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I've sent in a rules clarification to the national site, but does anyone know offhand if piano/music wire is okay? It seems like it should fall under the "strings (instrument or others) of any type are permitted" guidelines.

Thanks!

I know its getting late in the season (I got started way late this year), but I was the one who built the harp and the violin in the image gallery. So if anyone is curious about something I did, I'm active on this forum again.

knittingfrenzy18 wrote:Alright guys...imma make a woodwind instrument. Not telling what.

Anyways I wanna use PVC pipe but my mom says it's toxic, and she doesn't want me putting my mouth on it. I think it only is toxic when warmed up and giving off fumes, right? What do I tell her so that I can use this material...

I currently have a PVC flute, and it plays like a dream! I'm serious, it sounds completely, 100%, like a real instrument. The only toxic PVC is the grey type used for drainage or electrical conduit. PVC and CPVC is safe.

silverheart7 wrote:Quick question: What kind of questions can you expect in the technical interview?

Also you may want to know the basic music priciples such as how many notes in an octave and how many notes in a typical chromatic scale. As well as bacis music terminology like cresendo and decresendo.

silverheart7 wrote:

knittingfrenzy18 wrote:Alright guys...imma make a woodwind instrument. Not telling what.

Anyways I wanna use PVC pipe but my mom says it's toxic, and she doesn't want me putting my mouth on it. I think it only is toxic when warmed up and giving off fumes, right? What do I tell her so that I can use this material...

I currently have a PVC flute, and it plays like a dream! I'm serious, it sounds completely, 100%, like a real instrument. The only toxic PVC is the grey type used for drainage or electrical conduit. PVC and CPVC is safe.

I made a bamboo flute myself. After going through several PVC flute too i can certainly say that the white PVC or CPVC works and isnt oxic for playing. Though i personally like the native style sound coming from the bamboo.

crazyfloboe wrote:

silverheart7 wrote:

knittingfrenzy18 wrote:Alright guys...imma make a woodwind instrument. Not telling what.

Anyways I wanna use PVC pipe but my mom says it's toxic, and she doesn't want me putting my mouth on it. I think it only is toxic when warmed up and giving off fumes, right? What do I tell her so that I can use this material...

I currently have a PVC flute, and it plays like a dream! I'm serious, it sounds completely, 100%, like a real instrument. The only toxic PVC is the grey type used for drainage or electrical conduit. PVC and CPVC is safe.

I made a bamboo flute myself. After going through several PVC flute too i can certainly say that the white PVC or CPVC works and isnt oxic for playing. Though i personally like the native style sound coming from the bamboo.

Strange. I made a bamboo flute, and it didn't sound great. The quality of the sound I got from it was poor, all though it may have just been a bad piece. At least with PVC, there's consistancy.

Just joining this thread now (rough fall as my brother died and I got pneumonia and SO was really on the back burner, but 2013 is here now...)

I judged SOM in an invitational a few years back and my DD competed in it for 2 years. A friend of mine judged with me.

As for PVC, yes, it's the gray stuff that's not good, so use the white stuff.

Talking to other judges, here are things to maximize your chances:

1) Politeness and clarity during interview about instrument. Say, "I don't know" if you honestly don't know. Don't try to pull one over on the judges. It won't work. If you get nervous about interviews, have some adults (maybe team parents you don't really know well) practice with you.
2) Be able to explain how your instrument makes sound, saying a little more than, "If you blow here it makes music." Research how strings, open and closed pipes, etc. work.
3) Be able to explain how your partner's instrument works. I did this during the invitational. "Wow, nice playing. Can you tell me how to change pitch on his flute?"
4) Don't assume your judges have not watched Youtube and looked at homemade instruments there. He or she probably has! Don't try to pass off something as unique and original if there are videos of something nearly identical on Youtube. Maybe you DID come up with your idea without youtube inspiration, but the judge may not believe you... So, see what's out there.
5) Know speed of sound, a decent definition of music, and the human range of hearing
6) Be sure that the copy of the music you hand to the judges is legible.
7) Enjoy yourself. Express yourself. Put some polish on your performance...

When I judged, I saw both simple and complex instruments. A simple instrument with a beautiful sound and good intonation beat a complex instrument with a tinny or whiny sound and bad pitch every time. The gold medal from the invitational was a decent xylophone and a beautiful bamboo flute. Neither looked like much - both looked really average, but they sounded like a million bucks. And, they knew their stuff...

Oh, especially if your instrument looks even the least bit parent- or teacher-made (even C-team-from-the-neighboring-high-school-made), be ready to answer questions about instrument construction. Why did you decide to make a didgeradoo? How did you pick the materials? Did you find plans online or in a book? Do you have a "real" (commercially made) one at home? What was the most challenging part of constructing it? Did you run into problems during construction? A kid who really made his or her instrument will have a real story to tell (and maybe some photos to share).

Really? For me I found PVC sounded horrid. The bamboo flute plays wonderfully and I even managed a 2 octave C scale to come out of which i never could out of PVC. I modled mine after a flute i got at a renassaince festival and it works great!

...

crazyfloboe wrote:Really? For me I found PVC sounded horrid. The bamboo flute plays wonderfully

I agree, bamboo certainly works a lot better (at least in my experience). PVC, though, is easier to work with, and I've seen some in some instances that it can produce a really nice sound, too.