Playable instrument templates

Playable instrument templates for flutes, drums and whistles in clay

Flutes and whistles, drums of every size, a kalimba, a marimba and a horn you play like a bugle. Every one of them makes real music, and most are tuned to C, so a few friends can play them together.

See each template
All fifteen playable clay instruments, from a pan flute to three tall congas, with a long clay horn hung on the wall
In this collection

Eighteen playable instrument templates, each on its own page

Every one has a free sample to flip through. Sizes are what comes out of the glaze kiln at 12 percent shrinkage. New playable instrument templates join this collection the day they go live.

A teal stoneware pan flute of eight pipes lying on a wooden table beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 25, intermediate The Pan Flute Eight clay pipes in one row, tuned to a C major scale from low C to high C, finished with beeswax so it plays in tune. eight pipes from low C to high C, 8 3/8 in across and 6 11/16 in tall 4 sheets, 11 pages$8(Free for members) A blue stoneware water bird whistle standing on a wooden table beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 138, intermediate The Water Bird Whistle A round clay songbird that whistles when you blow its tail and warbles with a little water inside, tuned to C. a round bird 3 7/8 in long and 2 1/4 in tall 1 sheet, 9 pages$8(Free for members) An amber brown stoneware udu drum on a wooden table beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 139, advanced The Udu Drum A round clay pot drum that answers a slap on its side hole with a deep bloop, tuned to C with beeswax. a round pot drum 12 7/8 in tall and 10 11/16 in across 3 sheets, 10 pages$12(Free for members)
A complete set

The Playable Instruments Bundle

I wanted instruments you could actually play, not pots shaped like them. So every one of these was designed from the acoustics before a single sheet got drawn. Flutes and whistles, drums of every size, a horn you play like a bugle and a marimba you tune by hand. A few need parts you buy separately, like kalimba tines and drum skins.

Fifteen templates, Intermediate to Insane.

$252$360saves $108

See what’s in it
A teal stoneware box kalimba with 17 steel tines on a wooden table beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 140, advanced The Kalimba A clay box kalimba with 17 steel tines in C and two wah holes in the back. a box 7 11/16 in long, 5 3/4 in across and 1 3/8 in deep 3 sheets, 10 pages$12(Free for members) A ten-sided cobalt blue stoneware goblet drum with a goatskin head beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 141, expert The Goblet Drum A ten-sided clay darbuka with a deep faceted bowl, a flared bell and a glued goatskin head. a goblet drum 17 in tall with a 8 3/4 in head 3 sheets, 18 pages$20(Free for members) A cobalt blue stoneware end-blown flute from its beak end, beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 142, expert The End-Blown Flute A clay recorder in C with seven finger holes and a thumb hole, tuned by you. a flute 13 in long and 1 in across 2 sheets, 22 pages$20(Free for members) A cobalt blue stoneware pendant ocarina with four finger holes beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 143, expert The Pendant Ocarina A palm-size clay ocarina on a cord, with six holes and eight notes of C major, tuned by you. an ocarina 3 7/16 in across and 1 3/8 in thick 2 sheets, 21 pages$20(Free for members) A rust red stoneware tongue drum with a bare top and eight tongues beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 146, expert The Large Tongue Drum A big round clay tongue drum with eight tongues and a sound hole. a tongue drum 14 in across and 5 in tall 4 sheets, 20 pages$20(Free for members) A black-brown stoneware xun with six finger holes beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 147, expert The Xun An egg-shaped Chinese clay flute with eight holes and nine notes of C major, tuned by you. a xun 4 1/2 in tall and 2 7/8 in across 2 sheets, 21 pages$20(Free for members) Black glazed whistling vessel with two chambers, a strap and an owl, by a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 148, expert The Peruvian Whistling Vessel Two clay chambers, a spout, a strap bridge and an owl that whistles, tuned to C. a whistling vessel 8 1/16 in long and 5 3/4 in tall 3 sheets, 20 pages$20(Free for members) A teal stoneware marimba with eight bare clay bars and mallets beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 149, expert The Ceramic Marimba A clay marimba with eight tuned bars on a resonator box. a marimba 16 13/16 in long and 3 7/16 in tall 5 sheets, 22 pages$20(Free for members) A midnight blue stoneware tongue pan with bare clay tongues beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 150, expert The Tongue Pan A handpan-shaped clay tongue drum with nine tuned tongues. a tongue pan 16 in across and 7 1/8 in tall 6 sheets, 25 pages$20(Free for members) The flared bell of a red stoneware horn, creamy white inside, beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 151, expert The Clay Horn A straight, valveless clay horn in three sections that plays the bugle's notes and tunes with scissors. a horn about 48 in long with a 5 13/16 in bell 8 sheets, 25 pages$20(Free for members) A pair of honey amber stoneware bongo drums with goatskin heads beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 152, expert The Bongos A pair of clay bongos, small and big, joined by a hollow bridge, with glued goatskin heads. a pair of bongos 6 3/4 in tall with 7 1/4 in and 8 5/8 in heads 3 sheets, 18 pages$20(Free for members) Three turquoise stoneware conga drums on black stands with goatskin heads, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 153, insane The Congas Three full-size clay congas, quinto, conga and tumba, each in two sections, with glued goatskin heads. three congas 28 in tall with 11 in, 11 3/4 in and 12 1/2 in heads 13 sheets, 30 pages$120(Free for members) A black and white stoneware puffin whistle with an orange bill beside a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 163, advanced The Water Puffin Whistle A clay puffin that whistles an E when you blow its tail and trills with water inside. a puffin whistle 6 7/16 in tall and 6 5/16 in from bill to tail 3 sheets, 13 pages$12(Free for members) A black and white stoneware penguin whistle with a golden neck patch by a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 164, advanced The Water Penguin Whistle A clay penguin that whistles a low G when you blow its tail and trills with water inside. a penguin whistle 9 3/4 in tall and 6 7/8 in from beak to tail 6 sheets, 16 pages$12(Free for members) A black stoneware toucan whistle with a white throat and orange beak by a white mug, made from The Clay Hole paper template Paper template 165, expert The Water Toucan Whistle A clay toucan that whistles a middle C when you blow its tail and trills with water inside. a toucan whistle 16 1/4 in from beak to tail and 11 3/4 in tall 11 sheets, 29 pages$20(Free for members)
More bundles

