Bamboo. Despite being a plant of prehistoric ancestry, this simple plant has "grown" to be a huge part of many cultures. Due to it's unparalleled growth speed, It's hollow construct, and widespread growing range, Bamboo has been used to make for a broad selection of items, ranging from watermills to limbo sticks and Tiki bars . In fact, at least one species of bamboo is native to each continent except for Antarctica and Europe. No other plant has influenced the growth and development of human society and culture more than the humble bamboo has, making it possibly the most important plant in human history.
As I stated earlier, bamboo is perfect for making a great variety of items, including musical instruments. The natural, hollow culm of this giant grass makes it perfect for making woodwind instruments. Over time, various cultures have developed a variety of bamboo flutes, pipes, whistles, and general noisemakers. Partly due to the simplicity of the plant itself, bamboo instruments are extremely easy to make, and make well at that! In this instructable, I'll teach you how to to make 4 bamboo instruments that will only cost you the time to make them.
We'll make a bamboo...
Just because bamboo doesn't grow naturally in your area, probably doesn't mean you can't find growing as an ornamental plant or by the roadside. All the bamboo used in this instructable was either found being thrown away by my neighbors, or was growing by the side of the road and needed to be cut down. I live in relatively temperate Pennsylvania, but still I found natural, growing bamboo. Check around your neighborhood before heading to the hardware store. After all, If you can find it, it's free!
These instruments have simply amazing sound, as the timbre of each is mellow and natural, much more than if you made them from plastic of PVC. They are free, they are easy, and they are a LOT of fun, so why don't you give them a try?
This instructable will be the first in a series of other instructables about other bamboo instruments, so stay tuned!
~Skyfinity.
As I stated earlier, bamboo is perfect for making a great variety of items, including musical instruments. The natural, hollow culm of this giant grass makes it perfect for making woodwind instruments. Over time, various cultures have developed a variety of bamboo flutes, pipes, whistles, and general noisemakers. Partly due to the simplicity of the plant itself, bamboo instruments are extremely easy to make, and make well at that! In this instructable, I'll teach you how to to make 4 bamboo instruments that will only cost you the time to make them.
We'll make a bamboo...
- Traditional Transverse flute
- Japanese end-blown Shakuhachi
- Andean end-blown Quena
- and a Panflute
- A drill.
- An assortment of drill bits ranging in diameter from 2mm to 1.5 cm.
- A rotary tool (Dremel) with a cutting wheel and various sanding and grinding bits.
- A general purpose hand-held sander with various sandpapers ranging from at least medium to fine
- String.
- A sharp knife/boxcutter.
- LOTS AND LOTS OF BAMBOO! Green or golden, sappy or cured, depending on your preference.
Just because bamboo doesn't grow naturally in your area, probably doesn't mean you can't find growing as an ornamental plant or by the roadside. All the bamboo used in this instructable was either found being thrown away by my neighbors, or was growing by the side of the road and needed to be cut down. I live in relatively temperate Pennsylvania, but still I found natural, growing bamboo. Check around your neighborhood before heading to the hardware store. After all, If you can find it, it's free!
These instruments have simply amazing sound, as the timbre of each is mellow and natural, much more than if you made them from plastic of PVC. They are free, they are easy, and they are a LOT of fun, so why don't you give them a try?
This instructable will be the first in a series of other instructables about other bamboo instruments, so stay tuned!
~Skyfinity.
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Bamboo Flute: Transverse Traditional
The Bamboo Flute is an intrinsic part of Eastern culture, with nearly every country that can grow the plant having developed its own particular version. In India, it is known as the Bansuri, in China, the Dizi, in Japan, the Shinobue, and in Korea, the Daegeum. Though each of these versions are different in their tuning, size, and playing technique, they are all made from a hollow piece of bamboo with tuned holes drilled or burnt into them. Their popularity is to no surprise, as the availability and hollow construct of bamboo makes it the plant perfect for such an instrument.
First of , before any construction can begin, remember: Safety First! Though making these instruments doesn't require many large, dangerous power tools, be aware that accidents can still happen. Be sure to wear saftey glasses (fig.1) and never touch the blade or cutting edge of a tool that is powered on. I am only responsible for teaching you how to make a rockin' musical instrument, not for making horrendous injury.
