How to Play the Shofar

The Shofar - Expanded

My earlier post about the shofar was the third video clip in a series of 3. I found the earlier 2 clips, so here they are again - all 3 of them:







If you prefer to see the entire series of clips without breaks, you can do so here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe3V4t7D8zM&feature=related

Disclaimer: The author of this blog doesn't necessarily share the views expressed in the video clips

Make Your Own Instruments (Part 3) - PVC Irish Flute!

I posted some time ago on making PVC didgeridoos and Irish whistles. I've tried them both and they appear to work fine. The low D Irish whistle I made seems to be rather out of tune, but it's my first try, and the instructions have been updated.

I also tried making my own PVC Irish flute. There are some really good instructions at PVC Irish flute maker Doug Tipple's website. His flutes have received very good reviews, and they cost a fraction of a normal Irish flute (imagine paying $60 instead of $250 for a great sounding Irish flute! Then imagine making your own for less than 10 bucks!!).

I'll post some pictures when I have the time, but here's Doug's instructions for starters:

http://dougsflutes.googlepages.com/makingasimpleirishflute

Make Your Own Instruments (Part 2) - Tubes , Pipes and Carrot Sticks

I've been searching the net for some how-to's on making your own homemade musical instruments. Some of my finds have been really eye-opening. Apart from the carrot panpipes and broccoli ocarinas (see here), there are some stuff that are really worth trying out. Imagine having a set of Irish whistles (including the low whistles which easily cost over 100 USD each) for just a few dollars and a little craftsmanship! Or a playable didgeridoo from materials available at your local hardware store!

The following are some very comprehensive instructions for making your own Irish whistles and Didges. The only difficulty may be trying to find the right materials in your own country.


Irish Whistles

PVC Whistle
Get the sweet sound of the Irish whistle with just some... electrical conduit?? Yes, you can make your own set with some PVC pipe, and with great results! The whistles this guy makes retail for 28 to 75 USD - but only because people asked for them. He gives a very detailed step-by-step guide on making your own whistles with measurements and all! His whistle was even given some good reviews by an online reviewer!

How to make the 'Low-Tech' Whistle guide: http://guido.gonzato.googlepages.com/whistle.html

Listen to the 'Low-Tech' Whistle here!

Read the reviews at http://www.tinwhistler.com/index.aspx. Under "Whistle Reviews", click the High-End pull down menu and look for "Guido Gonzato 'Low-Tech' Whistle".

Copper Whistle
Here's another detailed guide on making an Irish whistle, this time in copper! I couldn't find the copper tubing with the right diameter so I bought me some aluminium tube instead. Maybe it'll work just as well...

Here's the tutorial: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6611/makewhis.htm


Didgeridoo

PVC Didges
Now that you've looked at PVC and copper tin whistles (ha... the irony... Methinks Irish whistles shouldn't be referred to as 'tin whistles' if made in other materials), we'll take a look at other stuff you can do with PVC pipe. For this one, you need larger pipe - the type used for water - and a few different materials. This tutorial also steps you through the making of your own didge, this time with photos!

Making PVC Didgeridoos guide: http://www.geocities.com/gangwise/didgeridoo

If you're concerned about the tuning of your didge, check out this chart!

Cardboard Roll Didges
You can make didges out of cardboard rolls too (the long ones used to roll fabrics). I tried making one but haven't finished painting it.

Unlike PVC didges, bending it to shape or making a bell isn't as straightforward. One tutorial stated that you can put a bottle into one end and spray a bit of water over several days to get the cardboard to expand in order to make a bell. I'm a little skeptical, but you can try it. Just be careful your didge doesn't grow mold.

The steps are just as straightforward. You just saw the didge down to the right length (and pitch) and fix a mouthpiece (beeswax or otherwise) then paint it with acrylics. You can spray lacquer over it and use shellac to waterproof the inside somewhat, but I haven't tried it out. I'll post the photos another time.

"If you can't afford a good genuine Didgeridoo, one of the next best things in sound quality is a plastic pipe - and its certainly the cheapest option. There is one source for a Didgeridoo, which can be even cheaper and that is the cardboard rolls used by fabric merchants to roll the material on. You can probably pick those up for free at fabric retailers. It's advisable to give them a coat of varnish or wood glue to harden them and improve the sound of the didgeridoo."

- Excerpt from http://www.didjshop.com/shop1/make_your_own_didgeridoo.html

Christian Flute Maker

I don't remember how I chanced upon this website, but it was only tonight that I went through it in detail and discovered the story behind this extraordinary flute maker. His name is Erik Sampson, and he is a Christian who is using his flute-making skills to be a blessing to others.


