a few DIY musical instruments from Dennis Havlena
Hi - Here’s a short sampling of a few of the simple folk instruments whose
construction is detailed on my webpage at http://DennisHavlena.com
This video was made in my back yard, on the spur of the moment and is not intended
to be fancy music — just to show some of the instruments, which include — in order:
- 3 string cookie-tin banjo with weed- whip line strings. Tune is “the Cuckoo”.
- “Tambiro” made from a new (never-been-filled) 20 Lb. propane tank. Building this instrument gave me the idea for inventing my propane tank “hank drum” (a humble alternative to the hang drum)
- My “Fiddle-Gurdy” combination fiddle & Hurdy Gurdy. Much fun! I apologize for the squeak here and there — I was impatient to get things on Youtube. Tune is an old French Canadian Voyageur’s melody, “En Roullant Ma Boulle”.
Inspiration from Yuichi Onoue’s “Kaisatsuko”.
- My 4-string, full sized wash-tub bass. Holds it’s own nicely in a band situation.
- Simple Hardanger fiddle conversion. 4 strings playing & 4 strings sympathetic that run through a tunnel carved into the underside of the fingerboard. Tunes are “Road to Boston” (aka “Col. Greene’s March”) and “Over the Waterfall”.
- Low D Tin-Whistle made from a shower-curtain rod for a few dollars. Tune is made up on the spot (& it sounds it!).
- Octave Mandolin (aka bozouki, cittern) converted from an old guitar. Tune is the
“Boys of Bluehill” hornpipe.
PS: I just put another short video on
YouTube of my PVC tubing instrument that
plays like a hang drum, at this web address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5dD4KkJcAw
PS: Also see my propane-tank hank drum at:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bpMS15kJyOY&mode=related&search=
My webpage describing building these instruments is at this URL:
http://DennisHavlena.com
Thanks!
PLEASE NOTE: A real, Swiss-made hang drum is VERY difficult to obtain these days. A ray of hope is on the horizon however–
Pantheon Steel, a maker of beautiful steel drums (”steel pans”) is researching and experimenting — with the intention of producing hang drums (under a different name) for sale. Please contact them at pantheonsteel.com and encourage them!
They’re looking for signs of interest at this time. Dennis
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
i made a cookie tin guitar acording to your instructions how do i play songs on it please help me
:p
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Oh for cryin’ out loud!!! Dennis, you rock!! I play a hurdy gurdy and I thought your keyless hg was the absolute best!!!
Cheers, HG Guy
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
how do you do that
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Great talent you got there.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
The tin whistle sounds awesome,
Will perhaps make one myself tomorrow - or at least try to
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Wow. You are amazing!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
COOOLLL
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
DAMN! AMAZING!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
My Mistake, Its 8 Stringed!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Check out L.A.O.S. - Strong (Spin Recordings) here on youtube!!!! It rocks!!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
you need a whole vid of the first 15 second song, I can listen to that a million times!!!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Nice, But Some Of The Were The Same As Real Instrumwnts With A Little Differance Like The Volin with 6 Strings
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Amazing absolutely Amazing,What Talent,Thank You
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
I would comment on a specific instrument but they’re all awesome. That tin whistle seems like it would require a lot of lung power to use
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
You are so awesome! Amazing work you did! Respect!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Thats really creative. Good job man!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Genius.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Insprirational! Thank you!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
lol anyone but bush.
you are true musical genius
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
these guys are pro
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Your shower-curtain rod whistle ditty just made up on the spot? I could listen to your made up songs all day on my iPod! Beautiful works of functional art!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
You sir, are amazing. A fiddle combined with a sitar type sympathetic string arrangement? Genius!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Nice shirt in the second clip. you are seriously my hero.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
thanks for showing us that to make music doesn’t need a $ 10,000.- loan ;-). You’re a very versatile musician too. Thanks for sharing this
January 5th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
geniale
March 12th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Great and good instrument. Thanks