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  4. Whirly tube: Sound, History & How It Works
Free reeds and interruptive aerophones

Whirly tube

The whirly tube is a member of the free reeds and interruptive aerophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 412.22). Listen to 1 recording and learn how it makes its sound.

Listen to the whirly tube

Whirlytube-sample
0:07

Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.

How the whirly tube makes its sound

In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the whirly tube belongs to the free reeds and interruptive aerophones: air is periodically interrupted by a vibrating reed or blade – the accordion, harmonica, sheng and bullroarer.

More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.

Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.

From Wikipedia

The whirly tube, corrugaphone, or bloogle resonator, also sold as Free-Ka in the 1960s-1970s, is an experimental musical instrument which consists of a corrugated (ribbed) plastic tube or hose (hollow flexible cylinder), open at both ends and possibly wider at one end (bell), the thinner of which is rotated in a circle to play. It may be a few feet long and about a few inches wide. The faster the toy is swung, the higher the pitch of the note it produces, and it produces discrete notes roughly belonging to the harmonic series, like a valveless brass instrument generates different modes of vibration. However, the first and the second modes, corresponding to the fundamental and the second harmonics, are reported as being difficult to excite. To be played in concert the length of the tube must be trimmed to tune it.

Other free reeds and interruptive aerophones

Frequently asked questions

What does a whirly tube sound like?

Listen to 1 recording on this page. As one of the free reeds and interruptive aerophones, its sound comes from the way air is periodically interrupted by a vibrating reed or blade.

What type of instrument is the whirly tube?

It is classified as free reeds and interruptive aerophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 412.22).

Sources & credits