Erik had a tumultuous youth and went through a lot of confusion and rough times in his quest for truth until the day God led him to Himself. He later found his calling in life, which was to make flutes for the glory of God and to be a blessing to others. Today he not only makes flutes, but is actively involved in mission work. Check out his testimony!

Erik makes flutes of a wide range of variety - from Arabian flutes to Oriental Shakuhachi, from Egyptian flutes to walking stick flutes - all from bamboo. His flutes sound great (check out the sound clips on his site) and he takes a lot of care creating them, sometimes making several to get one that works well. You can check them out at his shop. He also makes saxophones, Irish whistles and panpipes.

To top things off, there's a parable on his website that uses his process of flute-making as an analogy for the Christian life.

Little Geese and Dragon's Eggs

Animals in my music blog?? Not really. In fact the instruments described here are not related to animals at all. They're what are commonly known as Ocarinas - enclosed clay wind instruments with holes.

Wikipedia tells us: The word ocarina is derived from Italian meaning "little goose." Don't ask me why.

Ocarinas are ancient instruments that, like flutes and panpipes, seem to have existed in cultures all over the world for centuries (or perhaps even millenia!). The Chinese have theirs, the Europeans have theirs, the Mesoamericans have theirs. Today I'll introduce a few that I have.

my ocarina collection

The Little Goose

When we use the word 'ocarina', what comes to mind most readily is the kind with a mouthpiece that resembles a whistle. The Chinese call it the "tao di" (陶笛).

Such ocarinas come in all shapes and sizes. Lots of them come in animal shapes too. It's up to the creativity of the maker.

I own 6 ocarinas of this type. The first is a plastic one I bought from Yamaha at Plaza Singapura (the yellow one). It's a 10-hole instrument. I think the piece I got wasn't too well made as some parts don't have a good seal (it's made in 2 halves joined together).

Clay ocarina

The second one is a clay handmade piece made by my friend's uncle who's a potter. It's a nice piece of pottery with interesting texture and a glazed mouthpiece. It's not tuned very well though, and probably needs some tweaking to sound better.

Fish-shaped ocarina from Eastern Europe

The third one is one that a friend of mine purchased for me in Eastern Europe. It's made of red clay and shaped in a piece. This unfortunate one was the victim of my carelessness when I accidentally swept it off my desk and shattered it to pieces. I've since glued the pieces back together, but I think it leaks air and doesn't sound as it once did...

TaoDi

The other 3 are Chinese TaoDi. Two of them were made by a famous ocarina shop in Taiwan. My friends who visited Taipei got them for me. They are 6-holed ocarinas. The last one was given by someone else and made elsewhere.


The Dragon's Egg


It doesn't take a genius to guess why this ocarina is referred to as a dragon's egg. Apart from the shape, it originates from a culture where dragons are symbols of power and good fortune - the Middle Kingdom, China.

This ocarina is known as a Xun (埙). Unlike the TaoDi, it is edge-blown and doesn't have a mouthpiece. You play it the same way you blow across a bottle opening to get a sound.

I bought this Xun at a roadshow in a shopping mall during Chinese New Year a few years back. It has lovely carvings of carp. Paid $50 SGD for it. It's more an ornamental piece than a musical instrument though. While playable, it's not tuned well.

Listen to the Xun here!

Note: You can probably make ocarinas of this type using ostrich or emu eggs. I've seen instructions on this in a library book on making your own musical instruments. That set of instructions included making a fipple (mouthpiece) for the ocarina.

Make Your Own Instruments (Part 1)!!

I decided to try making my own PVC pipe didgeridoo just a few days back. It's probably one of the simplest instruments to make, being just a simple cylinder. But if you're more adventurous, the possibilities are almost limitless! Here are some things I found on the web about making your own instruments:

Let's start with some inspiration:



Here are some interesting sites:

• http://www.philtulga.com/Didgeridoo.html - Didgeritubes?? Where did they get that from? A cross between a panpipe and several didgeridoos!
• http://www.philtulga.com/Panpipes.html - Panpipes - something more conventional
• http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~dl1s-ymgc/tsukur-e.htm - Yokobue - Some kind of Japanese flute
• And a whole load of other odd homemade instruments at http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/. This is the guy behind the video above. Hard to read cos it's all in Courier font, but with detailed instructions.
  

