The xylophone is a wonderful tool. Its history is fascinating; dates back to the 9th century and was developed independently in both Africa and Asia. It is used in the most varied contexts, from African tribal music to elementary school lessons in the United States, where it is used to teach children the basic principles of music. While building a modern chromatic xylophone would be a hefty feat, making one octave diatonic is a quick and easy job.
Steps
Step 1. Get the wood to build the frets
An octave xylophone will have 8 frets, with the tonic of the scale on both ends of the register. The keys should measure approximately 5cm in width and 2.5cm in height. In the hardware store you can find pieces of wood of the size you want. Pine wood may be fine, although oak produces a higher quality sound. The high-quality xylophone frets are constructed from rosewood or padauk, but are harder to find.
Step 2. Cut the frets to give them approximately the right size
A good approximation can be obtained by cutting the lowest note by about 35 cm in length, and the highest by about 25 cm. The middle frets should scale progressively until they fill all the difference between the extremes. Using these references, you can easily tune the keys on the C major scale. It is not important to determine the exact length of each element, as you will still have to shorten them in the tuning process.
Step 3. Tune the keys
This is the most time-consuming stage. Arrange the keys on a soft surface (such as a napkin) so that they can resonate. Hit one with your hammer and record the pitch using an electric tuner. If the shade is too low, you can raise it by filing the ends, shortening it. If it is too high, you can lower it by making a curved notch on the back of the fret, in the center, for about one third of the length. You can use a file or a blade. Keep checking the pitch.
Step 4. Find the location of the nodes on each tablet
The knots are those parts that don't vibrate when you play the key, and are located about 2/9 of the way. To find the exact position, sprinkle some salt on the keys and hit them repeatedly with the hammer. The salt will "dance" on the tablet and will spontaneously collect on the knots (where there are no vibrations). Mark the location with a pencil.
Step 5. Drill two holes on each fret at the knot marks, centered across the width
Make sure that the holes are slightly wider than the bolt you will be using to secure them to the frame, because the key must have enough room to sound as loud as possible when hit.
Step 6. Build the frame
You will need four pieces of wood, of any size you like.
- Arrange the keys from shortest to longest, leaving about 6mm between each. The lowest key must be on the left, the one that emits the highest note on the right.
- The total width of the xylophone should be 45 cm. Cut two pieces for the frame this length, and wrap them with a soft material (a tablecloth or old garment will do just fine). The fabric will ensure that the keys can resonate and that they do not make noise by vibrating against the frame when they play.
Step 7. Arrange the keys along these two pieces of wood with the knots positioned directly above the frame
Thread the bolts over the holes you drilled and through the wooden frame.
Attach two long pieces of wood to each other to give the frame stability. Set two more pieces aside for the frame and screw or glue them through the two long pieces forming a four-sided structure
Step 8. Sand the xylophone
Sand the entire surface of the instrument with sandpaper to remove irregularities and improve its aesthetics.
Advice
- When buying wood pieces, remember that the size printed on the nameplate may not match the size of the wood.
- Be aware that the machining process will produce a lot of sawdust, so it's best to work outdoors.
