The Michigan Musical Monstrosity Drum

by Zachary F.

My instrument is called the "Michigan Musical Monstrosity Drum". My Dad helped me make it. I chose the kind of drum I wanted to make.

My Dad and I made a list of what we needed. We had to have PVC pipe from Hanson Hardware for the outer circle. We also needed a dowel for the handle, two round wood pieces from Joann Fabrics for the base of the drum and some blue and yellow felt for decoration. Then we needed two wooden beads to hit the base of the drum. My mom had some string my Dad and I used.

While I measured my Dad drew a line for where we had to cut the PVC pipe. I held down the PVC pipe while my Dad cut it with a hand saw. Then I sanded the edges.

My Dad got a drill and drilled a hole for the handle. My Dad got the hot glue gun and put a dot of hot glue on the underside top of the PVC pipe then I quickly pushed the handle up and into the hot glue. My Dad and I let it dry. My Dad got a hand knife and cut part of the top of the wood base pieces, I grinded them to the right size. My Dad got the hot glue gun and I put glue around the edges of the PVC pipe. My Dad really fast put the wooden base pieces in. I got the felt and I measured the blue and yellow felt. I cut the felt to the right size. I got the glue gun and put hot glue on the PVC pipe and right after my Dad put on the blue felt. I got the glue gun again and put hot glue on the blue felt and my Dad really quickly put on the yellow felt. Me and my Dad had a scrap piece of yellow felt and hot glued it onto the handle. I got string and put it under the yellow felt I hot glued it in place. I got the beads and stuck the string threw the hole in them and then my Dad tied them together.

I got a pencil and drew on the face of the drum and then went over it with markers to decorate it. It took about 4 hours to make it.

To make the sound you twirl the drum. The pitch is low and I can't really change it to a high pitch. The dynamic is loud and to make it softer you twirl it really slowly. The drum sounds like it's flat and dull - - this is its timbre.