Australian musician Linsey Pollak wowed a TEDx audience when he created something you’d never expect using simply a carrot and a drill. While he also needed a funnel and a saxophone mouthpiece, Pollak created a fully-functioning carrot clarinet out of a single carrot.
He first bore out a hole that ran through the carrot and then fashioned seven finger holes so that he could create different sounds. You’ll be amazed at how great it sounds and it is simply made with common root vegetables!
Watch TEDx speaker Linsey Pollak’s presentation…
How to make a carrot clarinet
Making a carrot clarinet can be a fun and unique way to explore music and sound. You’ll need the following materials:
- A large carrot
- A sharp knife
- A drill or a thin, pointed object like a skewer
- A reed mouthpiece
You’ll want to watch the video below where Linsey Pollak goes into detail about how to build one. All the information you need is in the description of his video but here are the overall steps:
- Start by selecting a large carrot that is straight and firm. The carrot should be big enough to carve into a small flute-like instrument.
- Use a sharp knife to cut off one end of the carrot at an angle. This angled cut will create the mouthpiece of the clarinet.
- Use a drill or a thin, pointed object like a skewer to make a small hole at the center of the angled end of the carrot. This hole will create the airway for the instrument.
- Use the same drill or pointed object to create a series of small holes along the side of the carrot, starting from the end opposite to the mouthpiece. These holes will create finger holes for the instrument. According to Pollak’s video, they should be drilled at 39mm, 54mm, 74mm, 97mm,123mm, and 140mm from the top of the carrot.
- Once the holes are drilled, insert the reed mouthpiece (Pollak’s instructions state that he uses an Alto Sax mouthpiece) into the carrot, ensuring it is snug and secure.
- Test out your carrot clarinet by blowing into the mouthpiece and covering and uncovering the finger holes.
Please share TEDx speaker Linsey Pollak creating a carrot clarinet with your friends and family.
