Crafting Tunes: How to Make Traditional Instruments with Everyday Materials
Different instruments were created throughout history to produce the tunes and beats we are used to hearing today. When music starts, it can make someone cry, smile, and even laugh. Instruments come in all shapes and sizes, allowing them to produce all sorts of sounds. In fact, you can recreate different instruments just by using materials at home.
Paper Chinese Rattle Drum: The Chinese Rattle Drum is a traditional musical instrument usually made from wood, beads, and other sturdy materials. The drum’s origins date back to the Song Dynasty when the musical instrument was a popular children’s toy. These rattle drums can be found online or created using everyday household items.
What You Need:
- 2x paper plate (any size, as long as it’s round)
- A stick or thin wooden dowel
- Tape or Glue (any kind)
- Paint or paint markers (any colors)
- 2x of short ribbons
- 2x bead (any size, material, color)
- Any other decorative items
Steps:
- Decorate the paper plates
- Tie one end of a ribbon to a bead and repeat for the other bead
- Choose one plate, tape or glue the two ribbons on the two sides, with the bead side facing out (Make sure to tape it on the food side of the plate)
- On the same plate, tape the dowel perpendicular to the ribbons
- Glue the two plates together
- Now twist the drum around in your hands to make music!
Straw Pan Flute: The pan flute is a pipe instrument that features different tubes of different lengths. Different cultures have different variations of this instrument, with some made of bamboo and others made of ceramic. This instrument can be easily recreated in your family kitchen.
What You Need:
- A handful of straws (you can choose how many you’d like to use)
- Tape (any kind)
Steps:
- Cut the straws into different lengths,
- Line them up by length.
- Lay the straws flat on a strip of tape.
- Wrap the tape around the straws, keeping them flat.
- Now you can blow across the opening of the straws to make sounds!
Popsicle Harmonica: The harmonica is a musical instrument that is used in different cultures and commonly found in jazz, blues, and even rock. Sound is produced out of the harmonica by blowing or sucking air through the instrument.
What You Need:
- 2x big popsicle sticks
- 2 rubber bands
- A strip of paper around the same size of the as the popsicle sticks
- 2x toothpicks the same width as popsicle sticks
Steps:
- Slip the piece of paper in between the two popsicle sticks
- Wrap a rubber band around one end of the popsicle sticks
- Slide a toothpick on top of the paper, on the inside of the rubber band
- Wrap a rubber band around the other end of the popsicle sticks
- Slide a toothpick under the paper on the inside of the rubber band
- Now try making sounds out of your brand-new harmonica
There are all kinds of unique sounds you can make from unusual materials around your house. No matter which instruments you choose to create, they are all customizable so that you can make them truly your own. Decorate them to your heart’s content and make sure to have fun creating tunes, beats, and pieces!