KVR Audio

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:35 am

I thought people might like to see this little vid I made of the home-made musical instruments I use with young children in kindergartens, schools and child care centres here in Perth, Western Australia. I don't do performances with the instruments, I do hands-on programs where the kids get to explore and play all the instruments through free and structured play.

Most of the instruments are made from junk and recycled materials and they are designed to be very easy to play, to be very safe, and to be almost unbreakable, since 5 year olds are the single most destructive force known to humankind.

Shameless plug: if you like what you see feel free to head over to http://www.facebook.com/ChildsPlayMusicPerth and hit that Like button.

Alec.

memyselfandus · Post by **memyselfandus** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:37 am

Very cool!

ouroboros · Post by **ouroboros** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:39 am

outstanding! really,

What a treat for the kids.

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:54 am

Thanks - I think they are pretty amazing myself!

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:02 am

Nifty

michael2 · Post by **michael2** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:59 pm

great stuff. my daughters class is now without a music program, so I am set to take it over (at no cost to the school of course) in December. may be ripping off some of your ideas. ideally I would also like to do some stuff that the kids can help construct.

very inspiring. thanks for sharing.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:41 pm

this would be better in the diy forum if that's okay, unfortunately I can only move things from the diy forum but not things TO the diy forum so if another mod can move this I would appreciate it (no not woory it leaves a ghost link in this forum as well)

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:42 pm

btw...very cool

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:42 pm

michael2 wrote:great stuff. my daughters class is now without a music program, so I am set to take it over (at no cost to the school of course) in December. may be ripping off some of your ideas. ideally I would also like to do some stuff that the kids can help construct.

very inspiring. thanks for sharing.

I will be putting up some more videos on making instruments soon, and they are the sort of thing you can do with children, even as young as five (though some will be more suited to 10 year olds).

If you are looking for info on making home made instruments the very best source I know is the books by Bart Hopkin "Musical Instrument design", "Slap Tubes and other Plosive Aerophones" and "Making Musical Instruments with kids". They are available from Amazon and elswhere, and they are brilliant.

What age are the children you will be working with?

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:55 pm

Great stuff!!! Wonderful, that you derive so much JOY in doing it.

alexfalcao · Post by **alexfalcao** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 4:23 pm

Congratulation! They sound really nice, not only for kids, I would like to play then too.

outbackyak · Post by **outbackyak** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 5:10 am

Shabdahbriah wrote:Great stuff!!! Wonderful, that you derive so much JOY in doing it.

I honestly reckon I've got the best job in the world - I get to make kids ecstatically happy (what child doesn't like being told "make as much noise as you like"?) I get to spread the joy of music, I get to work with kids (I'm a qualified child care worker with a B. Soc. Sci. in Children Studies), and it pays the rent.

It's never going to make me a millionaire, but -hey - I was a child care worker, and anything pays better than that. The current pay scale for a qualified child care worker in Australia (with a two or three year course of full-time study) is about the same as a checkout operator or a cleaner; that is just plain wrong.

I'm glad you all like the instruments - I will be putting up more videos soon on how to make some instruments.

Alec.

pandashake · Post by **pandashake** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 5:45 am

These things are awesome. The children's museum here in Flint has something similar to your bass xylophone idea. I love that a shoe insert makes all that noise.

abstractcats · Post by **abstractcats** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:35 am

Great use of PVC, cant tell how many time I've wacked on the end of PVC. Great creation have have there sir!

alvfaria · Post by **alvfaria** » Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:44 am

I loved it! Do you have schematics of how to construct these stuff? I like the drums very much!

(I have a secret dream to construct a homemade drum kit)

Check out my home-made musical instruments!