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Jun 10 2020 
Take it away launches the first Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments
We’re thrilled to be able to share the first edition of our Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments!
This resource is the first of it’s kind and aims to raise awareness of the extraordinary range of adaptive instruments that are currently available. We hope that this will inspire and encourage many more disabled people to be confident of their ability to learn and play music.
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Aug 06 2019 
DIY Musical Instruments
Learning at home
Looking for some fun activities to do with the little ones? How about a fun DIY session that’s creative and crafty.
Here are some instrument making activities to keep young music makers entertained during half term and inspire them to keep playing!
We’d love to know how you get on and see your instruments – Tag us on Instagram and Twitter with your pictures!
*We advise that an adult is present to supervise all of these craft activities.
Cereal box guitar
Items needed
- 1 cereal box or shoe box.
- 1 recycled paper towel tube.
- Scissors.
- Craft knife (optional).
- 8 rubber bands.
- 2 crayons.
Instructions
Follow the assembling instructions here.
Tip: If you use a smaller cereal box or extra big rubber bands, you may be able to avoid cutting and threading the rubber bands through the box.
For smaller fingers why not try making mini lid banjos.
Straw Pan Pipes
*Good for flute players*
Items needed
- 9 plastic drinking straws
- Up-cycle and collect these from drinks whilst you’re out!
- Scissors
- Lighter*
- Tap (masking tape or tape with more texture)
Instructions
Follow the instructions in the YouTube tutorial above.
* Adult supervision needed. The lighter is used to melt the end of the straw to seal it. This step could be left out but would result in a weaker tone.
Recorder Carrot
Items needed
- 1 carrot
- a small knife
- 1 medium size drill bit (to hollow out the carrot)
- 1 small size drill bit (for the note holes)
Instructions
Follow the instructions in the YouTube tutorial above.
Once you’ve mastered one, try making more from different size carrots to see how the sounds differ!
Lollipop Harmonica
Items needed
- 2 lollipop sticks – wider ones if possible
- 2 rubber bands or string
- Paper
- 2 toothpicks
- Scissors
- Markers to decorate
Instructions
Follow the assembling instructions here.
Tin Can Drums
Items needed
- 1 tin can per drum
- 1 balloon per drum
- Elastic band
- Scissors
- Chop stick (or something to be the drum stick)
- Rice or chickpeas or paperclips etc. to make the shaker sound
Instructions
Follow the assembling instructions here.
Driftwood and broken shells rattle
On your next beach walk, look out for some Y shaped branches and broken shells!
Items needed
- 1 small Y shaped branch
- A collection of shells with holes (which can be threaded onto an elastic band)
- 1 elastic band
- Colourful yarn
Instructions
Follow the assembling instructions here.
Hair Grip Thumb Piano
Items needed
- 1 small piece of scrap wood
- 5 hair grips
- Staple gun
- Hammer
- Sand paper
- Colour permanent markers
Instructions
Follow the assembling instructions here.
Diddley Bow
Items needed
- 1 Long piece of scrap wood
- 3 nails or screws
- 1 tin can
- Steel wire – longer than the wood (real guitar string works best!)
- Hammer or screwdriver
What’s a diddley bow? It’s a single-stringed American instrument which influenced the development of the blues sound!
They’re typically homemade.
Instructions
Follow the assembling instructions here.
Frisbee Harp
Items needed
- 1 Frisbee
- Screw hooks
- String/chord
- Pliers
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions
More information and assembly instructions here.
We’d love to know how you get on and see your instruments – Tag us on Instagram or tweet us @takeitawaymusic with your pictures!
