How to make a Balloon Bassoon - a simple one-note reed instrument

by Child's Play Music on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 4:22am This instrument is incredibly easy to make and it is cheap - about A$4 if you use retic pipe, much less if you use cardboard tube. It's quite loud and it sounds like a very cheap saxophone. This is a great instrument for using with young children. Children from about 4 and up can make it themselves with your assistance - you will have to cut the pipe and the garden hose for them and they will probably need help with the elastic bands. It can be played by children as young as 3, although 3 year olds will need to have the instrument held for them. Very few 2 year olds can blow it hard enough to work, and balloons are a possible choking hazard with children under 3 - see safety note below. 4 year olds and up can hold it for themselves, but learning the right way to hold it can take some time. It only produces one note, so you can't play tunes on it, but it is a lot of fun. You can see a video of me making this instrument on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7wlJ0BsMfk Materials you will need Some 40 mm PVC reticulation pipe (or some strong cardboard tube of about the same diameter - mailing tube or the tube that dress material comes on works well. Don't use Glad-Wrap tube: it's not strong enough) Some gaffer or duct tape. A 10cm length of garden hose 1 ordinary round party balloon Two strong elastic bands (I use size 32) Tools A pair of garden secateurs to cut the garden hose (or strong craft knife) A tenon saw to cut the pipe (or a hacksaw, but the tenon saw is better) Tape measure Pencil Scissors

The materials you will need - plus you will also need some 40mm PVC retic pipe, some sandpaper, a pair of secateurs, and a tenon saw. Safety Note: please be careful when using tools like saws, secateurs and craft knives, as personal injury is possible. Balloons are a possible choking hazard for children under 3 years - use with caution and only under adult supervision. METHOD

1. Mark the PVC pipe to a length of 740mm with the pencil and tape measure. (This will give a pitch of very approximately G, one and a half octaves below Middle C). (Note: you can make the pipe any length between ~15cm and 1 metre. Shorter lengths give higher pitches and are easier for children to hold.) 2. Cut the pipe with the saw, holding the pipe firmly while sawing. (Try to cut the pipe squarely, but a little angle wont affect the playability or pitch. If you don't want to cut the pipe yourself most hardware stores will be happy to cut it to length for you.). 3. Smooth each end of the pipe with the sand paper to get rid of any daggy bits of PVC. 4. Place a strip of gaffer tape around one end of the PVC pipe, and fold it inwards so that the cut end of the pipe is completely covered and smooth (or the pipe will immediately break the balloon).

The gaffer tape applied to the end of the pipe.

The gaffer tape tucked into the end of the pipe. 5. Take the balloon and cut the closed end of it off with the scissors about 1cm.

The balloon with about 1cm cut off the end. 6. Insert the length of hose into the mouth piece of the balloon and secure it by tightly wrapping an elastic band around it.

The balloon held onto the garden hose with an elastic band. 7. Put the second elastic band over the gaffered end of the pipe (you will need to stretch and twist it so that you can get it to wrap around the pipe two or three times). 8. Stretch the open end of the balloon over the gaffered end of the pipe and secure by rolling the elastic band up onto the balloon.

The balloon stretched over the end of the pipe - note that the elastic band goes on first.

The finished balloon bassoon, with the elastic band rolled up onto the balloon. TAA-DAA! Your Balloon Bassoon is ready to play. To Play Hold the instrument with one hand close to the top of the pipe. Hold the hose with your other hand and put the hose end in your mouth. Stretch the balloon away from you and very slightly downwards over the edge of the pipe by lifting the end of the pipe to just above mouth level.

The correct way to hold the balloon bassoon. The balloon is stretched, not loose. The balloon is closing the top of the pipe, by lifting the pipe slightly above mouth level. Now blow hard! Blow firmly and the balloon will begin vibrating rapidly against the end of the pipe, producing a loud mournful honking reminiscent of a bassoon or saxophone. Try touching the balloons surface with one finger while playing a note. By pressing down lightly on the balloon it is possible to raise the pitch by about one to three semitones.

You can also bounce your finger lightly and rapidly on the top of the balloon for a tremolo effect. Or you can move the hand that is holding the pipe slightly forwards and backwards. This changes the tension on the balloon and creates a pleasant vibrato as the pitch goes slightly up and down. Lifting the pipe slightly up and down gives a similar effect. The pitch of this instrument is not exact, as it depends on factors such as how tightly the balloon is stretched, how long the pipe is, how hard the player blows and so on. Tighter, shorter, and harder all raise the pitch. Even the thickness of the balloon makes a difference. Why not make several balloon bassoons of different lengths? If you make one that is 300mm long it will be approximately G, one octave higher than the 740mm version. 410mm gives approximately D. Or just make them random lengths - instant wind band! The hose should be cleaned in detergent and water between players. The balloon will only last an hour or so of playing before it perishes and needs to be replaced. Like Comment Share Onkar Sachdeva likes this.

Onkar Sachd great idea!Septembe 2011 at 4:34am

Child's Play Music Thanks Onkar! -It's not really an original idea I got it from a book by Bart Hopkin called "Musical Instrument Design". His version was much more complex, but I've simplified it to make it more suitable for using with young children. It's so easy to make and it actually sounds pretty good. It's loud, though - why not make it as an activity with kids, so they can go home and annoy their parents LOL.September 17, 2011 at 4:38am 1

Onkar Sachdeva lolSeptember 17, 2011 at 5:42am