How do people around the world make music? In some really amazing, beautiful, and diverse ways!
The instruments used to make music around the globe are also quite diverse and often made from unique materials. Some are crafted from dried gourds, bones, bamboo or from wood. There are also instruments that use repurposed items – such as the cajón from Peru. This “box drum” was originally made in secret from shipping boxes and dresser drawers when slaves were forbidden to use their African-style drums. If you add a set of thimbles to a washboard, you turn a household tool into a percussion instrument! It’s easy to see how common items can take on new usages and meaning.
There are also some modern ways or recreating ancient instruments. Didgeridoos; originally from Aboriginal culture of Australia, can now be found all over the world. Instead of the original didg made from a tree branch hollowed out by ants, some are made from pvc piping – the type found in most modern bathrooms. Other unique ones I’ve seen in my travels include one made from a long tube and an orange traffic cone and one made from used crushed, metal Chinese food containers. People have gotten really creative in making and remaking instruments – often with the coolest recycled materials. And you can to!
Here’s a list of our favorite recycled instrument crafts along with the materials you’ll need to create them for yourself.
Cajon (box drum)
Materials: sturdy cardboard box, materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Cajon.php
Didgeridoo
Materials: pvc piping or long gift wrap paper tube, materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Didg.php
Washboard
Materials: Sturdy cardboard, manila folder, materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Washboard.php
String Thing
Materials: Sturdy metal or plastic box, rubber bands in various sizes
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_String.php
Guiro
Materials: plastic water bottle with ridges, unsharpened pencil, hair pick or used chopstick (as scraper), materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Guiro.php
Pow-Wow Drum
Materials: Large piece of sturdy material (such as vinyl), materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Drum.php
Make a Drum Beater
Materials: long stick, electrical tape, materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_beater.php
Shekere
Materials: Recycled milk jug, stickers, about a handful of any small material such as rice, birdseed or dried macaroni
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/make_Shekere.php
Recycled Rattles – Nature Walk Rattles
Materials: Any clear recycled container, any items found on a nature walk, electrical tape
Link: http://tinytappingtoes.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/take-a-nature-walkmake-a-recycled-rattle/
Maracas
Materials: two small plastic water bottles, two toilet paper tubes, about a handful of any small material such as rice, birdseed or dried macaroni, electrical tape
Link: https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/make-some-marvelous-maracas/
Sistrum
Materials: Either a wire coat hanger or a tree branch shaped like a “y”, jewelry wire or any thin wire, beads, jingles, buttons or other “jangley” objects.
Links: http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/ecosistrum.pdf and: http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/naturalsistrum.pdf
Gong
Materials: Large roasting pan, pipecleaners, large tube from gift wrap or large stick, stick (ruler or unsharpened pencil) for the beater, electrical tape, materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/chinesegong.pdf
Cajita (little box percussion instrument)
Materials: cigar box, wooden dowel, small cabinet knob, materials for decoration
Link: http://wp.me/p1gB0a-13
Kalimba
Materials: small pieces of wood, bobby pins, push pins, glue
Link: https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/she-made-a-homemade-mbira/
Ocean Drum
Materials: any shipping box, small piece of sturdy plastic or vinyl, packing tape, about a handful of any small material such as rice, birdseed or dried macaroni, materials for decoration
Link: http://www.dariamusic.com/docs/Ocean%20Drum%20Instructions.pdf
————–
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rock Out! E-Book
Would you like to see 10 of these ideas in a step-by-step format with illustrations and photos of the projects plus instruments? I’ve just published an e-book called Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rock Out! It’s available from Teachers Pay Teachers and from my Little Village Store at the links below.
Enjoy!
From Teachers Pay Teachers ($5.99):
From Syllabuy
http://www.syllabuy.co/earth-day-e-book-of-musical-crafts-reduce-reuse-recycle-and-rock-out
From DARIA’s Little Village Store ($5.99):
http://dariasvillagestore.storenvy.com/products/1346002-e-book-reduce-reuse-recycle-and-rock-out
Although Cinco De Mayo is celebrated in May and Hispanic heritage is highlighted in the USA from September 15 – October 15th, any time of year is great for making and exploring Latin American culture with this simple musical craft.
Then you’ll need some fillings. Remember each filling produces a different sound, so that may also be part of your plan for creating your set of maracas. For instance, sand or salt maracas will be very quiet. Dried beans, macaroni or large bead maracas will be nice and loud. Here are some suggestions that you can find around most every household:
So, now you’ve decided how you want your pair of maracas to sound and you’ve tightened the cap on your two water bottles. The next step is to create the handle. Take your two toilet paper rolls and make a straight cut from one end to the other. Tighten the roll in on itself to about the size of a ¾ inch dowel and then apply your electrical tape. Start wrapping the tape around the bottom part of the rattle on the bottle and move down onto the new handle. Wrap slowly, covering all the cardboard of the toilet paper roll and you will have created a rather sturdy handle for your new instrument.
Making Multicultural Music 