Grow A Music Garden: Hit The High Notes By Making Musical Instruments From Nature

The idea of growing music isn’t as strange as it might sound. Everyone hears the music of nature when working in the yard. This can include the likes of common songbirds singing, crickets chirping and water lapping. As for making musical instruments from nature and plants? There are plenty of items growing naturally around us that can be transformed into devices for sound, rhythm and play. In fact, many of the early musical instruments are made from natural materials, including plants, shells, rocks, and sticks. Here, we round up some naturally occurring resources which can help you make sweet music.

Growing Musical Instruments From Nature

Here is a short list of cool musical instruments made from natural materials. We’ve started with a few instruments made from nature that are so easy, you can make it a project for younger children, then moved on to more complex projects. You’ll be amazed at some of the ways you can make musical instruments from nature. From tiny acorns to stumpery garden logs, and plenty in between, there’s something here for all manner of nature-loving musicians!

1. Drums from Hollow Logs

Kids love drums – there is something so satisfying in tapping or twacking something and creating a rhythm. Essentially, all you need is two sticks for drumsticks and something to hit. This is both fun and easy outdoors – but the more care and skill brought to the project, the better the result. Help your kids to find sticks that are strong and the right size and length for them. Next, find a natural drum using instruments made from nature. Hollow logs like those found in a Victorian stumpery can work well, but the trunks of tough shrubs like bamboo make excellent music, too.

2. Rasps from Pinecones

Country and folk music fans know how effective a rasp can be when it comes to pulling out a tune. But this distinctive sound is made by rubbing sticks across other sticks or natural objects. Kids can do this easily in nature with pinecones – try big ones and little ones and hear the different sounds! But you can also use hollow objects to good effect, since the sound is amplified by the hollow belly of the object. Think hollow gourds or even turtle shells.

3. Whistles from Acorns

This sounds easy enough, and if you live with – or near – oak trees, acorns will not be hard to find. On the other hand, it’ll take some practice to play this musical instrument from nature, which means a real sense of accomplishment if and when your child gets it. Just remove the top of the acorn carefully, so it stays in one piece. Hold it closely between your thumbs, leaving just a small triangle to blow into. Then pucker up and blow. When you get it right, the shrill whistle is audible for miles.

4. Maracas from Gourds

If you’re after musical instruments made from plants, the gourd is an incredible option for growing – and playing. Maracas were initially made from dried gourds and this cool ‘shake-it-up’ instrument is still used in modern Latin American music, sometimes passing under the name rhumba shaker or chac-chac. In simple terms, think of maracas as rattles. To create one, or help a child create one, all you need is a calabash gourd. Let it dry out completely, then shake up the seeds, using its natural stem as a handle.

5. West African Shekeres from Gourds

Here’s another take on the rattle – but this time, the sound comes from beads or seeds outside the fruit. You’ll once again need a well-dried gourd as the body of the instrument. String beads or seeds into a network of cabling that is wrapped around the exterior of the gourd and attached there. Read, set, shake! Alternatively, hit the gourd with a stick. The beads contacting the gourd make a truly cool sound.

6. Flutes from Bamboo

You may love your bamboo plants – I know I love mine! But they are hardy and prolific enough that you can spare a bamboo stem or two for this project. Around the world, the stems are used for homes, food and, also, flutes. Bamboo stems come prepared with everything they need for a musical future: they are hollow and airtight, and make excellent bamboo flutes, also known as shakuhachi pipes.

The best bamboo choices for flutes are Tonkin bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) and black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra). These have good acoustic properties and sound projection, and produce rich tones. Take a length of bamboo stalk 12 inches (30cm) long. Clean it and scrub it, soak it for half an hour in warm water, then let it dry in indirect sun. Drill holes into the bamboo stalk. The length and diameter of the flute will determine the sound, so experiment with different types, lengths and hole placement until you find a flute that inspires you.