I heard that many people come to the site and searching on how to make things, decorate them and don't ask me anything, you can ALWAYS write to me, I'll answer you :-)
This site is to show what I can do when you "hire me" to come Perform, Teach music, Make instruments and Buy instruments, I DO NOT give out details of everything that I do. I learned almost everything on my own, with the help of some maestros but I asked them. SO ask.
The best suggestion I can give you who want to learn to "make things" is experiment until you get it right. My good friend and fellow maestro, Xavier neverr taught me a thing but he did, he said "Hay que experimentar,..." then he'd give me a flute and I'd get home and realize he'd never taught me a thing! But he did...so I copied flutes and rattles, I looked at the codices and painting...I asked questions, I asked permission (that's honoring and righteous), I never stole ideas or learned them from someone and made my own version....I experimented with how to make things, ruined lots of materials....but now I know....ask...ask...ASK away...
BAMBOO & GOURD INSTRUMENTS I BUILD
Bamboo & Gourd Instruments I build
2013 Harvesting more Bamboo real fast because nesting season is coming and I can't back in until next September!!!
2013 so far I scheduled 5 residencies from San Diego, CA to Valencia, CA most were 6 weeks but one of them is 10 weeks long, nice!!! Here's a 3rd grader playing his flute!
2013 Using designs the kids created ahead of time and using the 7 Universal Designs of Arts, they got creative!
2013 Martin with the kids sanding their bamboo flutes to prepare them for artwork
2013 Sanding correctly upwind too!
This is how good 3rd graders can sand their flute, notice they aren't shiny!!!
2013 All I did here was attach their mouthpieces, these are ready for my 3rd graders to decorate!!! Nice eh?
2013 Bamboo poles I cut and trimmed and cleaned, ready to be made into flute bodies!
2013 Me and my flutes
BAMBOO FLUTE - they can range in size from 8-10 inches long, get 5 notes in a "pentatonic scale" and are END Blown
BAMBOO FLUTE - they can range in size from 8-10 inches long, get 5 notes in a "pentatonic scale" and are END Blown
VERY MINIMAL DUST IS CREATED. NO PROBLEM WITH THAT IN MY CLASSES
BAMBOO HARVESTED BY ME!!!!
BAMBOO FLUTES - made by 3rd graders. My most requested workshop
BAMBOO FLUTES - made by Adults using natural paint we made. My most requested workshop
BAMBOO FLUTES - made by 3rd graders. My most requested workshop
BAMBOO TWO HOLED FLUTE - I've built tons of these for Kindergarten classes over the year...it gets 4 notes and they all learn a Mayan song on it
BAMBOO TWO HOLED FLUTE - I've built tons of these for Kindergarten classes over the year...it gets 4 notes and they all learn a Mayan song on it
BAMBOO FLUTES - made by Adults using natural paint we made. My most requested workshop
BAMBOO AREA I VISIT
BAMBOO FLUTES - made by 3rd graders. My most requested workshop
BAMBOO PACIFIC ISLAND NOSE FLUTES - made by 4-6th graders using natural paint we made.
BAMBOO PACIFIC ISLAND NOSE FLUTES - made by 4-6th graders using natural paint we made.
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - kids using "Seven Universal Designs" to express their art!
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - kids using "Seven Universal Designs" to express their art!
ANTARA - Bamboo Panpipe many many many have been made in schools over the years...they learn to assemble, decorate, play and create their own music!
ANTARA PANPIPES - painted w/natural colors we made!
PERCUSSIVE PANPIPES - My kinders made these!!! They painted w/natural colors we made!
GOURD OCARINA - Best for 3rd graders to adults
BAMBOO OCARINA - a small group of K - 3 graders made these!
BAMBOO OCARINA - my students made!
TRIPLE BIRD WHISTLE - the one I use in concert. I also 140 of these with Kinders in May 2012
TUMBI - Stringed instruments from India, students lightly tacking on goat skin sound board
TEPONAZTLI - Log Drum made of bamboo
SNAKE GOURD RAIN STICKS - my youth at risk group made these!
RECYCLED CARDBOARD RAIN STICKS - my kinders made these (I don't make a habit of using material like this; this was for my kindergarteners)
RAIN STICK - 3 hour workshop with Mexicano kids at Pico Rivera Library
RAIN STICK - 3 hour workshop with Mexicano kids at Pico Rivera Library
RAIN STICK - 3 hour workshop with Mexicano kids at Pico Rivera Library
RAIN STICK - 3 hour workshop with Mexicano kids at Pico Rivera Library
RAIN STICK - 3 hour workshop with Mexicano kids at Pico Rivera Library
KALIMBAS - sound board design
KALIMBAS - Students using designs I suggested
KALIMBAS - in process
KALIMBAS - all done
KALIMBAS - Tuning
BAMBOO MARIMBA - all glued together no nails!
