Rainbow Piano
 Time
Needed: about 1/2 hour
Total Cost: Nothing to $3.00
Ready!
You Need:
- 8 Glass bottles or jars (the same size is best)
- Masking tape or permanent marker
- Metal spoons
- Funnel and access to water
- 1 cup measure (optional)
- Sponge or rag in case of spill
- Food coloring (optional)
Set!
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- With the funnel, fill the bottles up with different amounts of water.
- Tap each bottle with your spoon to see if you like the note it makes.
Add more water to make a lower note and pour out some if you want a
higher note.
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Once you're satisfied with the notes, mark off the water level using
the tape or marker. This will remind you how far to fill up the bottles
later after water evaporates.
- Find a place where you can play the piano. Make sure you can have
an audience sit comfortably there if you want to play for people or
that there's space for your friends to play their instruments with you.
- Line the bottles up. Use an arrangement you like or try lining them
up from lowest to highest tone.
- (Optional)- Use the food coloring to color the water differently for
each bottle. You might want to use the colors of the rainbow: Red, Orange,
Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet (add LOTS of blue dye), and then
red again for the last note. That's ROY G BIV with an extra red for
the last note.
Remember:
red + blue = purple
blue + yellow = green
red + yellow = orange
You're all set to play!
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Go!
There are lots of tunes you can play by yourself or with a friend. Can you improvise
a familiar song?
Experiment! Are there different notes you can get out of a rainbow piano?
Try different bottles Try different amounts of water Change the bottles' order—what
type of bottle or which water level gives a higher or lower note?
More musical instruments you can make at home:
Play your instruments in a Neighborhood Jam Session!
© The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 1999
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