Blue Man Pipe Instructions

PVC pipe, when combined and set appropriately, can be used as a musical instrument.

Rising to popularity due to their showmanship and creative use of random items as musical instruments, the Blue Man Group has long used PVC pipe as a centerpiece of their shows. While many of their performances involve a sliding, trombone-like PVC instrument, they are also known for a stand-alone PVC instrument that combines elements of windpipes and drums. This stand-alone instrument can be made and played at home for fun or to wow your friends.

Things You'll Need

• 2 rubber flip-flops
• 2-inch diameter PVC lengths
• 2-inch PVC 90-degree coupling
• Screws or nails
• 2-inch PVC straps or hanger strap
• 1 can PVC cement

Instructions

1. Download and open the Excel spreadsheet via the first link in the Resources section.

2. Choose the pitches you want to include in your instrument and the lengths of pipe needed for each pitch. Design your instrument on a grid to ensure you have the proper scale. If one of your notes requires 10 feet, for example, include bends in the pipe to reduce the area taken up by the instrument. Use 90-degree couplings for turns, counting each elbow as 8 1/2 inches of pipe. Subtract 2 inches of total pipe to account for the open ends.

3. Cut your PVC to the desired lengths. Attach the PVC lengths to the 90-degree couplings according to your design, using PVC cement on each coupling to seal the joint and prevent the pipes from falling apart during use.

4. Attach the combined PVC pipes to a wooden base using the 2-inch PVC straps or plumbing hanger strap.

5. Use a pair of rubber flip-flops as paddles to strike the top of the pipes, forcing air through to make sound.

Tips & Warnings

• If there are certain songs you intend to play on your PVC instrument, include the notes and corresponding PVC pipe lengths required to play each song.

References

• Nate True: Building a PVC Instrument