What is it and how can I make it?

[Mark Wybierala]

I saw a cylindrical shaped object with head and a stick (a dowel). The stick goes through a tight fitting hole in the head. The player pushes and pulls the stick and the head vibrates making a sound each time the stick is pushed in or pulled out. What is it. What are good materials to use for the head and the dowel? I gotta make one.

[Jim McConkey]

Have you got a picture or video? I can't say I've ever seen one.

Heads are usually goat hide or similar. Search drum head skin, or try https://www.drumfactorydirect.com/. You might also look at Mid-East Manufacturing's web site. They make a lot of odd percussion instruments.

[Mark Wybierala]

A mistakes of my memory. The stick isn't pushed back and forth. The stick is attached to the head and is gripped with a damp cloth. The cloth is pulled semi tightly on the stick back and forth. The instrument is called a cuica or a kweeka.

I know an organization addressing people with special needs and I want to build a few musical instruments for them ranging from simple noise makers to others that can actually make proper tones and pitches. I'm going to start another new post specifically for this.

[Ed Gerber]

Without seeing a picture, I think you are referring to a Brazilian “cuica” pronounced koo EE ka. If I’m not mistaken, the stick is attached to the skin / head by way of a cord that wraps around the stick over the skin.

A quick search for cuica will bring much info.

Cheers
Ed

[Jim McConkey]

Better yet, just put "How to make a cuica" into YouTube. There are a whole bunch of videos on it.

This page has some nice closeups of how the stick is attached. The stick, normally bamboo, has a lump on the end. You would soak the head in water until it becomes very pliable, drape the skin over the head over the stick, then tie a string securing the skin around the head of the stick, then you would put the head on your frame as usual. Remo makes friction sticks specifically for this purpose.