Guitars are usually made of wood. Whether it is an acoustic guitar with a large open hole or a solid-body electric, a lot of wood is usually used in the construction. However, [Mattias Krantz] Shows us that the alternative construction method is entirely possible, making its own balloon guitar.
The balloon guitar still has a neck, bridge and strings like any other. However, instead of the resonant cavity of the acoustic guitar, a large balloon is fitted. It’s actually quite interesting to watch – with the balloon installed, the guitar provides a lot more volume than playing without a resonant cavity.
The guitar was originally made for helium to test whether the air in the balloon would change the pitch of the sound. Of course, the pitch of a guitar comes from the tension of the vibrating strings, so the change of gas in the resonant cavity does not directly affect it. Instead, like helium breathing to affect the human voice, the change is in the wood of sound, not the basic pitch. Looks like the guitar has been given a subtle treble boost.
This is a fun construction, and one that shows us that it is possible to create musical instruments in many ways, not just using traditional techniques. If you want to play more with the sound of your guitar, consider going back to the world of machine learning.