Making Gourd Musical Instruments: Over 60 String, Wind & Percussion Instruments & How to Play Them

by Ginger Summit, James Widess

Naturally resonant and aesthetically appealing, gourds seem ripe for music making before they’re even plucked from the vine. Once they’re hollowed, dried, and cleaned, it’s easy to see how gourds can be transformed into a drum, shaker, banjo, flute, and more. From water drums to guiros, rain sticks to lutes and pipes, gourds have been used to make joyous, vibrant music for centuries. And now you can make gourd instruments of your very own!

In this fun and instructive book, authors and gourd artists Jim Widess and Ginger Summit provide step-by-step instructions for building over 60 instruments from gourds. From xylophones and drums to stringed spike fiddles and wind instruments like the fipple flute, building your own instruments from gourds has never been easier. The authors also provide historical and cultural context for the designs, explaining where and when the instruments were first developed and how they have evolved over time. They also include clear and easy-to-understand explanations of the science behind the instruments. From cleaning, drying, scraping, and sealing gourds to decorating the final products, no step of the process is left uncovered. Making Gourd Musical Instruments is richly illustrated with photos and diagrams and will have you blowing, plucking, strumming, and striking with the best of them in no time. Readers interested in related titles from Ginger Summit will also want to Gourd Musical Instruments ( 1626546215), Gourds + Fiber ( 1626546223), Making Gourd Dolls & Spirit Figures ( 1626543380), Gourd Pyrography ( 1626543402).

146 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 1999

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has lots of great ideas in it. Some of the instruments they mention or show they don't actually teach you to make. Though there is still no shortage of material here. Most instruments are explained well along with fairly detailed instructions on how to construct them. Sometimes not detailed enough, but mostly good. Now I just need to stop being lazy and make some of these.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a book to teach me how to make a shakere (hollow gourd with a beaded netting). This book walked me right through the process in words and photos, and it turned out quite well. There is a lot of background and history about the types of gourd instruments (string, wind, and percussion), with instructions on how to make many of them.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think that people still used gourds for instruments