November 18, 2009
Making Music with Clay: How to Make a Ceramic Whistle Flute
 This past Monday was one of those Mondays that give Mondays a bad name. It was just one of those days when it seemed like everything I touched either fell apart or ended up taking ten times longer than it needed to. As a coping mechanism, I decided to put on my iPod and listen to some of my favorite music (rather loudly). It’s amazing how therapeutic that can be. Then, after work, I went to the studio. And we all know how therapeutic that can be! I suspect that I am not the only one in the ceramics world who thinks that the perfect antidote to a lousy Monday is clay and music. So today I decided to present a project that combines both. In today’s post, an excerpt from Barry Hall’s From Mud to Music, you’ll learn how to make a clay whistle flute. - Jennifer Harnetty, editor. |
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The whistle flute in this demonstration is an end-blown ducted flute similar to a recorder or Irish pennywhistle, which has an airduct assembly at one end and a series of finger holes. This flute is challenging to make but easy to play. Successfully make one or two of the four-hole ocarinas and you’re ready to give this instrument a try. For variety, experiment with different tube lengths to develop different pitches and try bending the tube into different shapes. As with the previous projects, most any type of clay can be used. What’s important is to begin with fresh, well-wedged clay. |
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For more cool handbuilding techniques, download your free copy of Three Great Handbuilding Techniques: How to Make Pots Using the Pinch, Coil and Slab Methods! |
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| The Process: How to Make a Clay Whistle Flute | |
 Our collection of familiar tools now includes a drum stick and a carpenter’s square. The drum stick is about 14 inches long and 1/2-inch in diameter. A wooden dowel rod is a suitable alternative. It is important to have two of the sharpened Popsicle sticks (like those used in the ocarina demo). This project starts with a 1/8,-inch-thick slab of clay that measures about 12 inches wide and 18 inches long. A slab roller is recommended to create this, but a rolling pin can be used if care is taken to ensure a slab of even thickness. A 2-foot-square sheet of drywall makes an ideal working surface. |
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 After gathering the tools and rolling out the slab of clay, the next step is to cut the clay into a manageable shape. Use the needle tool with the carpenter’s square to make a straight cut along one side of the slab. Lay the edge of the dowel or drumstick on the clay with its side about an inch and a half from the edge of the slab. Make another cut in the slab about an inch and a half below the other side of the dowel. |
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 Using the needle tool, make squared cuts at each end of this strip of clay. Cutting the strip slightly shorter than the dowel makes it easier to remove the dowel later. |
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 This is where the suppleness of the clay is critical. If the clay has been allowed to get too firm it will crack as it is formed around the dowel. The trick is to move slowly along the length of the dowel. If some cracks develop, lightly moisten the outside surface of the clay. If the strip is too wide, reopen the clay and trim the excess. Don’t seal the seam shut yet. |
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 Once you have the clay trimmed just right, thoroughly score the edges of the slab using the needle tool or a serrated rib. Then, apply a light coating of water along the full length of the strip. There’s no need to drown the clay in water. In fact, too much water will make it more difficult to remove the dowel. |
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 Now the seam can be sealed. Pinch the edges together along the full length of the dowel. Every few inches, stop to give the dowel a slight twist to keep it moving freely as the tube is being formed. Making a strong seam now will prevent splitting later. |
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 Once it is completely closed, roll the tube back and forth to smooth out the seam. Leave the dowel in the tube while you do this, to keep from crushing the tube. As soon as the seam has been smoothed, twist the dowel and draw it out of the tube. It must be removed at this point, because the clay shrinks as it dries, and will tighten up around the dowel. |
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 To construct the airway, insert a Popsicle stick into the tube and press the clay down around it with your thumbs, as shown. Press the clay from the end of the tube down about an inch. Leave the stick in place for the moment. |
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 Trim some of the excess clay from the sides of the mouthpiece. This is a top view of the tube after the mouthpiece has been trimmed. |
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 Trim the opposite end of the tube. A large serrated rib (as shown in the image) works well, but a variety of tools can be used for this purpose. |
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 With one Popsicle stick in the airway, the other is used to cut the sound hole. The sound hole should be located just below the point where the clay begins to taper toward the mouth hole. Make the cuts into the clay until they reach the inner stick. Use the sharpened edge of the stick to cut a shallow bevel in the back of the sound hole. |
