Making Musical Instruments with Kids

Overview

Construct simple, delightful instruments with children

Written for adults, this hands-on guide demonstrates how to make easy musical instruments with children. Detailed instructions are included for making more than 60 unique instruments that are suitable for children as young as five years. Serving as a resource in the classroom or home, this manual is extensively illustrated with drawings and photographs along with an audio sample of the instruments in lively solo and ensemble pieces.

Reviews

“This is entertainment at its finest: adventurous, occasionally familiar, warm, honest and thought-provoking.” —David Greenberger, Pulse, on Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones

“Bart Hopkin is a Harvard-educated ethnomusicologist who lives for whimsy. That’s why he began inventing his own instruments.” —James Sullivan, The San Francisco Chronicle

“I love Experimental Musical Instruments.” —David Harrington of Kronos Quartet, Utne Reader

"A pixilated and fascinating piece of work that’s at once a sonic surprise party and a visual feast." —Chris Morris, Billboard magazine on Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones

Author Biography

Bart Hopkin is a former high school music teacher and a former editor at the quarterly journal Experimental Musical Instruments. He has written several books on instruments and their construction, including Musical Instrument Design, and has produced CDs featuring the work of innovative instrument makers including Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones. He lives in Point Reyes Station, California.