Making music is a passion for many people! It can be done at any stage of life, and has been around for centuries. The most well-known instruments in this category are the piano and violin. Both use pressed metal strings that are struck or vibrated by a hammer or bow tool, respectively.

Other examples of making your own instrument includes using plastic bottles as notes and hammers. Using these tips, you will learn how to make your first bottle instrument!

Reminder: If you want to truly make an authentic musical instrument, then go all out and buy one! Many musicians have made their career off their craft so do not hesitate to invest in some tools if you really want to take it seriously.

Here we will talk about making simple bottle instruments that anyone can create and play! This article will contain information on both beginner level and advanced techniques. So whether you are a novice or expert, there will still be something here worth looking into.

Make a guitar

A beginner can make their own acoustic guitar using plastic bottles! This article will show you how to do this step by step, so that you are able to create your own guitar even if you have no experience in music or creating instruments.

All of the materials needed for making your first instrument can be found anywhere around you, most importantly including money. All of these components can be picked up at any large grocery store or mall that has a big merchandise sale event happening every month.

The hardest part about making your own guitar is deciding on what size strings you want to use. It is best to start off with a medium set (this means not super-tight, nor too loose) and then work from there. Your guitarist friend or YouTube may be helpful for tips on string settings.

Make a drum kit

A great way to get into making your own music is by learning how to make your own instruments. One of the most popular beginner instrument types is the plastic bottle drum set! You can make bass drums, kickdrum drums, snare drums, tom toms, and even rackett drums!

There are several reasons why these plastic bottles work so well as drums. First, they are very durable. Second, you can easily wash them off which helps prevent dry-out. And third, they produce a solid sound that many people like.

When choosing what type of bottle to use for each part, it’s important to pick ones that are same size or proportionally similar. For example, if a neck diameter does not match up with the body diameter, then it will not fit properly. Try your best to find some in between sizes to create a seamless transition.

Make a harp

A harp is an interesting instrument that was popularized in the 18th century. It consists of one string per bottle, but only some of them are played at a time. When all bottles have been used up, it must be made into a new instrument!

To make your own harp, you will need about 20 plastic water bottles with lids. These can either be glass or clear plastic ones. The strings should be very thin – shoelace size is enough.

You will also want about 10 paper towels for when the music stops. This way, when people play their instruments, they do not have to keep re-pressurizing them! Re-pressuring the air takes energy, so having a supply helps save time.

After the song has ended, pull out the strings and wash off the liquid using the paper towels. Let dry completely before putting back together.

Make a xylophone

A xylophone is an easy way to make your own musical instrument. You will need about 10 plastic bottles and some string or paper, according as whether you want a metal sound or a wooden one.

To make a xylophone, start by taking two of the same size empty bottle and cut off both ends. Then put one inside the other and connect them with paper or cloth strings. Repeat this process for the rest of the bottles and have fun making music!

You can also add trinkets or stickers to the bottle interior to make it unique.

Make a marimba

A marimba is an instrument that uses malleable metal rods or bars as notes. These are struck with wooden sticks, either by hand or using a tool called a xylophone hammer. The number of bars used in length determine what note it is, for example, one long bar is a drum stick, two short ones are a cymbal, and three longer ones make up the middle bass rod of the marimba.

Make a ocarina

Ocarinas are one of the most well-known instruments in this category, and they make for some pretty catchy songs! An ocarina is actually a type of wind instrument that uses air flow to produce a tone. You can make your own by taking an old plastic bottle (no metal parts) and rubbing it with a cloth to create a reed. Then, you can tune the pitch by how fast you blow through it.

There are many different styles of ocarsins, but most use either a cup shape or a cone shape bottle. The hole at the top of the bottle is then closed off using tape or glue so that only an ear shaped piece is exposed. This changes which part of the bottle is used to generate sound depending on how you play the device.

Music makers have made lots of variations of these devices including ones that people have put their names on. There are even companies who will mass manufacture them for sale! So, if you want to get into making your own musical equipment, try searching online first to see what has been done before.

Make a violin

Making a violin is tricky, so there are several different ways to do it! Most people start with the neck. The neck of a violin is called the pike. This is how most professional violins have their necks. They take an old broken down piece of wood and cut off the top of the pike until it’s thin enough and then they hone and polish this new thinner section to create what we call the finger board.

The next part is the body which is made out of two pieces that fit together like a puzzle. One must be longer than the other one, but you can make them both the same length or either one could be shorter depending on your preference. These parts are made out of plastic bottles!

To make the head or where the strings attach, you need to use a bottle that has a narrowed bottom (this makes it harder to pull off) and then either round or square tubing as the top. These tubes are matched up in size and shape according to whether the string is fretted or unfretted.

Fretting means using little notches along the edge to grab onto a set number of strings, whereas non-fretted strings just stick into the hole naturally. Both types of instruments require careful alignment and fitting of these components.

Make a flute

Making music is a universal language that goes beyond just having one instrument or many instruments. There are actually several instruments that you can make using plastic bottles! The best way to learn how to make your own musical instrument is by starting with something simple first – like the flute!

The plastic bottle flutes are easy to find and there are lots of ways to get creative with them. By changing the shape, size, and material of the mouthpiece, you can create different sounds and applications for your new instrument.

Charlie K

Charlie K is a music writer and blogger for Sounds of Gold. He also composes background music for a range of web-based businesses.