It is generally accepted by musical authorities that the kazoo was derived from the mirliton voice disguiser used in African,
probably since prehistoric times.
After that it gets a little fuzzy. There is a mirliton, (although some sources sight it as a woodwind) called the eunuch flute, or onion flute some sources say was used during the 16th and 17th centuries, but I have not found any reliable evidence of it in the 1500s, just in the 17th & 18th centuries.
However in French mirliton means a reed flute and it is not clear if there is a differentiation between instruments whose sound is produced by a single or double reed (woodwinds) and a member of the musical family mirliton which may, or may not, have a body made of reed.
This is also not to be confused with an instrument known as the onion flute or Welsh onion flute, which is actually made out of the green leaf of an onion.
After the 18th century, the mirliton family again disappears until the latter part of the 19th century.
THE LEGEND
Legend has it that the first kazoo was invented by Alabama Vest and built by a German clockmaker, Thaddeus Von Clegg in Macon, Georgia in the early 1840's (1842).
In 1852 it was exhibited at the Georgia State Fair sold under the name DOWN SOUTH SUBMARINE..., because of its shape.
Like any legend, very little of this can be substantiated, and some parts are contradictory to facts.
That's why they are legends.
No patents were taken out by either Alabama Vest or Thaddeus Von Clegg. I can find no records of any kind for either man.
I can find no records such an instrument being seen or sold at the 1852 Georgia State Fair.
There are variations in the story after this point, many of which don't follow the facts very well,
which I may go into in later articles.
PATENTS
First of all what is a kazoo?
A broad definition of a kazoo would be:
A device having one or more vibrating surface(s) that amplifies and distorts the voice of the player.
The pitch of the tones produced are controlled by the player's voice rather than by the change of volume of the vibrating column of air,
such as caused by fingering, sliding tube, keys, valves, different sized reeds, etc.
This would include 1) those in which the vibrating surface is either a thin membrane added to the inside or outside of body of the device or
A simplified definition would be: If it makes noise when you hum into it, it is probably a kazoo.
2) those in which the vibrating surface(s) consist of part or whole of the entire body of the device.
2) those in which the vibrating surface(s) consist of part or whole of the entire body of the device.
1) A simplified definition would be: If it makes noise when you hum into it, it is probably a kazoo.
The earliest patent I have found for a kazoo type instrument was No. 194,119
issued to Carlo Arpisella on Aug. 14, 1877. It is listed as "Improvement in Sounding Toys"
It is a Type in which the vibrating surfaces consist of part or whole of the entire body of the device.
1) The walls are two concave/convex (cup shaped) shells held together by a spring or elastic fastening.
When the player places his mouth over the hole at the edge of the device and sings at the same time breathing with more or less force into the space between the two disks.
This causes the two disks to separate slightly, the spring by which they are connected yielding for the purpose,
and the disks will be vibrated by the sound-waves of the voice, modifying the sound of the voice,
and changing it so as to resemble the tones of a trumpet or other similar musical instrument.
The second earliest is #214,010 issued on April 9, 1879 to Simon Sellers is Type 1--
in which the vibrating surface is a thin membrane added to the inside or outside of body of the device.
It is listed as "IMPROVEMENT IN TOYS"
It is tube of thin sheet metal with a diaphragm applied over a hole on the side and mouthpiece on one end.
A bell is attached to the opposite end.
The next is #270,543 issued on January 9, 1883 to Warren Herbert Frost
also of Type 1.
It is listed as "Toy or Musical Instrument" In the body of the document Frost refers to it as "This instrument or toy, to which I propose to give the name " kazoo," "
It is tube with separate diaphragm on the side and mouthpiece on one end.
It has a protective metal cover that turns around the barrel of the instrument to cover the diaphragm when not in use.
The two holes that look like fingering holes are not labeled or mentioned and are probably just decoration, not functional.
This is the first patent I have found using the term "KAZOO" which was the name given to it by Frost.
Frost assigns one half to S.E. Henderson
Frost later is issued patents for improvements on his kazoo;
#301,711 on July 8, 1884 which he assigned to George D. Smith (more about him later).
and #552,612 January 7, 1896
This one has a diaphragm mounted on a removable ring, perpendicular to the axis of the mouthpiece (also removable).
This is the patent for the instrument sold as the "Zobo" or "Zobo Horn".
Bands of boys or adults equipped with Zobos where popular in the late 1890s and early 1900s
He does not refer to either of these as a kazoo although they are basically the same instrument with some improvements.
None of these instruments are the familiar submarine shaped instrument.
There were several other kazoo type instruments patented before the first submarine shaped one was
invented by George D. Smith, (who was the assignee for Frost's patent 301,711
Smith was issued the patent #700,986 on May 27, 1902.
In this patent Smith explains the many innovations he adds to the instrument.
1. An elliptical shaped mouthpiece to better fit the mouth of the operator and prevent the escape of the sounds at the sides of the mouthpiece.
2. An enlarging of the body from the mouthpiece to create an air-reservoir
3. A tapering of rear portion D of the body to confine the air and voice vibrations to the reservoir
4. The diaphragm is placed parallel to the axis of the mouthpiece, instead of across, it to provide sufficient escape for the voice-waves and breath.
5. the flaring trumpet for confining and controlling the external air-vibrations produced by a diaphragm.
6. The diaphragm is glued to a somewhat flexible removable ring which is held in place by the trumpet.
7. Providing adjustable tension by threads on the trumpet and its holder, so as the trumpet is screwed down onto the diaphragm-ring the latter will be bent or dished inward slightly,
thus tightening the diaphragm by variable amounts, for the best results to accommodate voices of different pitch,
and inasmuch as the diaphragm becomes more or less slackened in use by the moisture contained in the user's breath
8. Constructing the instrument of sheet metal, whereby the desired shape for the best results can be given to the same without materially increasing the cost or labor of manufacture.
Smith frequently uses the words "Experimentation has shown"
indicating that these innovations were well thought out with scientific reasons for each.
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