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 This is the finished sound hole. The tube is now a simple, one-note flute. Give it a try. Although the clay is wet, the flute can be blown enough to determine the quality of the basic sound. No sound? Reinsert the stick in the airway and adjust the beveled edge so that it splits the airway passage. Be sure the beveled edge is sharp and smooth. If it’s a little ragged, use the Popsicle stick to smooth the surfaces. The ocarina’s mouthpiece was made in the same way. |
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 The flute is nearly ready for drying and firing. Use the hole cutter, as shown here, or a 1/4inch drill bit, to cut four evenly spaced finger holes along the top of the flute. You can now play the flute to see how it sounds. If you’re not happy with any of the finger holes, you can enlarge them to raise their pitch, or fill them in with clay and re-cut them in another spot on the tube to get a different pitch. |
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 The countersink is twisted over each hole to give a nicely smoothed edge. Before letting the flute dry completely, check the inside of the flute to be sure it is smooth and free of obstructions. The dowel won’t fit in it any more, so use the needle tool, a chopstick or other small stick to clear out the flute’s interior if necessary. |
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Tags: Barry Hall, Ceramic Musical Instruments, Handbuilding Techniques
katie | November 18th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I made a whistle a long time ago in high school. The trick is to make sure where you blow hits right against a good sharp angle to make your sound.
Allan | November 18th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
A 3/4 inch finger hole? My fingers aren’t even that big. Must really mean 3/8ths.
Deborah | November 18th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
thanks for this, I am working on putting together a clay music program for my kids, this is great help, can’t wait to try it!
WALTER | November 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I taught Ceramics for 30 years and one of the projects was to make a whistle. I agree with Katie.The trick is to make sure where you blow hits RIGHT against a good sharp angle to make your sound but not too far from the airway. Another project also specified that the student make a small sculpture and turn it into a (one or more note) whistle. Once mastering the sound technique, you can stretch the imagination.
Teresa | November 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Great idea Thanks for the how too pictures.
Hill | November 18th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
You might want to check the instruction to make flute holes with a 3/4 inch drill bit…That might work with a 3/16 drill bit, but 3/4 is a “bit” large.
Loran Hill
Amy | November 18th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
For those speculating on the size of the holes to be drilled, remember that there will be some shrinkage in the drying and firing.
Debbie | November 18th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
With a 1/2″ diameter dowel and using 1/8″ thick clay that leaves a total diameter of 3/4″. So even with shrinkage upon drying using a 3/4″ drill bit would cut the flute in half. I wonder what the writer really meant 3/8″ (almost the total diameter of the interior of the flute) or 3/16″. I want to try this project so I’m going to start with 3/16″. It’s easier to make the holes bigger than smaller.
I wonder if there is an ideal angle for the sound hole….this will be fun to experiment with.
Thanks for the ideas as always.
Joe | November 19th, 2009 at 8:12 am
I love how every person has to give there two cents on the bit size. As for me I will just do what matches my finger. Thanks for the great instructions and pictures!
Jennifer | November 19th, 2009 at 8:38 am
So sorry about the drill bit typo everyone! The correct size is 1/4 inch. It has been corrected above. - editor.
Daryl | November 19th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Good comments, All. The key here is to get the basics down then do some experimenting with the hole diameters and placement. If you like this demo, you’ll love the rest of Barry’s book. It’s a great read and the accompanying music CD is truly unique.
Andrea | November 24th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Any glazing tips for this project? Will the thickness of the glaze affect the sound holes and/or that sharp angle needed in the sound hole? Not sure how to maintain the sharpness/edge needed there once glazed or if that is a non-issue.
Am | November 29th, 2009 at 1:32 am
I tried this project several times when I first bought the book some years ago, but was never able to make the flute-type whistle work. I have made many, many ocarina-type whistles with no problem, but something about making it a tube would never work for me. Oddly, closing off the end with my finger would allow it to whistle, yet the above instructions seem to be telling you to leave the end open. What am I missing? Any suggestions?
Lynn | January 30th, 2010 at 11:11 am
I was also wondering about whether the end was closed or left open. Having made whistles before, you’d think it should be closed.