Fast Hacks #11 - Build a PVC Pan Flute

[@MrJJSwat]

Thanks man I need to make an instrument for my physics class, this looks quick and easy. You also did the math for me :)

[@UhhhhHi2]

MrJJSwat ayyy me 2 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@duncancarlmark6601]

+Tai Lopez why don't you make one out of all your Lamborghinis

[@ryanbrown8535]

+MrJJSwat same lmao

[@UhhhhHi2]

Duncan Carlmark The sad truth is, I'm losing popularity, and I'm going through Lamborghinis so fast that I'm running low, I'm down to my final 67, 1 for each of my 67 get rich quick steps, I can't afford to part with my most precious Lamborghinis

[@stephanmotha6440]

same

[@alexandergontmacher3914]

Hello Rick. According formula you show us I can make pan flute. If I want deep bass I need very long pipe. If I use bigger diameter pipe formula stay same? If yes, why in organ we see many diameters and length of pipes? Thank you.

[@damongroff6240]

You fucking legend

[@CianCarnageMusic]

this seriously helped me out for a college project. thank you!

[@floradiep]

Could I use a 3/4 PVC Pipe instead of the 1/2 PVC Pipe?

[@nathanmaxwell1195]

NOTE FREQUENCY(hz) LENGTH(cm) C6 1047 8.13 B5 987.8 8.61 Bb5 932.3 9.13 A5 880 9.67 Ab5 830.6 10.24 G5 784 10.85 F#5 740 11.5 F5 698.5 12.18 E5 659.3 12.9 Eb5 622.3 13.67 D5 587.3 14.49 C#5 554.4 15.34 C5 523.3 16.26 B4 493.9 17.22 Bb4 466.2 18.25 A4 440 19.33 Ab4 415.3 20.48 G4 392 21.7 F#4 370 23 F4 349.2 24.36 E4 329.6 25.81 Eb4 311.1 27.35 D4 293.7 28.97 C#4 277.2 30.69 C4 261.6 32.52 B3 246.9 34.46 Bb3 233.1 36.5 A3 220 38.67 Ab3 207.7 40.96 G3 196 43.4 F#3 185 45.99 F3 174.6 48.72 E3 164.8 51.62 Eb3 155.6 54.67 D3 146.8 57.95 C#3 138.6 61.38 C3 130.8 65

[@lynnmaree01]

Nathan Maxwell m

[@kraai98]

Thank you so much! Without this video, I probably would have failed physics. Subbed and favorited!

[@RickOsgood]

Hey thanks! I'm glad it helped you out!

[@cadrifolami6836]

thanx a lot man i needed this for a big physics project

[@delinabiniam784]

you have just saved my life! I have to make an instrument for my physics class and I wanted to make this, but didn't know where to start! YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER MY FRIEND!

[@RickOsgood]

I'm glad to be able to help you out! I hope your project goes well.

[@cycofoo]

Delina Biniam Ms. Batra?

[@kristinelim5412]

34029/(4•261.6) isnt 32.59 I am so confuseeeddd

[@lesleysanchez5403]

Would it be the same if I have a 1/2 inch pipe?

[@JTBear]

Worked out great! Those numbers were bang on! Thanks again.

[@shaynmarshall8151]

Measurements for 1/2 " pipe: mymusicalmagic.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-to-make-home-made-panpipe-pan-flute.html

[@JosephStates]

40 seconds in... I get 32.52cm. What is up? Is my math bad or yours?

[@stacyedwards696]

GREAT INFORMATION! I enjoyed this very much. Thanks for posting.

[@stacyedwards696]

I benefited somewhat by the video; however, maybe I just don't know enough about creating sounds on PVC flutes. For example, is there a special way to blow into the PVC pipe to generate the note sounds? I tried, but did not succeed. Please excuse my ignorance, but I am just trying to learn and sometimes the information may not be presented in sufficient detail to make a dumb "old geezer" learn it.

[@laurisaborlovan9513]

+Stacy Edwards Rick has brilliance, but he's not a panflute player... yet. Sorry Rick. :D First, be certain that there are no air-leaks in the penny end of the pipe. It's supposed to be a dead end joint for your air. When playing these flute, you have to tongue. Don't huff as Rick demonstrates in the video. Think of spitting a pumpkin seed and either "puh" or "tuh" with a smile on your lips. The panflute embouchure is closer to that of the trumpet than the silver flute. There are a few videos online of panflutists demonstrating the embrochure. I hope this helps.