With that out of the way, let us begin constructing our flute.
Preparing the bamboo:
First, find a nice piece of bamboo. You are looking for one with a mostly rounded body of moderate diameter, without any suspicious holes or splintering, injured patches (fig.4). To prepare the bamboo, remove all the branches by using a hacksaw (fig.2). It is a good idea to sand down the notches from which the branches were cut to create a more sleek instrument (fig.3). Also, note that the piece of bamboo you chose for your flute must have at least one node, which will serve as the "cork" that is situated close to the embouchure, or "blow hole". This node must be solid and not have any bumps or holes on the outside or the inside of the bamboo, as this node will be crucial in achieving proper tone.
Making the cut:
From the node that you have selected to serve as the "cork", measure 2 cm out (fig.5) and mark a line there with a pencil. This will be the one end of your flute, nearest to the embouchure, separated by the node. Use a hacksaw and carefully cut along the line all the way down through the bamboo. This first cut will be rough (fig.7), and it will take some sanding (fig.8) to make it pristine and smooth (fig.9). This cut has revealed the node, and will give us some Idea of what the inside of our flute-to-be looks like. As we will need to know the inner diameter and the wall thickness of our flute for calculations and cutting the embouchure, measure them now using this hole (fig.10).
The Embouchure:
The general rule for the placement of the embouchure is that it's center should be "one inner-diameter length from the cork". Measure one length of the bamboo's inner diameter from the node (fig.11). Mark this place with pencil, as it will be the center of the embouchure. To calculate the proper diameter for the embouchure, among other measurements, use the Flutomat, an absolutely brilliant Java calculator for flute-making (fig.14). Input your flute's inner diameter, wall thickness, and select a key for the flute to be in. The app will calculate the exact placement and diameter for the embouchure and the other six holes that complete the 7-note western scale. Once Flutomat has given you the proper diameter for the embouchure, begin to drill. Clamp the bamboo down firmly with the embouchure mark face up. Begin by drilling at the center using a small drill bit. I first used a 2mm bit to start the hole, then progressed to a full centimeter with about 3 other bits in between. Figure 12 shows the drilling process, with the bamboo clamped down and the drill carefully but deliberatley being thrust through the bamboo. It is EXTREMELY important that the drill is perfectly perpendicular with the bamboo, that the cut is deliberate and forceful (no resting on the pre-cut hole), and that the drill is held steady and sure. Without applying these guidelines, the bamboo will rip, splinter, and crack. In general, BE VERY CAREFUL. When the hole is cut to the proper diameter, feel free to file and sand it to make it smooth and perfectly round (fig.13). Test the embouchure and make sure your get a familiar, mellow, "flute-like" tone. If further adjustment is needed, you may need to use a file to bevel the playing edge of the hole (opposite the player) so it is at a downward slant away from the player. My flute did not require this alteration, and if you feel like no adjustment is needed, play it safe and don't make any.
Making the cut, Part II:
Flutomat gives the length between the edge of each hole and the open end of the flute, so to cut this end, we must measure out the designated distance from the embouchure, the only hole we've cut so far (fig.15). Once you've measured the correct distance, mark it with a pencil (fig.16) and cut through the bamboo as described earlier (fig.17). Sand the opening down and clean up the gut with files and sandpaper (fig.18,19)
Knocking out nodes:
Chances are that while making your flute, you have chosen a piece that will have more than the one node that is serving as the cork. This node has to be "Knocked out" and completely gotten rid of before the flute can make any sound at all. The method I used to knock out the node was using a piece of rebar that fit the inside of the bamboo fairly well, and tapped it multiple times with as sledgehammer until it broke the node out from the rest of the bamboo. Be warned that THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I tried this method a second time and the bamboo split right in half. Instead, I would suggest using a drill bit that fits loosely into the diameter of the bamboo and drilling it through. You need to push a little more to drill out the node, but it will go through with a much smaller chance of damaging your flute. Figures 21-23 cover how I removed the nodes with rebar, though it isn't suggested.
At this point, your flute should look like the one pictured in Figure 24.
