Nature in Music 

 GOURD INSTRUMENTS 



79 



Indian Rattle 



An Indian Rattle can be made from a dried gourd. Open one end and 

 insert some pebbles or grains of corn to make it rattle, then seal it with 

 plastic wood. Decorate with Indian designs. 



A Banjo 



The Kentucky mountain children play on banjos made of dried gourds. 

 If you want to make one, choose a gourd that is fairly large and has the 

 general shape of a banjo. Cut one side off the bulging ends, empty out the 

 seeds and cover it with oiled wrapping paper. Stretch it over the top as 

 tight as possible and paste the edges with some good glue. String it up like 

 any other banjo. 



MARIMBA 



Materials: 



Flat strips of any well-seasoned wood, the finer the grain and the harder 

 the wood the better, i.e., maple; 3 or 4 feet of soft rope; a few l / 2 inch brads. 



Tools: Saw, plane, vise and hammer. 



Take a flat strip of wood about 9 inches long and hold it lightly between 

 the thumb and finger about % of its length from one end. Tap it lightly 

 with another stick. Identify its pitch. If it is too low, saw a little off of one 