[@kimjosie1]

I'm using pipe the size of a dime will it still work?

[@itoadx]

i know i’m hella late to the party, but did you have to sand down the edges where your pennie’s are, to make it completely flat?

[@JPFrantz]

Why did you multiply the frequency by 4?

[@Elite47Productions]

Help!!! I want to make this but I have to make it out of 3/4 inch pvc pipe. Do I cut it the same length even though it is 3/4 instead of 1/2?

[@RickOsgood]

I'm actually not sure off the top of my head. What you can do is try to make one of the pipes using this equation. Then cover up the bottom and try blowing into it. Find an online piano to play the correct note and compare it to the sound your pipe is making. If it sounds the same, then it should be working. If the note is very different then you know your note is off. I would guess that using wider PVC pipe is going to mean that you will have to blow a lot more air through them in order for the sound to come out. Just a guess.

[@dcdsmartin]

It seems to me, the larger the bore the lower the pitch. Is that not the explanation for the tuba sounding lower than the horn even though the tubing of the horn is longer than that of the tuba?

[@sandymatusrealtor5166]

Can you use a different width pvc? I have some 1/4" on hand, but wasn't sure where you got your numbers for calculations and if I could adjust for a different width. Thanks for the great video!

[@r.cheung1334]

very late response but the 34029 cm/sec represents the speed of sound and the number that gets multiplied by 4 represents the frequency in Hz of the note. the equation is used to find length of the pipe

[@solcruz1127]

I cant get mine to work! I test them and the only thing i hear is air! Am i playing it wrong?

[@cloudgoddesscosplay3389]

how difficult is it to cut? because I always thought it was heavy duty piping but you make it look pretty easy

[@RickOsgood]

If you buy one of those PVC cutters like I use in the video it's super easy. It cuts right through!

[@iorivenegas3743]

Is it 1 inch inch Diameter?

[@nathanmaxwell1195]

Technically the first note you blew was an overtone for the C4 (it came out as G)

[@Arrasekhar]

Ullam uru

[@jarofmoss8714]

I have a question/concept I need addressed please So I'm trying to design a pan flute where it has a hole drilled in it that makes the pipe sharp (So say an c#), but when I cover the hole it would be natural (so c) Would this be possible?

[@a0zuniverse]

If I converted this to a larger size do you think it would be possible for me to make a tubulum?

[@RobTheFossil]

Thanks for the simple, funny presentation.... especially the lip technique.

[@Mcnerd213]

I’ve got the two end notes and they refuse to reverb, any tips?

[@JTBear]

Great info! That's exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!

[@GustavoSerraioccoMartinelli]

Thank You guy!!! it's works fine!!!! tnks a lot

[@assfacemili]

Hi I was wondering if you could maybe explain to me why when i blow into a single pipe (just like he did in this video) it didn't make the same sound it just sounds like passing airflow

[@jayblack9393]

Lol 1 cent per penny

[@RickOsgood]

;)

[@the26local96]

tht made me laugh too

[@seanhyacinthe3461]

I haven’t been able to get the pipe to work using the pennies. It has only worked when I use my thumb

[@RickOsgood]

You're welcome! Good luck on your project!

[@keziadaniel4645]

Speed of sound is 34300 cm/sec ...

[@keziadaniel4645]

Please explain me sir?

[@darknoah11]

Hi Rick, this video has been a great help for my project for school, but I'm having trouble cutting the half inch pvc pipe, can you recommend tools that would make it an easy cut?

[@RickOsgood]

Sure! There are a few ways you can cut PVC depending on what you have available. One of the easiest and cheapest ways is to use a ratcheting PVC cutter tool like this one: www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-Ratcheting-PVC-Cutter-T012-X/202351847 The biggest problem with that tool is it can be difficult to get the cut straight and to get it exactly in the right spot. Another option is to use a hack saw, though it will help if you have a vise to clamp the PVC pipe into while you are cutting. The hack saw is nice because many people already have those. The downside is that it takes longer than the PVC cutter and it takes significantly more effort. If you have a miter saw, that's also an extremely easy way to cut PVC but most people probably don't have one of those in their garage.