Hole Drilling:
Believe it or not, this is the easy part! The Flutomat calculator gives the diameter of each tone hole and the length between them and the open end of the flute. Measure the given distance from the end and mark it lightly with pencil (fig.25). Keep in mind that this mark indicates the edge of the tone hole, not it's center, so before you begin to drill make a mark one hole radius up from the original mark. This will be the center of the hole. Now, like the embouchure, each hole must be drilled in successively larger drill bits. I usually started each hole with a 2mm bit (fig.26), then moved up to the calculated diameter (fig.27). After each drilling, with each size bit, I cleaned up the cut, removed any splinters, filed it circular with needle files and took great precaution to prevent cracking. Also, be aware that some parts in the bamboo are thinner than others, usually where branches are growing, and are thus more susceptible to breaking. The first hole I drilled (fig.28) was over such a spot, and was very close to a node, but this didn't seem to affect the tone at all. If you find your hole e is over a node, don't fret. Try to drill it as best and as carefully as you can, and clean up the node on the inside really well. I continued to drill all six holes (fig.29-33) and kept them in a straight, even alignment, though technically, the placement of the hole around the outside diameter of the bamboo is not as relevant as it's distance from the end of the flute. Once you have that sixth hole cleaned up, YOU'RE DONE! Now go and enjoy your instrument (fig.34-37)
OPTIONAL:
To clean up my holes, I decided to try and burn away the splinters using a candle (fig.38,39). This worked... somewhat. It left my flute with the brownish gold blotches around the holes that you can see in the first picture. Some people try to "jump-start" the gradual fade from green to gold by taking a blowtorch to the surface of the bamboo, which changes it instantly. This can also be blotchy if not done correctly, and you can damage your instrument. For the average bamboo-flautist, I would suggest skip;ping this.
First of , before any construction can begin, remember: Safety First! Though making these instruments doesn't require many large, dangerous power tools, be aware that accidents can still happen. Be sure to wear saftey glasses (fig.1) and never touch the blade or cutting edge of a tool that is powered on. I am only responsible for teaching you how to make a rockin' musical instrument, not for making horrendous injury.
With that out of the way, let us begin constructing our flute.
Preparing the bamboo:
First, find a nice piece of bamboo. You are looking for one with a mostly rounded body of moderate diameter, without any suspicious holes or splintering, injured patches (fig.4). To prepare the bamboo, remove all the branches by using a hacksaw (fig.2). It is a good idea to sand down the notches from which the branches were cut to create a more sleek instrument (fig.3). Also, note that the piece of bamboo you chose for your flute must have at least one node, which will serve as the "cork" that is situated close to the embouchure, or "blow hole". This node must be solid and not have any bumps or holes on the outside or the inside of the bamboo, as this node will be crucial in achieving proper tone.
Making the cut:
From the node that you have selected to serve as the "cork", measure 2 cm out (fig.5) and mark a line there with a pencil. This will be the one end of your flute, nearest to the embouchure, separated by the node. Use a hacksaw and carefully cut along the line all the way down through the bamboo. This first cut will be rough (fig.7), and it will take some sanding (fig.8) to make it pristine and smooth (fig.9). This cut has revealed the node, and will give us some Idea of what the inside of our flute-to-be looks like. As we will need to know the inner diameter and the wall thickness of our flute for calculations and cutting the embouchure, measure them now using this hole (fig.10).
The Embouchure:
The general rule for the placement of the embouchure is that it's center should be "one inner-diameter length from the cork". Measure one length of the bamboo's inner diameter from the node (fig.11). Mark this place with pencil, as it will be the center of the embouchure. To calculate the proper diameter for the embouchure, among other measurements, use the Flutomat, an absolutely brilliant Java calculator for flute-making (fig.14). Input your flute's inner diameter, wall thickness, and select a key for the flute to be in. The app will calculate the exact placement and diameter for the embouchure and the other six holes that complete the 7-note western scale. Once Flutomat has given you the proper diameter for the embouchure, begin to drill. Clamp the bamboo down firmly with the embouchure mark face up. Begin by drilling at the center using a small drill bit. I first used a 2mm bit to start the hole, then progressed to a full centimeter with about 3 other bits in between. Figure 12 shows the drilling process, with the bamboo clamped down and the drill carefully but deliberatley being thrust through the bamboo. It is EXTREMELY important that the drill is perfectly perpendicular with the bamboo, that the cut is deliberate and forceful (no resting on the pre-cut hole), and that the drill is held steady and sure. Without applying these guidelines, the bamboo will rip, splinter, and crack. In general, BE VERY CAREFUL. When the hole is cut to the proper diameter, feel free to file and sand it to make it smooth and perfectly round (fig.13). Test the embouchure and make sure your get a familiar, mellow, "flute-like" tone. If further adjustment is needed, you may need to use a file to bevel the playing edge of the hole (opposite the player) so it is at a downward slant away from the player. My flute did not require this alteration, and if you feel like no adjustment is needed, play it safe and don't make any.
