a few DIY musical instruments from Dennis Havlena

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Hi - Here's a short sampling of a few of the simple folk instruments whose
construction is detailed on my webpage at
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:


PS: Also see my propane-tank hank drum at:


My webpage describing building these instruments is at this URL:

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

Channel: Music
Uploaded: June 2, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Author: dhavlena

Length: 00:03:38
Rating: 4.86
Views: 343486

Tags: DIY make build instruments fiddle kaisatsuko bass hang drum tambiro banjo hardanger low bouzouki homemade gurdy hank

Video Comments:
musicmanmjfan (December 31, 2008 at 8:07 pm)
i made a cookie tin guitar acording to your instructions how do i play songs on it please help me :( :) :p
hurdygurdyguy (December 26, 2008 at 12:51 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
dahappydog (December 26, 2008 at 12:05 pm)
how do you do that
yoyodunno (December 22, 2008 at 3:04 pm)
Great talent you got there.
Mmrraww (December 19, 2008 at 12:04 pm)
The tin whistle sounds awesome,

Will perhaps make one myself tomorrow - or at least try to
stringsofgina (December 18, 2008 at 6:14 am)
Wow. You are amazing!
Liantjuh555 (December 15, 2008 at 11:25 am)
COOOLLL :P
EvilSushi (December 15, 2008 at 5:44 am)
DAMN! AMAZING!
TurtwigProductions (December 15, 2008 at 4:30 am)
My Mistake, Its 8 Stringed!
SpinRecordings (December 14, 2008 at 4:23 pm)
Check out L.A.O.S. - Strong (Spin Recordings) here on youtube!!!! It rocks!!