[@thomaslevesque8996]

Thanks! Best video for pan flutes I have seen and I will use this information to make these with children this summer!

[@flurgy22]

Sounds like you started to play the theme of sesame street

[@MattGalter]

I have to construct panpipes for a class im taking and this was exactly what I needed, thanks! Also, pretty adorable if u dont mind me saying :-) Great quick, useful, video

[@RickOsgood]

I'm glad my video could help you out!

[@55alyssa1]

Thank you.. I know how to make one now. ( i know some songs )

[@henry58214]

is that a pvc pipe or a wiring pipe ?

[@anekahdaley3107]

How did he find the velocity?

[@rimar2000]

Very useful info, thanks for sharing it.

[@faithhodges9029]

Where did you get the number, 34029cm/secs?

[@RickOsgood]

+Lee Claudius That number is the speed of sound. Normally, you would see it measured in meters so it would be 340.29 meters per second. To get the value in centimeters you just multiply that number by 100 since there are 100cm per meter.

[@tomjoyce1060]

Thank you so much for posting this. In your honor I will name my first born son Rick Osgood Joyce

[@RickOsgood]

HAHAHA It is an honor! It's a good name let me tell you. It is also my father's name!

[@HK-db2ke]

Hey,may I ask a question? Are you blowing right into them or whistling and the pipes do the pitch job?

[@RickOsgood]

You definitely do not whistle. You just blow air across the gap and it causes vibrations which create the tones.

[@HK-db2ke]

Ok,this came out helpful,thank you

[@cameoshadowness7757]

Nice! Thanks for this! By the way, I want to make one that's cromatic so what will the ones for C#, D# F# G# and A# will be? I have troubles calculating it.

[@luisbrito2367]

Cameo Shadowness This can be done by tilting the flute making the bottom lip overlap the tube a bit making those half-tones you seek. But to make pipes that play a half tone will be... difficult maybe.

[@cameoshadowness7757]

+Luis Brito Okay, thank you.

[@checkavailability614]

Where did you buy your pipes from? Is there anywhere in Toronto that sells them?

[@RickOsgood]

It's schedule 40 PVC pipe. I'm not sure what stores there are in Toronto but in the states we have some pretty big hardware store chains like Home Depot and Lowes that carry this stuff. Any decent hardware store will usually sell schedule 40 PVC pipe. If not, see if there are any plumbing supply stores in your area.

[@piper888]

what size PCV is that

[@yasminfarshad4343]

why do you multiply the frequency by 4???????

[@blaircaccam7498]

I believe it was to raise the frequency by one octave; usually, the equation is Length=(speed of sound)/(2*frequency). If I'm not mistaken, octaves are raised exponentially and therefore one could double the frequency and maintain key. So I guess the real equation should have been Length = (speed of sound) / (2 x 2 x frequency)

[@christianmirtelstet529]

thanks

[@bbqbigbear]

Hay man my daughter is doing a science fare project using a PVC pipe flute but can't figure out why you times 4 in the equation. Can you help her out!

[@RickOsgood]

I honestly can't remember why you need to do that. I think I found the equation online somewhere. Sorry I can't be of any real help there. Good luck on the project.

[@KnowItNation]

I think its because resonance in a closed air column is always in 1/4 so here the velocity of the speed of sound has to be divided by 4 but velocity are not directly proportionate to the length of the tube so it also has to be divided making it 4 times the frequency . I think so don't quote me on this. Grade 11 physics :-)

[@henry58214]

Not bad !

[@pilpops]

interesting

[@cortchops]

i like it keep up the great work!

[@Allthingstech3108]

That was smart.

[@bullyjoe9114]

Is the speed of sound constant? If so, what is it?

[@RickOsgood]

+Bully Joe The speed of sound changes depending on the atmosphere. You need to know what medium the sound is traveling through and at what pressure.

[@John-e6y3m]

What is the length inches

[@gandhi_1867]

where do you get the pipes?

[@1davecg]

At any hardware store, just ask for 1/2" pvc.

[@MackmcDeven97]

Is there anything else you can use instead of pennies?

[@RickOsgood]

You can probably use just about anything. All that matters is that the bottoms of the tubes are covered and don't let air escape. Pennies happen to be just the right size and readily available.

