There's been a proliferation of pitched PVC xylophones in recent times, but a lot of them end up being somewhat cumbersome when it comes to actually get good sound quality. This guy has come up with the solution by making strange drum skins over the ends of the pipes. The result is a super cool sound coming out of a ridiculously cool-looking instrument.
Step aside massive pipe organs! You've found your match.
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27 Comments
Whoa, that thing is just beautiful. Amazing.
Oh man. I now am really really fighting the uge to build this. I have a small set of palm pipes that I made that I always have my physics students use around Christmas time to play Christmas carols to various classes. This wouldn't be as portable but oh so fun.
Awesome that he's made it himself but old news to someone who's watched a BlueMan show.
well, at least he is playing an actual blue man tune. I don't think anyone is kidding themselves with originality when making a tubulum. They are only simply being awesome.
This is crazy. I for one have never seen the Blue Man Group before, but I'm checking 'em out right now and that backpack tubulum is even crazier! But this guy's is awesome. It's sounds really great. If I only had a garage to build one of these in...
This is graet. I'd make one... if I was any good at playing instruments
Wonder if itd work with metal pipes?
i bet it would, man. that'd be cool, too because you could use the drum skins for drum sounds and the hit the metal for cymbal-ish sounds.
Interesting. I was actually going to comment on the post above and say that it would work approximately the same with metal pipes since in an instrument of this type what is actually vibrating is the column of air and it doesn't matter much what medium surrounds it as long as the air is contained. However, you're right in that you could also hit the metal and get different sounds.
Metal would be cool, but it'd be a pain to move around!
Man, I think I'm gonna try it out with metal pipe, just to see if I can. Maybe start with EMT though rigid would look better. Maybe I'll do a combo so it'll have those cymbalish sounds you pointed out Adam. and good to know about the sound being caused by air, not the pipes, except length. Thanks Cory. I'll probably make a mini one from pvc for my kid one day.
So did you ever build it with metal pipes? I'm about to build a tubulum, but cost of pvc pipe has skyrocketed. It would cost me $600 in parts. So I'm trying to think of pvc pipe alternatives....
awesome! one day, i'm gonna make on of these.
Comparing this to a "massive pipe organ" (known to musicians as an organ) is like comparing a child's four-note xylophone to a marimba ensemble. Good construction and playing.
Thanks! You're right, it would take a pretty huge PVC ensemble to try to compete with an organ :)
Hey! I'm the guy in that video. It's actually almost two years old (the first YouTube video this tubulum appeared in). It's awesome to see my stuff being shared in places like this, but you should really take a look at my newer videos. Like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX1xjOI5c0Q
Awesome. How many tubes are there and what's the approximate note or frequency range?
There are 18 notes, originally spanning D#1 to B2, but the great thing about using PVC is the ability to make alterations. You can find a full FAQ on my page http://thejerrymoblog.wordpress.com/tubulum-faq/
Thanks!
Awesome. I might have to inspire some students in my physics or calculus classes or math and science club to build one of these...that way I can play it!
This video is awesome- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ouJ6JUEmhg
Thank you! :D It's part of a video I made to go up on an official Blue Man Group blog. I think it turned out well.
visually really striking...
costs, plans, time it took, changes you'd make, .... awesome!
Check out the two newer posts here, or:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkFx6DOiMfo and
http://thejerrymoblog.wordpress.com/tubulum-faq/
...Thanks!
thanks!
yessssss nice IS VERY ² nice
wonderful just wonderful music can be played almost anywhere...once I played a set of sticks on the floor and use the chairs and anything else I could find to laying around to make music with...how fun good job and amazing what people can do...
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