How to Make PVC Pan Pipes
From Wikipedia:
The pan flute or pan pipe is an ancient musical instrument
based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting usually of
five or more pipes of gradually increasing length (and, at
times, girth). The pan flute has long been popular as a folk
instrument, and is considered the first mouth organ, ancestor
of both the pipe organ and the harmonica. The pan flute is
named for its association with the rustic Greek god Pan. The
pipes of the pan flute are typically made from bamboo or giant
reed - other materials used include wood, plastic, and metal.
A form of pan pipe can be found from every continent.
Here is a video of a performance on the panflute.
How to make your pan pipes
• 1. You will get a piece of PVC pipe and need to measure out 5 pipes using
centimeters.
• Be sure to start at “0” on the ruler. You will mark the second measurement
off the first.
• Since the first measurement is 31 centimeters, you will have to move the
ruler. Careful to mark precisely with pencil and label your measurements.
• See the example below.
31
28
25
21
18
Note that the mark is INSIDE the measured area, so when the pipes are cut, you know
the size of each piece. You may or may not have to cut off the end on your 18 cm piece.
GET IN LINE TO HAVE YOUR MEASUREMENTS CHECKED
BEFORE GOING ANY FURTHUR
• Once your pieces are cut, get a ziplock bag and write
your name on it in Sharpie. This will be your case. Be
careful with these bags. You only get one!
• Next you will need to put clay in one end of each pipe.
The pipe can only make noise if there is a bottom
surface to bounce off of.
q
Pipe with open
end – air just
goes out the
bottom
Pipe with closed end
– air hits to the
bottom and begins to
vibrate producing a
pitch
To close off the end of your pipe
• We will use clay. Take a small piece of clay (already
cut) and drop into pipe that is sitting upright on a
piece of paper. Use the dowel rod, to press the clay
firmly into the bottom. Twist slightly as you pick up
the pipe and check the bottom to be sure the pipe is
Pipe is
sealed completely.
Push clay
clay
down firmly,
without pulling
up on pipe.
sealed
pipe
Paper to
keep clay
from sticking
to table
Pipe is
NOT
sealed
Timer
Decorate?
Timer
• This step is totally optional. You can use
tape or contact paper to decorate your
pipes. You will want to do each pipe
separately. Cut the contact paper to size
and lay flat with the sticky side up.
Carefully pull off the backing paper and lay
the pipe on the sticky side. Roll carefully
and readjust the contact paper as need to
reduce wrinkling.
Timer
Tape pipes together carefully.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tear off a piece of tape at least twice as long as the five
pipes are wide.
Lay on table sticky side up.
Carefully place the pipes on the center of the tape with the
open end to the top and the open ends even.
Fold tape over the pipes and pull them together tightly.
Use a Sharpie to label the pipes as shown. You can label
on tape or pipe. Be careful to label them correctly. Do is
the longest pipe.
Do re mi so la
Do re mi so la
Label
here or
here
How to play your pan pipes.
• Place the pipes vertically just below your bottom lip.
• Blow air down into the pipe. Do this by pulling your bottom lip
back. Practice, without the pipes by trying to blow air onto
your chin.
• Be careful to frequently stop trying and breathe naturally so
you don’t get light headed.
• DO NOT hold the pipes horizontally.
Horizontal
Vertical
Songs to Play
Hot Cross Buns
Mi
Mi
Do do
Mi
re
do
re
do
do do re re re re
re
do
Rocky Mtn.
Do do do mi
Do do do mi
Do do mi so so
La so mi do
La so mi do
Mi mi re re do