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Video of the Day: Brooklyn Kids Rock
By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 11, 2008
Modified Apr 11, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 11, 2008
Modified Apr 11, 2008
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This is way better than School of Rock; over in Mr. R's class in Brooklyn, the little ones are becoming luthiers. Mr. R, Paul Rubenstein, works for Working Playground and teaches high school and middle school kids how to make electric guitars and amplifiers, a program he started 5 years ago. He tells us:
"We make them entirely from scratch (except for the tuning machines) including the pickups. It has just grown since then... now we make amplifiers and square wave oscillators too."
"We are setting the frets to an unconventional tuning system: 7-tone equal temperament. This means that instead of having the standard 12 notes (A, A#, B, etc.) we will have a seven-note scale with notes that don't correspond to the usual notes-- they fall in-between those notes, giving the scale a distinctive sound."
Teach also sent us along the below video of the kids at Franklin K. Lane High School playing their guitars, as well as a square wave oscillator and butter tub amplifier they made. Before you click play, check them out creating their musical masterpieces, here, and then see their completed guitars here.
These kids will know a lot more about playing the guitar than the ones in front of their flat screens playing Guitar Hero.
Tagged
amplifier
brooklyn
guitar
handmade
luthier
Paul Rubenstein
School of Rock
video
Video of the Day
Working Playground
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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