Noise Shaker

 

this noise shaker consists of a die cast aluminum hammond 1590b-style enclosure (4.37″ x 2.37″ x 1.07″) with a piezoelectric sensor on the inside connected to a 1/4″ mono phone jack. the shaker also has a passive low-pass filter (black knob in pic) and a momentary mute switch (red button in pic). the filter cuts out different levels of high frequencies from the sound, depending on where you set the knob. it also keeps the shaker box from feeding back and producing a high-pitched squeal. the mute switch silences the shaker for as long as you hold the button in.

to use the shaker box, all you have to do is fill it with a bunch of small objects (eg. nails, coins, marbles, rice, etc., etc.), plug it into your amp, mixer, and/or recorder and start shakin’! the box can also be used as an ordinary contact microphone by placing it on any object or instrument to pick up the vibrations. all of the components inside the box have been coated in black plastic in order to protect them from whatever is shaking around inside and, in the case that you use metal objects, to keep unwanted connections from being made.