Making the cut, Part II:
Flutomat gives the length between the edge of each hole and the open end of the flute, so to cut this end, we must measure out the designated distance from the embouchure, the only hole we've cut so far (fig.15). Once you've measured the correct distance, mark it with a pencil (fig.16) and cut through the bamboo as described earlier (fig.17). Sand the opening down and clean up the gut with files and sandpaper (fig.18,19)
Knocking out nodes:
Chances are that while making your flute, you have chosen a piece that will have more than the one node that is serving as the cork. This node has to be "Knocked out" and completely gotten rid of before the flute can make any sound at all. The method I used to knock out the node was using a piece of rebar that fit the inside of the bamboo fairly well, and tapped it multiple times with as sledgehammer until it broke the node out from the rest of the bamboo. Be warned that THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I tried this method a second time and the bamboo split right in half. Instead, I would suggest using a drill bit that fits loosely into the diameter of the bamboo and drilling it through. You need to push a little more to drill out the node, but it will go through with a much smaller chance of damaging your flute. Figures 21-23 cover how I removed the nodes with rebar, though it isn't suggested.
At this point, your flute should look like the one pictured in Figure 24.
Hole Drilling:
Believe it or not, this is the easy part! The Flutomat calculator gives the diameter of each tone hole and the length between them and the open end of the flute. Measure the given distance from the end and mark it lightly with pencil (fig.25). Keep in mind that this mark indicates the edge of the tone hole, not it's center, so before you begin to drill make a mark one hole radius up from the original mark. This will be the center of the hole. Now, like the embouchure, each hole must be drilled in successively larger drill bits. I usually started each hole with a 2mm bit (fig.26), then moved up to the calculated diameter (fig.27). After each drilling, with each size bit, I cleaned up the cut, removed any splinters, filed it circular with needle files and took great precaution to prevent cracking. Also, be aware that some parts in the bamboo are thinner than others, usually where branches are growing, and are thus more susceptible to breaking. The first hole I drilled (fig.28) was over such a spot, and was very close to a node, but this didn't seem to affect the tone at all. If you find your hole e is over a node, don't fret. Try to drill it as best and as carefully as you can, and clean up the node on the inside really well. I continued to drill all six holes (fig.29-33) and kept them in a straight, even alignment, though technically, the placement of the hole around the outside diameter of the bamboo is not as relevant as it's distance from the end of the flute. Once you have that sixth hole cleaned up, YOU'RE DONE! Now go and enjoy your instrument (fig.34-37)
OPTIONAL:
To clean up my holes, I decided to try and burn away the splinters using a candle (fig.38,39). This worked... somewhat. It left my flute with the brownish gold blotches around the holes that you can see in the first picture. Some people try to "jump-start" the gradual fade from green to gold by taking a blowtorch to the surface of the bamboo, which changes it instantly. This can also be blotchy if not done correctly, and you can damage your instrument. For the average bamboo-flautist, I would suggest skip;ping this.
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
I recently started to make these for a school project, and while I haven't made the Shakuhachi or Quena yet, I have made the Traditional flute and am working on the pan-flute, and I was wondering if there was any way to connect the pipes other than the method listed as I do not want to spend over an hour tying them together.
Thank you!
Good Luck to you!
I would love to see what you've done so far with the traditional flute. Does it play well? Could you post pictures?
As for connecting the pan pipes, my method was using very fine thread looped around each tube over and over again, which was, as you've predicted, an arduous task. Keep in mind that these flutes were the very first I made, and I have since then learned from my mistakes.
Unfortunately, I still feel the best and most secure way to get the tubes attached to one another is to tie them. I suggest you use a thicker twine, not thread, and tie each cross over only once. Make sure it's good and tight, and you should be fine. You probably were interested in using glue to join them, however If you use a thick twine and only loop once for each tube, you should be fine.