Didge Your Way To A Good Night's Sleep - Why I want to learn to play the Didgeridoo

Sounds weird? Well, maybe not! A medical journal published a paper several years ago documenting the benefits of didgeridoo playing in managing certain sleep disorders!

I have a family history of sleep apnoea (American: apnea). People with this condition tend to snore, and their airways get blocked when they are in deep sleep. When the airway gets blocked, the body wakes itself up. Usually the sleeper isn't aware of this. Nevertheless it results in interrupted sleep and tiredness throughout the day. Treatment for sleep apnoea can range from operations (which may provide only temporary relief, and are very expensive) or some other expensive sleep equipment, none of which I can afford.

Welcome to Didgeridoo playing! Here's an excerpt from an article in ABC News Online dated 23 Dec 2005:

Researchers in Switzerland have examined 25 patients who suffered from snoring and moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, both common sleep disorders.

Half the group were given daily lessons in playing the didgeridoo.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal's online edition, found those who played the wind instrument over a four-month trial period saw a significant improvement in their daytime sleepiness and apnoea.

Their partners also reported less disturbance from snoring.

The researchers said training the upper airways through the breathing techniques required to play the didgeridoo was behind the improvement.

Here's the link to the article: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1537218.htm

An operation or one of those sleep machines could cost thousands of dollars. Didgeridoo lessons are about $30 and hour. Learn for a month (at $120) and you can practice circular breathing on your own after that. You do the math.

And oh, did I mention you get to learn a new musical instrument along the way?

The Shofar

This is an instrument that has deep religious significance. The Shofar, or Ram's Horn, is used by the Jews in their worship. In the past it was also used in battle. One such usage was in the famed battle of Jericho where God ordered the blast of the shofar prior to leveling the walls of the fortified city.

Info on the Shofar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shofar

When It's All Been Said and Done with Irish Whistle and Uilleann Pipes

We've been singing this song When It's All Been Said and Done at my church for a while now. I did a search on Youtube for the song and found this one performed by Don Moen and another musician. The other musician played the Irish Whistle and Uilleann Pipes (Irish bagpipes).

The clip starts off a little soft though.

Lamb of God on the Tin Whistle

I found this wonderful recording of Twila Paris' Lamb of God played with the Irish tin whistle. Enjoy!

Irish Whistles (my new toys!)

My new toys just arrived in the mail 2 days ago. I ordered several Irish whistles (otherwise known as tin whistles or pennywhistles), 3 nose flutes and an American fife from a US-based online store - the Whistle Shop.

Irish whistles are one of the cheapest, sweetest sounding and easiest to learn instruments. Unlike other instruments where expensive usually means better, some of the best whistles are relatively cheap. You probably have heard its rustic and sometimes haunting sound in Titanic's My Heart Will Go On, and in Lord of the Ring's Concerning Hobbits.

The whistles in the photo are (top to bottom) a Walton's D, a Clarke's Original D with natural finish, and a Clarke's Original C. The Walton's D was a gift from my cousin who visited Ireland. It cost around $30, but that's probably because of the GBP to SGD conversion. The Clarke's were just below 10 USD excluding shipping. Clarke's is a widely recommended brand. Walton's, however, doesn't seem as popular.

My Dizi and I

Here's a photo of me playing my Chinese flute (dizi 笛子) while dressed in traditional Chinese garb.

Pai Xiao (排箫) - Chinese Bamboo Panpipes

I was given this set of Chinese Panpipes by a friend who visited Tianjin, China. She bought it for a good $30 SGD. I visited a Chinese instrument store in Singapore and was told it would sell here for about $120 SGD.

The Chinese name for panpipes is "Pai Xiao" (排箫). Pai means row, and Xiao refers to a vertical edge-blown flute. Put together, it simply means a row of vertical edge-blown flutes - in other words, a panpipe.

Panpipes have been found in various cultures ranging from Greece to the China, Europe to the Andes. They are made from various materials such as reeds, bamboo, different varieties of wood and even - more recently - plastic. They operate on the same principle. Each pipe is sealed at the bottom and is tuned by setting the length of the pipe and the column of air inside it. Blowing across the top produces the tone. A pipe with a wider bore and longer column will produce a lower note.

