My daughter's home made flute

[Kirk B]

My daughter's 5th grade class had an assignment to make a musical instrument. When Lindsay brought the paper home from school a week or so ago my wife gave it a glance and promptly said, "Dad, you're it!" The assignment specified that the instrument be home-made, play at least three different pitches and that the student play their own composition of at least 20 but no more than 30 notes. Of course I immediately suggested that we make a simple system PVC flute. She started whining about it at first thinking of the horror of trying to play in front of the class but eventually she changed her mind.

She's never played an instrument before but she was able to pick up a flute and make an embouchure producing a good tone right from the start. That kind of pissed me off (just kidding, I was really proud). I showed her the flutomat web page and we decided to go with an "E" flute so she would be able to reach the holes without too much difficulty. She measured and marked the pipe and I cut and drilled it for her. She sanded and filed it and got everything smoothed out and then I refined the embouchure cut and polish for her.

Doug, you'd be proud! The thing is a real cracker and she's getting some nice tone out of it. She made her own tune up and diligently practiced it over and over. I've let her try my flutes many times but she's never had an interest in playing until now. I think the process of making it and presenting it to the class and getting feedback has made all the difference. She's even able to describe in detail how the flute makes sound and how the pitch changes with the tone holes lengthening and shortening the air column. Today is D-day (or E-day as the case may be). She's in class right now and I can't wait for the afternoon to arrive so I can hear how she made out!

I told her that if the teacher doesn't give her an A, I'm going to, "Smash in the 'ed. Badda-badda-bing, 'is face is a sad sight, Vodka and snake bite." OK, OK, I just made that part up.

Cheers,

Kirk

[jemtheflute]

Good one! This is pretty much the sort of thing I do with my schools piccolo making project. (What's "5th Grade", BTW - age-wise?) It works - on all fronts! Well done the both of you - and make sure we hear how it went in school. This may just be the start of a whole new thing for your lass! There are few things so motivating as making something that actually works and having some understanding how and why it works.

[Kirk B]

Thanks Jem! Fifth grade here in the States is typically 10-11 years of age. That's the age at which they usually introduce a music program to the students and have them choose an instrument. I hope she keeps her interest in this and continues to play. Only time will tell.

Cheers,

Kirk

[jemtheflute]

Ah, right. What in GB we'd call Year 6 (Top Juniors). They tend to get assessed for interest and aptitude for possible classical tuition by the county music service peripatetic teachers (where there is such a thing) a bit younger than that here. The twice I've done my piccolo project it was with Years 5 & 6 (so 9-11s) in a local primary school.

[Kirk B]

That's great that you're going in and doing a project like that with the kids and getting them involved in the process. I don't know about GB but here things like art and music have been "relegated to the 3rd division" so to speak. They cram them all into one day a week and call it "Specials Day". The parents have to take a much bigger role now and get the kids into extracurricular art and music classes if they really want them to get some traction.

[Kirk B]

OK, the verdict is in. She got the loudest applause of the entire class after playing her tune. The teacher (it was her general teacher not a music teacher) said that Lindsay had researched the project so well that even she had learned something! Lindsay had explained about how the air stream is split by the far edge of the embouchure hole and how that causes vibration, hence the sound. She was floating on cloud nine when she got off the bus.

Cheers,

Kirk

[MTGuru]

tuition by the county music service peripatetic teachers

There's a country music service? You mean British school children are made to learn country music? Like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton? That's just cruel.



Oh, and congratulations, Kirk.

[Denny]

Loretta would be cruel, Johnny not so much

[Kirk B]

tuition by the county music service peripatetic teachers

There's a country music service? You mean British school children are made to learn country music? Like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton? That's just cruel.



Oh, and congratulations, Kirk.

Aren't they big Slim Whitman fans over there?

Thanks MT

Cheers,

Kirk

[Steve Bliven]

Aren't they big Slim Whitman fans over there?

Just like we're big

fans here....

(And congratulations to your daughter.)

Best wishes.

Steve

[Kirk B]

Aren't they big Slim Whitman fans over there?

Just like we're big

fans here....

(And congratulations to your daughter.)

Best wishes.

Steve

Thanks Steve, and yes I'm a huge Benny Hill fan. Monty Python too as well evidenced by my banter with WJC on Othannen's thread the other day.

Cheers,

Kirk

[jemtheflute]

No countRy music service (thank dawg!), Mr Guu sir!

But were that the case, 'twould likely seem trivial alongside other tortures routinely inflicted in our schools. ("Games", R.E. etc.)

Well done, Lindsay & Dad!