How to Make Musical Pipes With PVC Pipe

Pan pipes are perhaps the simplest wind instrument. Each pipe is a tube, closed at one end. When the player blows over a hole, it sets up a vibrating column of air that makes a tone. By switching between the pipes, a musician can play simple melodies. Although pan pipes are not traditionally made with PVC, it is a logical choice because it is inexpensive and easy to work with.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler
• Pencil
• Saw
• Glue
• Coins
• Tape

Instructions

1. Cut a length of 1.25-cm diameter PVC pipe about 130 cm long.

2. Measure 31 cm from the end of the pipe and make a mark with a pencil. Use a fine-toothed saw to cut straight through the pipe at the pencil mark.

3. Cut four more lengths of pipe that are 28, 25, 21 and 18 cm long.

4. Cover one end of each pipe. One way to do this is to glue a penny or a nickel to the end.

5. Lay the pipes together so that the open ends all line up. Wrap a strip of tape around all five pipes to hold them together. You can also glue them if you prefer.