Bundles that go with these

Each one is a handful of templates that belong together, for less than they cost one at a time.

How they make music

Designed from the sound first, then drawn in clay

A flute that looks right and plays flat is a paperweight. So every one of these started with the sound: the length of the air column, the size of the chamber, the hole that sets the note. Then the pattern was drawn around it at wet size, worked back through the shrinkage.

Clay never shrinks exactly the same twice, so nothing here trusts a size alone. The flutes, the ocarina and the whistles come out of the kiln a little low on purpose, and you file or drill them up into tune. The tongue drums and the marimba play a true major scale in whatever key your clay gives them.

A few need parts from outside the studio: steel tines for the kalimba, goatskins for the goblet drum, the bongos and the congas, and a brass mouthpiece for the horn. Anything that touches your lips stays bare clay or gets a food-safe glaze, and a windway never gets glazed at all, because glaze closes it.

What each one takes

  • The Pan FluteIntermediate. About 2 hours at the table, plus drying, and half an hour of tuning. 1/4 in slab.
  • The Water Bird WhistleIntermediate. About 2 hours at the table, plus drying, and a few minutes of tuning with water. 1/4 in slab.
  • The Udu DrumAdvanced. About 5 hours over two or three sittings, plus a week of drying. 1/4 in slab.
  • The KalimbaAdvanced. About 3 hours over two sittings, plus an hour to fit the tines after firing. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a 17-key kalimba tine kit, a 1/2 in hardwood hobby board and two-part epoxy.
  • The Goblet DrumExpert. About 5 hours over two sittings, plus drying and an afternoon for the head. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a natural goatskin at least 15 in across, wood glue and cord.
  • The End-Blown FluteExpert. About 3 hours over three sittings, plus a week or two of drying. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a 5/8 in hardwood dowel, a craft stick, a set of drill bits and a diamond needle file.
  • The Pendant OcarinaExpert. About 4 hours over two sittings, plus a week or two of drying. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a craft stick, a set of diamond needle files and a cord.
  • The Large Tongue DrumExpert. About 3 1/2 hours over two sittings, plus drying and an afternoon to tune it. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a diamond needle file set and a phone tuner app.
  • The XunExpert. About 3 hours over three sittings, plus a week or two of drying. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a set of diamond needle files and a phone tuner app.
  • The Peruvian Whistling VesselExpert. About 5 hours over three sittings, plus drying and about 20 minutes of tuning. 1/4 in slab. Also needs drill bits from 5/64 to 1/4 in, a round diamond needle file and a phone tuner app.
  • The Ceramic MarimbaExpert. About 3 1/2 hours over two sittings, plus drying and an afternoon to tune it. 1/4 in slab. Also needs medium rubber mallets, a diamond hand pad, self-adhesive felt and a tuner app.
  • The Tongue PanExpert. About 5 hours over two sittings, plus drying and an afternoon to free and tune the tongues. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a diamond needle file set and a phone tuner app.
  • The Clay HornExpert. About 6 hours over three sittings, plus drying. 1/4 in slab. Also needs a 7C trumpet mouthpiece, food-grade vinyl tubing and plumber's tape, after the glaze firing.
  • The BongosExpert. About 4 hours over two sittings, plus drying and an afternoon for the heads. 1/4 in slab. Also needs two natural goatskins (at least 14 and 15 in across), wood glue and cord.
  • The CongasInsane. About 15 hours over six sittings, plus drying and a few days for the joins and heads. 1/4 in slab. Also needs three natural goatskins (18, 18 and 20 in), wood glue, cord and two-part epoxy.
  • The Water Puffin WhistleAdvanced. About 4 hours over two sittings, plus drying and about 20 minutes of tuning. 1/4 in slab.
  • The Water Penguin WhistleAdvanced. About 5 hours over two sittings, plus drying and about 20 minutes of tuning. 1/4 in slab.
  • The Water Toucan WhistleExpert. About 7 hours over two sittings, plus drying and about 20 minutes of tuning. 1/4 in slab.
How a template works

