Making Gourd Musical Instruments: Over 60 String, Wind & Percussion Instruments & How to Play Them - Softcover

Summit, Ginger; Widess, Jim

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1402745036 ISBN 13: 9781402745034

Publisher: Sterling, 2007

Synopsis

Pluck them, bang them, shake them, and blow into them! These instruments—from wood temple gongs to water drums and stamping tubes—produce every type of joyful noise. Make a fun “gourd orchestra” of rattles, like a Mesoamerican Indian rain stick and African shekere; a Caribbean guiro; a gorgeous mbira or thumb piano; and friction drums that wail or roar. There are instruments from near and far, from the unusual to the familiar banjo and guitar. Tips on choosing, cleaning, and sealing a gourd, and decorating and playing the finished instrument, help to create beautiful music.

About this title

About the Author

Ginger Summit and Jim Widess have written several gourd craft books, including the bestseller, The Complete Book of Gourd Craft (Lark Books, 1996). Ginger and Jim both live in California, USA.

From Booklist

The authors introduce readers to make-it-yourself musical instruments. There is an amazing wealth of information here, covering not only how-to's and history but also extending into the social sciences and even science. We learn that pigeon flutes (crafted gourds attached to the birds' tails) were first mentioned about A.D. 1041 A.D. and that drummers are highly respected in India. Actual instructions on gourd transformations into spike fiddles, water drums, and even xylophones are included, along with a few photographs. But all the erudition tends to drown out the craft aspect, since instructions are sandwiched within the narrative text, and photographs are less than optimal. Nonetheless, a book that patient crafters will appreciate. Barbara Jacobs

Edition details

• Publisher: Sterling
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1402745036
• ISBN 13: 9781402745034
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144