Me lmao

[@MilesWilliams88]

Literally me right now! I had no idea what he was talking about in the book, lol.

[@abhay8437]

@@MilesWilliams88 Lol, and he mentioned it so casually as if everyone knows it

[@frostlinemlondon580]

That is a kazoo not a sax 😂

[@tedunguent156]

"His" comb was facing down(?) and "Her" comb was facing up(?). Hmmmmm. I'm sure it doesn't matter.

[@Littleonesshow426]

It doesn't work properly

[@ryudex3705]

Came here from doom eternal theme on a printer

[@shrike4981]

We went on the same quest...

[@ryudex3705]

Elias broända a strange quest at that

[@theblue_cyborg3965]

Mario?

[@wolvesgirl1565]

Spongebob paper playing anyone?

[@whtontv7076]

It is not work

[@alptraumprinz]

Listen
"Die Arschgefickten Gummizofen - Ferien Auf Dem Bauernhof"

[@avazaron5161]

This is NOT a saxophone

[@historygeek7187]

I play an alto sax and when you play just the neck and mouthpeice it sounds somewhat like that

[@MilesWilliams88]

1984