Print, check, roll, cut, build

Print at 100 percent

Actual size, never Fit to page. Plain copy paper works. Card stock survives a wet slab and can be used again.

Measure the square

Every sheet carries a 1 inch square. A ruler on it settles whether the print is right before any clay is cut.

Roll the slab

Each pack names its slab thickness on the cover. Let the slab firm up to soft leather hard, so it holds an edge and still bends.

Cut the count, then build

Lay the paper on the slab, cut straight down just outside the edge, bevel where the hatching says, and follow the numbered steps. Score, slip, press, compress, every seam.

Every collection

More pottery template collections

Ten kitchen pieces made from pottery paper templates: a teapot, fin handle pitcher, spice drawer chest, honey pot and more Kitchen and Home 74 templates The faceted teal and cream dinnerware set made from paper templates: two plates, three bowls, a mug and a tumbler Dinnerware Set 8 templates Seven glowing pottery lamps and lanterns made from paper templates: a lighthouse, canal house, ginger jar lamp and more Lamps and Lanterns 9 templates Seven slab vases and planters made from paper templates: a twisted tower vase, fish planter, scroll bud vases and more Vases 7 templates Three ceramic birdhouses made from paper templates: a wren house, a spire tower and a hanging teardrop birdhouse Birdhouses 3 templates Three ceramic clocks made from paper templates: a tall clock tower, a wall clock with raised numbers and a mantel clock Clocks 3 templates Ten faceted origami pottery animals made from paper templates, from a dragon and a peacock to a sea turtle and a chameleon Origami 15 templates Pottery showpieces made from paper templates: a wall octopus, whale shark, marble run, fountain, wind chime and dice tower Showpieces 28 templates Kiln bead racks, a bead tree and a jewelry rack made from paper templates, loaded with glazed beads and pendants Bead Racks and Trees 4 templates Eight stoneware games made from paper templates: chess, checkers, backgammon, Chinese checkers, two mancala boards and more Games 16 templates Four large faceted teal clay figures kneeling on a walnut table beside a small white mug that shows how big they are XL Geometric Figures 4 templates Six giant faceted black stoneware chess pieces, pawn to king, beside a coffee mug on a walnut table Giant Chess 6 templates Olive green twisted stoneware oil bottle with cream and charcoal twisted salt and pepper shakers on a walnut table Twisted Kitchen 10 templates

All of them side by side, with each bundle price, on the template collections page. Every template in one place, sorted by level, on the paper templates page.

Questions

The ones that come up

Which one should I start with

The water bird whistle or the pan flute. Both are Intermediate, about two hours at the table, and you can play them the day they come out of the glaze kiln (the whistle tunes with a little water). The udu drum and the kalimba make good next steps.

Do they really play together

Most do. The pan flute, the whistles, the udu, the kalimba, the xun, the whistling vessel, the end-blown flute, the ocarina and the horn are all built around C major at concert pitch, and the four water whistles play a C major chord. The tongue drums and the marimba play a major scale in their own key, and the hand drums sing at whatever pitch their heads give them.

What do I need to buy

Clay, mostly. The kalimba takes a set of steel tines, the goblet drum, the bongos and the congas take natural goatskins, and the horn takes a standard 7C trumpet mouthpiece and a short piece of vinyl tubing. Several tune with a set of diamond needle files. Each pack names the exact part and where to get it.

How big are they

Out of the glaze kiln at 12 percent shrinkage, they run from a palm-size ocarina 3 7/16 inches across to a horn about 48 inches long, built in three sections. The toucan whistle is 16 1/4 inches from beak to tail, the tongue pan is 16 inches across, and the tallest conga stands 28 inches.

Can I sell what I make

Yes. The pots are yours. The template files are for your own use and are not to be shared, which is the whole of the terms.

Members

Free templates, every single month

158 templates now and more as they are drawn, and current members of The Clay Hole pick five free every month. Print one tonight and bring it to your next session.

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