[@laurisaborlovan9513]

+MackMcDeven97 If you want a tuned one, try cork rounds like those found in wooden panflutes.

[@ahmedlangmusic8562]

How can I calculate the speed of sound of a certain note? please help!

[@RickOsgood]

The speed of sound will not change. Do you want to calculate the frequency of a certain note? Or maybe the length of pipe required to make a certain note?

[@ahmedlangmusic8562]

Rick Osgood I've cut a pipe on 16.3 which is supposed to be the second c but it reads b in the tuner, do you think the diameter of the pipe has something to do with this?

[@RickOsgood]

Ahmed Hassan I'm no expert but my research shows that the diameter should not affect the actual pitch or frequency, just the overall tone of the instrument. There could be a lot of different reasons why the note is coming out slightly wrong. For example, the speed of sound changes at different altitudes, so if you live in the mountains somewhere you have to take that into consideration. Maybe when you cut the tubes, you didn't cut them straight? My recommendation would be to cut each tube a little bit longer than you think is necessary and test it with your tuner. If the note is too low, cut the tube shorter and shorter until the tuner shows the correct note.

[@ahmedlangmusic8562]

Rick Osgood I'm a Nay maker (oriental flute) and I'm quite good at cutting the pipes, but I will follow your advice and cut them a little longer or shorter, thank you very much pal for your creative ideas :)

[@dennedy]

May I ask the diameter of your pipes?

[@SavvyWebb]

its in the desription

[@evangelistaalexandresilvaa7599]

Dennedy Yrvin Corcega k

[@sillygoose1710]

How thick was the pipe you used?

[@RickOsgood]

I used Schedule 40 pipe. I'm not sure how thick Schedule 40 pipe is, but it's a very standard thickness. If you go to any big hardware store that sells PVC pipe, you should be able to check the labels or ask someone to verify that it's schedule 40.

[@sillygoose1710]

cool thanks a lot. one more question, how did you calculate the velocity/speed of sound? i got about 15 degrees celsius... how did you decide on that?

[@RickOsgood]

15 degrees celsius? I'm not sure how temperature factors into this at all. For the speed of sound, I just did a Google search for "what is the speed of sound?". The answer is 340.29 meters per second. Then you convert that to cm per second. Since there are 100 cm per meter, you just multiple 340.29 times 100 to get the answer of 34029. Does that make sense?

[@yasminfarshad4343]

how do you figure out the frequency of the notes? and the speed of sound??

[@RickOsgood]

I got the equations from other sources on the internet. Once you have the equations you just plug in the required values.

[@DavidKim2106]

Charlie Pashayan Thank you! This really helped and thanks for uploading! I have to make a pan pipe for Science Olympiad and this really helped!

[@RickOsgood]

Glad it was able to help you! I actually judged the music portion of a science olympiad contest here in Oregon a couple years ago. It was a lot of fun and it was great to see the different instruments the students were able to build.

[@DavidKim2106]

Charlie Pashayan I don't know why, but the script will not let me enter the values, nor show any messages that it is designed to show (I looked at the code). I have a Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9.1. I am wondering if my Operating System is the issue. Help would be appreciated :#)

[@DavidKim2106]

Rick Osgood Wow, awesome! I have a week from now to complete tuning my pipes and all that, and I am a bit worried about the results, but thank you for the encouraging words :)

[@RickOsgood]

You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@eriktheone8219]

Its for sale for 8 cents 😊😊😊

[@cloudgoddesscosplay3389]

what lengths did you cut your pipes? I'm not musically inclined enough to know which now I want to include so I can't determine the lengths myself

[@RickOsgood]

Skip to 0:45 in the video and I show a whole table with all the lengths I used in centimeters.

[@cloudgoddesscosplay3389]

+Rick Osgood awesome, thank you

[@assfacemili]

Hi, I grabbed about 6 PVC pipes from Home Depot today, and when I blow in the pipe (like you did) it does not make that same sound, all I hear is air going into the pipe, no significant sound at all. How can I fix that? Please respond ASAP this project is due tomorrow for my physics class

[@Kevin-vi9rj]

Im sorry if this is already too late but you have to seal the bottom hole

[@assfacemili]

Kevin Le Already got it to work, thanks though. I think i wasn't blowing in it right.