A styrophone is an acoustic device made from expanded polystyrene foam (often referred to by the genericized trademark Styrofoam). There are at least two varieties:
- an acoustic musical instrument
- a type of loudspeaker
Musical instrument
The musical Styrophone is a type of friction idiophone created by Robert Rutman in the 1990s as a parody of his well-known sheetmetal instrument, the Bow Chimes. It consists of a foam box from which protrude a series of thin brass rods played with a violin bow. Rutman's ensemble would build the impromptu instruments prior to a performance, and then destroy them through the process of their use.[1] Other versions have been created with wooden sticks used in place of metal.[2]
Styrophone loudspeaker
An inexpensive alternative to heavy-duty amplification systems, the Styrophone loudspeaker is usually of a cheap homemade variety that consists of a crystal earpiece attached to a cone made from a foam cup or sections of packing material.[3]
References
- ^ Antunovic, Martina (2013). "Report: Bullshittin' on a Chair with Bob Rutman". Platoon Kunsthalle. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Frictioned Foam" by Liam Mooney
- ^ "Styrophone Crystal Loud Speaker" from Peebles Originals
This page was last edited on 2 February 2022, at 22:23