Plonk

Kazoo: how to play, number tabs and easy songs

A kazoo is a small tube with a membrane that buzzes when you hum or sing into it. It has no keys: the tune comes from your voice, so learning a song on the kazoo means singing the right notes.

Play a song on the kazooJust try the kazoo

Play on the screen, or on your real kazoo: Plonk listens through your microphone.

How do you play a song on the kazoo?

Hum, don’t blow: say “doo” or “too” into the kazoo and sing the melody. The pitch is yours, so the only thing to learn is the tune and its rhythm.

Plonk draws a ribbon where the kazoo’s keys would be, from G3 to C6; sing the part of it that suits your voice. The notes fall onto the ribbon at the pitch to hum, and Plonk listens through the microphone to tell whether you hit it.

Easy kazoo songs to start with

Kazoo songs with tabs

Questions

Do I need a kazoo to use Plonk’s kazoo lessons?
No. You can hum with your voice alone; a real kazoo only changes the sound. You do need to allow the microphone, and the audio never leaves your device.
Why does the microphone not hear my kazoo?
A kazoo buzzes a lot, which makes pitch detection harder than for a voice. Hum into it clearly, a little louder than a whisper, in a quiet room, and keep it away from speakers playing the song.