BAMBOO MARIMBA - Just some of the 20 my students made!
MEXICA STYLE RATTLES - as seen in the codices
RATTLES - workshop for El Dia de Los Muertos (don't copy me geez)
BAMBOO RATTLE - very durable great for little ones
SISTRUM - used in Yaqui Indigenous Music in Mexico. I make these with Kinders
20 years of being "the" Instrument Making Teachers at MUSIC RHAPSODY in Manhattan Beach, CA Thank you students for all those great years!!! Here I had students yearly who started as Preschoolers or Kinders and ended up with me as 6-7-8 graders!!! These guys and girls can build anything!
PACIFIC ISLAND IPU HEKE - percussion made by my 6-8 graders using South Pacific designs and natural pigment paint we made!
PACIFIC ISLAND IPU HEKE - percussion made by my 6-8 graders using South Pacific designs and natural pigment paint we made!
BAMBOO BIRD WHISTLE
CALIFORNIA CLAPPER STICK - traditionally made of Elderberry but out of respect for my CA Natives I use only "Arundo Bamboo" for this class.
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - for school visits which is two 45 min sessions in two days or one 2 hour session in one day or part of my 1-6 week residencies. This is about 120 Flutes the usual amount I get asked to do, to cover four 3rd grade classes!
BAMBOO FLUTES - made by Adults using natural paint we made. My most requested workshop
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - kids using "Seven Universal Designs" to express their art!
BAMBOO FLUTES - not ready yet!
BAMBOO FLUTE - they can range in size from 8-10 inches long, get 5 notes in a "pentatonic scale" and are END Blown
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - kids using "Seven Universal Designs" to express their art!
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - kids using "Seven Universal Designs" to express their art!
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP - kids using "Seven Universal Designs" to express their art!
BAMBOO FLUTE - they can range in size from 8-10 inches long, get 5 notes in a "pentatonic scale" and are END Blown
MY invention: JAGUAR VOICE...this is an extremely simple workshop, best for kinders
BAMBOO FLUTE WORKSHOP FYI: this is total amount of bamboo dust generated by about 50 students!!!
RATTLES PROJECT - for preschooler/kinder class...we needed something for the Decemeber Holiday season and so, I thouht of an indigenous twist to the sleigh bells, haha! My original idea...don't copy, at least ask,,
GOURD RATTLES - Muertos workshop for adults
GOURD RATTLES - Muertos workshop for adults
GOURD RATTLES - Muertos workshop for adults
HUEHUETL DRUM - carved by Maestro Maximino Ibarra
HUEHUETL DRUM - same one but painted with traditional natural pigment paints, cal, nopalli juice and water....exactly as my acnestors did!
HUEHUTETL DRUM - Our classical drum of ancient Mexico, I made it, learned to carve while doing it (5 weeks) and painted, my first one too!@
HUEHUETL DRUM - Our classical drum of ancient Mexico, I made it, learned to carve while doing it (5 weeks) and painted, my first one too!
WOODEN TEPONAZTLI - this is what I call the real one! I tuned the keys and painted it for my friend, Martin Gallardo
TUUVA - Bamboo Tube Drum, built for San Diego Botanic Gardens 2009
TETL - Large Stone Xylophone I made for San Diego Botanic Gardens. It is an outdoor instruments in currently sits in the Hamilton Children's Garden, where it is THE MAIN ATTRACTION!!!! 2009
MAYAN GOURD TRUMPETS
TUMBI from India
TUMBI from India....I put bamboo frets on them, cool!
FRAME DRUM - My latest project, I've found K's with assistance can do it, but better for Grade 1-2, BEST for grade 3-adult
FRAME DRUM - Here my K student does it all by herself...she was one of the ONLY ones! That's why I say older the better on this one...but again, with assistance they can all do it
FRAME DRUM - making it
FRAME DRUM - Making it
FRAME DRUM - Here my K student does it all by herself...she was one of the ONLY ones! That's why I say older the better on this one...but again, with assistance they can all do
FRAME DRUM - Here are the ones made by my K students!
KALIMBA - my students at MUSIC RHAPSODY (20 years there building instruments of ALL kinds!!!!)
KALIMBA - I love this size. Grade 6 to adult
KALIMBA - I love this size. Grade 6 to adult
KALIMBA - I love this size. Grade 6 to adult
KALIMBA - I love this size. Grade 6 to adult
YUCK MORE GOURDS