My set of panpipes sound quite nice. They're made of purple bamboo, which if I'm not wrong is of a more expensive variety than white bamboo that is more commonly used for horizontal Chinese flutes. The lowest note is E, but it's tuned to C major. It consists of 15 pipes starting with a low E and ending with a high E - a total of 2 octaves. They were broken just below mid C due to mishandling, but fortunately the shop I sent them to managed to repair them and they sound just as nice. It has a carving of a Chinese poem by the renown Chinese poet Li Bai (李白). I can't really read it though. I'm not too good with the panpipes yet, but hopefully I can post a video sometime soon.

How Odd Can Musical Instruments Get?

Sound (and hence music) is basically created by vibrating air. Different musical instruments create sounds differently, and thus have different playing methods. Most if not all instruments fall in the following categories:

1. Plucked Strings (eg. guitar, harp, zither)
2. Bow Strings (essentially friction, eg. violin, cello)
3. Struck Strings (eg. dulcimer, piano)
4. Edge-blown (eg. flutes, ocarinas, pipe organ)
5. Buzzing Lips (eg. trumpet, horns, didgeridu)
6. Single Reed (eg. clarinet, saxophone)
7. Double Reed (eg. oboe, bagpipes)
8. Percussion

Of course, these playing methods can be applied in many ways, for example, plucked string instruments can take the form of the Indian sitar, the Chinese zither, harps, lutes, guitars, banjos, etc. As a result, some inventive people have created their own unusual musical instruments.

Welcome to the Odd Music Gallery: http://www.oddmusic.com/gallery/index.html

Here you will find anything from ancient musical instruments to experimental pieces. Here are some interesting finds:

Aeolian Wind Harp - an ancient Greek instrument. I want one of those!
Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Organ - world's largest organ - and loudest too!
Glass Armonica - invented by Ben Franklin himself! With Mozart joining the fun!
Hang - what the hang?? No hang ups on this percussion instrument. Wonderful invention!
Sea Organ - an organ played by the sea?? Partly architecture, partly musical instrument.

Erhu Solo by Zhan Li Jun from 12 Girls Band

Didgeridu Clip

2 Ethnic Instruments

Here are 2 of my ethnic instruments. The one on the left is a didgeridu, and the one on the right is an erhu (二胡).

The Didgeridu, or 'Didge' as it is sometimes called (also known by its native name 'yidaki'), is a simple cylinder of wood (often eucalyptus, sometimes bamboo) hollowed out by termites (or artificially, for the hand made variety). It's a native Australian aborigine instrument that uses buzzing lips to play. It's traditionally a man's instrument and women are not allowed to play it. It's often decorated with aborigine art and the mouthpiece is usually made of beeswax. The piece I have was given by my brother and is beautifully decorated. I'm not sure about the sound quality as I'm not very familiar with this instrument. Some didges are made of other materials like metal or PVC tubing, but the wooden ones sound the best.

The Erhu is a bow-string instrument, the Chinese equivalent of the western violin. It has a natural melancholic timbre and can sound very heart-wrenching when played well. This is attributed to its construction, part of which consists of a piece of python skin stretched over the soundbox. A saddle or bridge is placed between the skin and the 2 metal strings to transfer the vibrations. The horsehair bow is strung between the 2 strings (unlike the violin where the bow is a separate piece) and played by pulling it against the strings. Unlike the violin which has a fingerboard, the erhu's strings are floating. I bought my piece at a good $250. The original price was somewhere around $520.

Welcome to My Music Blog!

I'm not really much of a musician. More of a dabbler actually, and a collector of instruments here and there. I play several instruments including keyboards, flutes and the erhu (二胡), but I prefer to spend more of my time in my primary area of giftedness, which is drawing and illustration.

To date, I have quite a collection of musical instruments that were either acquired by myself or given by others:

1. Dizi (笛子) or horizontal Chinese bamboo flute in keys of C, D and G
2. Erhu (二胡) or Chinese violin]
3. Paixiao (排箫) or Chinese bamboo panpipes
4. Xun or Chinese egg-shaped ocarina
5. Taodi or Chinese fipple ocarina
6. Other ocarinas (one plastic, one from Eastern Europe)
   
7. Didgeridu
8. Irish Whistle - Walton's D, Clarke original C and D
   
9. Fife (Yamaha, plastic, 8 hole)
10. American Fife (6 hole, nickel)
    
11. Ukulele
12. Circular Panpipes (2 pcs)
13. Recorders (Alto and Sopranino)
14. Harmonica
15. Kazoo
16. Nose Flute
    
17. Some other ethnic tribal looking flutes and a reed instrument
18. A set of ornamental bagpipes

I'll be posting photos of them from time to time, and hopefully videos of me playing them - if I can get a handy cam, that is.