How to Make Pan Pipes

The Pan flute is a musical instrument with a rich and storied history, so-named for its association with the playful Pan, the Greek god of nature. Its soft, lyrical tone has long been familiar to folk music fans across the world and been featured prominently in popular music, perhaps most notably on the hit song ‘’El Condor Pasa’’ by Simon & Garfunkle.

Now you can build and play your own Pan flute in just a few minutes with some common household materials and a deep breath!

1. Gather a few materials and tools before you begin:
   • Six plastic straws
   • A ruler
   • Clay
   • Duct tape
   • A marking pen
   • A sharp pair of scissors
2. Cut The Straws
   Using your ruler, measure, mark, and cut your straws to the following lengths:
   
   
   • 3-1/2 inches
   • 4-1/8 inches
   • 4-3/4 inches
   • 5-1/4 inches
   • 5-3/4 inches
   • 6-3/8 inches
     When you blow across the open end of a closed tube, the tube will vibrate at a particular pitch, or musical note, based on the length and circumference of the tube. By cutting the straws at measured lengths, we can create a series of notes that will have a pleasing musical relationship to one another.
     The actual pitch of the notes will depend on the thickness of your straws, but will have the same relationship to each other as the notes C, D, G, and A.
3. Create A Closed Tube
   Each tube must be closed at one end. Use a small wad of clay or seal it with duct tape to seal the end, and make sure there are no holes for air to escape.
   
   
4. Build Your Pan Flute
   Lay out a strip of duct tape about 3-1/2 to 4 inches in length. Starting about an inch from the left, place the straws next to each other on the duct tape in order from longest to shortest. The top of the straws should extend about 1 inch beyond the tape. Fold over the ends of the tape to the middle to seal.
   
   
5. Hold the open ends of the straws against your lower lip, and blow across the tops of them as shown.
   
   
6. Move the flute back and forth to change the note you are playing.
   
   

• For the best tone, use the largest straws you can find. Milkshake straws from fast-food restaurants and diners work well, and will make a colorful instrument as well.
• Mix and match colors and patterns to please the eyes as well as the ears.
• See: http://www.swe.org/iac/images/straws.jpg for an illustration of a soda straw pan flute.
• Find a peaceful, forested glen (or your local park) and play!

• Do not overfill the bottom of the straws, or your flute will sound a little off-key. Just a small dab of clay, or a careful wrap of tape will do the trick.
• When using sharp objects, be careful not to cut yourself.