Also, I didn't make this clear in the instructable, but it is very important to cure your bamboo. Have you done that? These flutes were quick, dirty, and uncured, but if you want a lasting instrument to be proud of, you should cure your bamboo. If you haven't, there's still time to cure the transverse flute you made.
Anyway, please tell me what you think, and I'd be happy to help you in any way I can. Thanks,
Schuyler.
We are going to cure the bamboo very soon, and once that is done we are actually going to superglue the support rods onto the tubes, as it doesn't need to be perfect, just to last long enough to get to second block :P
Also, I would love to tell you how my traditional came out, but I am no flautist and I cant even make one tone on that bleedin' thing '_' (I plan to have one of the lases play it and tell me how I did :P) and I will upload pictures at some point (And I did cure the transverse, but I made it look more wooden which I like more than straight green (using the Japanese method and a backyard grill :P))
Thanks again!
~Kasres
Do what you want, but I suggest a root.
Thanks,
Schuyler.
I figured I'd have to make one smaller. but the issue is the dimensions; intonation isn't too important right now, but is very nice to have, If you know the right placement on them I'd appreciate it for it :P (I'm guessing about a 13" (Sorry bout using imperial, I'm just a dumb American :P) piece? Maybe 15-18?
Thanks!
~Kasres
Regarding location of finger holes: Every flute is different. Measure your flute from the sound hole to the end and divide it in thirds. Try to keep your finger holes in the middle third or you may have problems with the top and bottom notes jumping octaves (called nodal interference). Make your holes about a thumb width apart. Make them smaller than you think they should be. The notes will be flat. Make them larger a little at a time until you get the desired notes. Use a keyboard or electronic tuner to check your progress.
Besides this excellent tutorial. I would really like to know how to make flutes in different keys so I need some sort of calculator.
http://twjcalc.sourceforge.net/2.10/TWJCalc2.10.html
Be aware that wooden and bamboo flutes are very sensitive to temperature and humidity. If you play your concert-tuned flute in a place with higher or lower humidity than where you made it, the tuning will change anywhere from 10 to 50 cents, but it still should be in tune with itself. Mostly, bamboo and wooden flutes are made to be solo instruments.
The location of the finger holes will determine the note that is played when you uncover it. You can create any scale you desire for a particular flute by changing the location of the finger holes.
Alternatively, a type of wood I know you can find that is good for flute making is elderberry. It has a soft, styrofoam-like pith that you can clean out easily with a sharpened metal rod. Hopefully, you can find some with the center, hollowed out area at least 15mm-20mm diameter, but I have made tiny flute with a 5mm bore. Native Americans from this region used elderberry to make flutes.
First, thank you for the instructable. I'm not a very good musician (well, calling me a musician is very close to a lie if you want the truth...) but I'm fond of wind instruments. And since I can have bamboo of various sizes(from the size of my little finger to the size of a clenched fist) , it will be funny. I'm thinking of making several transverse flutes in different keys, with colored japanese-like pompoms to differentiate them.
Second, I read in other comments (Jun 17, 2010) you were thinkingof making other instructables. Does this project will becomme reality ?(I don't know why, but I think that sentence was not very English...Argh, I'm killing Shakespeare's language.) It would begreat. Veeeeeery great. Greater than the Eiffel tower. Or very close to.
And for ending this loooong comment, I will say another "Thank you!"
to make some flutes. A lot of info I have read speaks of the diameter
being somewhat important in relation to the length. The i.d. of this
bamboo is approx. 1.25 to 1.375. Is this to big around ? I am a bass
player so I do like the low keys. But I am not sure how to proceed
with such a diameter ( ex. how long to cut it, where to put the holes
etc. ) Maybe it is to big of dia. ? I would appreciate any help.
Thanks for your time. Keith the music man.
I appreciate your interest and am delighted that you want to make some flutes. I will have give you a full answer later though, as I am not currently able to help you based on your specifications. Also, I acknowledge that I wrote this instructable a long while ago, and my instructions contain several things that may now have been improved upon. I would love to help you, and will write you a full reply soon.
Thank you!
Skyfinity.
but where may i find bamboo, or buy bamboo, i live in canada, around TO area..
Skyfinity.