Build a Band

For my wind instrument project, I decided to build a pan flute. The pan flute is an ancient musical instrument that produces sound through air vibrations inside pipes, and I thought it would be both fun and educational to create my own version. To make it, I used PVC pipes with a diameter of ¾ inch, which are sturdy and easy to work with. I then placed a quarter at the bottom of each pipe to prevent air from escaping. The quarter blocks the bottom, creating a sealed air chamber inside each pipe. To make sure the quarter stayed in place and created a strong seal, I used hot glue to attach it securely. This is important because without a tight seal, the air could leak out, and the instrument wouldn’t work properly. The way the pan flute produces sound is based on how air interacts with the pipes. When I blow air across the open end of each pipe, the air inside the pipe vibrates. These vibrations are what create sound waves, and the pitch of the sound depends on the length of the pipe. In general, shorter pipes produce higher pitches, while longer pipes produce lower pitches. This is because the air column inside a shorter pipe vibrates more quickly, creating higher-frequency sound waves. In contrast, a longer pipe has a longer air column, so the air vibrates more slowly, producing lower-frequency sound waves. The speed and pressure of the air I blow into the pipe also play a role in shaping the sound. If I blow air faster or with more force, the sound will be louder and have a sharper tone. If I blow air more softly, the sound will be quieter and have a gentler tone. The pipes themselves also amplify the sound. As the air inside the pipe vibrates, the pipe acts like a resonator, boosting the sound waves and making the tone more vibrant. My pan flute has 8 pipes in total, which allow me to play notes from C4 to C5. These notes span just over an octave, giving the instrument a broad range of pitches. The lengths of the pipes vary, with the longest pipe being 16.5 cm and the shortest pipe measuring 11.5 cm. These different pipe lengths create different notes, and each pipe produces one specific pitch when air is blown through it. The varying lengths are what allow the pan flute to play different musical notes, giving the instrument its distinct melodic range. The materials I used, such as the PVC pipes, help ensure the clarity and richness of each note. PVC is a great material for this kind of instrument because it’s lightweight, durable, and it doesn’t absorb moisture, which helps maintain consistent sound quality.