How To Make a Paper Recorder and Didgeridoo

Tools: Paper, cutting tool, tape/rubber bands

Step 1: Roll Tube

First, roll up your piece of paper into a tube. Secure it with rubber bands, tape, or whatever you like.

Congratulations, you have made a didgeridoo! Continue on to make a recorder.

Step 2: Cut Hole

Cut a round hole an inch or two from the top.

Step 3: Mouthpiece

Separate and bend down half of the layers between the hole and the top.

Step 4: Play and Troubleshoot

Try blowing between the layers! It may work right away, or it might sound close to a pitch but not strong yet, or it may not work at all. Getting a good sound is a difficult art, but here are some tips:

• Try tightening your lips when you play to change the narrowness of the space between layers.
• Make sure that the hole is cut cleanly. The bottom part especially should have all the layers tight together.
• Try creasing the inside layers where they bend down, from the top of the instrument to the middle of the sides of the hole (needle-nose pliers can be helpful here).
  
• If the instrument is getting moist, let it dry for a while (try making another in the meantime!).
• If none of those work, try starting again. You can simply flip the instrument around and use the other end, or cut off the current mouthpiece and start again with a shorter tube. You can also try rolling it tighter or loser, or a different type of paper. You can cut the hole to be larger or smaller, rounder or more ovular or like a square. It is sometimes very difficult to tell why one mouthpiece works and another does not, and sometimes they seem to start or stop working for no reason, which can be quite frustrating. This is why I always keep a bunch of them on hand at a performance.

Step 5a: Finger Holes

Once your instrument can sound a pitch, you can cut finger holes. Start with a tiny one near the center, and try it out to see how it changed the pitch. You can then make it larger until the new pitch is where you want it. Then, make a second hole above the first (closer to the mouthpiece). Again, be sure to start small. Cover the holes with your fingers, and uncover them from bottom to top to play the notes. Most paper instruments can only handle a few pitches, but with practice you can learn how to widen the range.

Step 5b: Slide Flute

Instead of fingerholes, you can roll up another piece of paper and insert it in the first. By sliding it in and out, you can change the pitch. This might be easier and more intuitive for some to play, though the pitch changes are not as sharp and the sliding creates a noise.

Step 6: Make It Pretty

Finally, add some artistic flair! Some examples: