How do I get a Makey Makey (and other resources) to build an instrument?
We’re going to experiment with creating an instrument that can communicate with a computer and has some electronics as part of it.
Think about
Where can you go to get access to resources you need to create instruments?
Get Started
Borrow a Makey Makey!
Find out if you can borrow a Makey Makey from somewhere in your community.
Doing some investigating can be great since you might find out other resources you can gain access to.
Here are some places that might have Makey Makeys (and other) resources for you to access.
- Libraries
- Schools
- Makerspaces
- Community Organizations
1) Start with your school. Ask some teachers and the school librarian if they can help you find out if the school has a Makey Makey for you to borrow or if it could possibly get a Makey Makey for you to borrow.
2) Also, check with your local library to find out if they have a Makey Makey for you to borrow of if they know of another place that can let you borrow a Makey Makey.
3) Find out if there are any local makerspaces. Makerspaces are places that usually provide resources to the local community to make things. Work with a trusted adult to find out if there is a local makerspace. If there is a makerspace in your community, find out if they have Makey Makeys that you can borrow.
4) Work with a trusted adult to find out if any local community organizations have Makey Makeys that you can borrow.
Purchase a Makey Makey!
Did you first check to see if you can borrow a microcontroller? If not, start there!
You might also want to purchase a microcontroller.
Here are some places you can go online to purchase a Makey Makey Classic:
You might also find out if there is a local business or organization that sells Makey Makeys. Talk to some of the people at the places listed for “borrowing a Makey Makey” to find out if they can help you choose the best place to purchase a Makey Makey.
Other Resources You need:
1) You will need some objects that can conduct electricity. For example:
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Fruit
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Something made of metal
2) Your Makey Makey will come with some alligator clips. Bonus!
3) If you want to draw your own instrument to use with a Makey Makey, you will need paper and some soft graphite. We suggest using something like a graphite crayon.
You can get a soft (6B) graphite crayon at a local art supply store or places online such as:
4) You will need a free web-app or a free software program. We’ll get to that later!
- If you are using a computer that can download software you can download SoundPlant to your computer to use later on.
- On the SoundPlant website click, “downloads here” and follow the directions.
