The Decapod (literally meaning "a creature with ten limbs") is a new custom device that I created and developed over the course of a year. Constructed mostly of fiberglass and PVC pipe, it allows me to play any combination of ten "Boomwhackers" (pitched percussion tubes) in a totally new way. Out of all my custom devices onstage, this is the invention that has taken the most time and effort to develop and build so far. I'm thinking of calling it "Dexter." Here's the story of how the Decapod began as a vision, and became a reality.
Tools
Wood rasp
Round file
Sandpaper (3 different grades)
Electric sander
Table saw
Hacksaw
Electric drill
Steel wool
Paper towels
Box of 100 disposable gloves
X-acto knife
Paint brushes (4 sizes)
Foam brushes (3 sizes)
Face mask
Goggles
Long-sleeve shirt and pants
Tin snips (for cutting wire mesh)
Needle nose pliers
Crescent wrenches (large and small)
Flat head screwdriver
Phillips screwdriver
Scissors
Measuring tape
Chisel
Pencil
Permanent fine-tipped marker
Wood stirring rods (20)
Small metal brush
Large plastic brush
Thick rope (6 feet)
Water (for immersion of dome)
Metal measuring cups
Metal measuring spoons
Vacuum
Measuring Tape
Paste finish spreading plate
Materials
Flour (6 pounds)
Newspaper
Artist’s Gesso sealant
Matte finish spray
PVA industry separating agent
Gel Coat white surface finish (2 quarts)
MEXP hardener catalyst
Cabosil resin thickener
All-purpose fiberglass resin (3 quarts)
Acetone (2 quarts)
Tomato cage wire
Corrugated cardboard (4 square feet)
4 Strong-Tie ST2115 metal bands
#8-32 x 1 1/2 nuts & bolts (24)
Small washers
Wire mesh (1 yard)
Duct tape
PVC ¾” pipe (MV 80?)
6 PVC ¾” “T” joints
30 PVC ¾” couplers
13 PVC 2” couplers
Clear PVC pipe glue
Goof off substance remover
Super Glue
Fiberglass cloth (9 yards)
Foam pipe coating (10 feet)
Empty cereal box
Empty plastic cottage cheese containers
In 2006, I discovered “Boomwhackers.” They are plastic pitched percussion tubes made in various lengths, in all colors of the rainbow. Since I enjoy using looping technology to layer sound, I wanted to be able to layer Boomwhackers into "soundscapes." My father (pictured here with me) helped me build a "Piano" stand that allowed me to have access to a total of 25 Boomwhackers. To learn more about this stand and how I use it, please click here.
The Decapod:
A new way to play any combination of 10 Boomwhackers with lightning fast speed
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Looping technology had given me the freedom to play more than one tube over the course of a short cycle of sound...and my giant "Piano" tube stand had allowed me to have every one of them in place for easy accessibility. But even with this quick way of accessing the tubes, I could usually only hold two of them at a time (one in each hand), so my ability to create “soundscapes” was somewhat limited.
And then I had an idea.
I envisioned multiple tubes (10 or so) in a configuration where I could tap them with sticks or mallets, so that they would send sound into a carefully positioned microphone.
My initial drawings in my stage creativity idea book were pretty primitive. I used strange phrases like “sea urchin tube configuration” and “reverse steel drum xylophone array.” But I had a vision, and I was determined to see it through.
I soon realized that the best way to play the tubes was to place the companion black caps on the ends (called “Octavators” – which “activate” the octave by reducing the sound wave to ¼ of its wavelength, cutting off one antinode’s airflow.) I then went to the music store in Seattle where I had initially bought the Boomwhackers, and the manager allowed me to open and try several packages of xylophone mallets. The ones I settled on were actually made for kids (they were called “Kinder mallets”) and they had the perfect firm rubber balls on the ends for making the sound I wanted.
I knew that I needed to make a prototype, so that I could see if the tubes would behave according to my plan. I decided to use a somewhat time-consuming (but inexpensive) medium – papier-mâché. I created a dome with ten chamber sockets, three legs (which came out), and ten tubes lined with felt and wrapped with duct tape. The tubes were approximately ¼ the length of the Boomwhackers they were going to support.
The papier-mâché tubes fit into the chambers, but not perfectly – some were snug, and some were a bit loose. The holes inside the chambers needed to be narrow enough to keep the Boomwhackers from falling through, but wide enough to allow their natural pitch to be uninhibited – at least as little as possible.
I knew that the papier-mâché version would not last long – it was brittle and it dropped pieces of flour paste every time I hit one of the tubes. Plus, it was cumbersome, heavy, and awkward to take places.
I then enlisted the help of my father again, because I had come to a temporary dead end. He did a lot of research, requesting catalogs from plastic manufacturers, and visiting shops that fabricate plastic custom projects. He decided that fiberglass would be the least expensive (and most effective) option. But as I would soon learn, fiberglass is a very unforgiving medium to work with.
My father took the next step, by making a second prototype. He decided to cut the chambers off my papier-mâché dome and then to lay sheets of fiberglass cloth over it. I hadn’t given him permission to do this, by the way…so I was a little shocked to realize that my first prototype had been destroyed in the process – ha! He painted the outside with brown paint (to reveal the rough spots) and then he sanded it down. He tried gluing a piece of experimental 1½” PVC pipe in the center, because he thought the Boomwhackers would work well fitting over them. But that lowered the pitch drastically, so we had to re-evaluate. To the right are photos of the dome for the second prototype that my dad built…I’m not quite sure what to say about it...heh, heh.
After my laughter had subsided, I realized that my dad had indirectly shown me what I needed to do. I needed to make a custom mold out of papier-mâché that would serve as a surface on which to apply the fiberglass…and the mold would later be taken away, leaving a fiberglass dome frame. Even though the second prototype looked a bit awkward compared to the first, it was very light, very durable, and totally waterproof. Fiberglass was the answer.
Much as he wanted to help me at this point, my father felt like my attention to detail would be stronger on this project than his, so he gave me the go-ahead to proceed on my own, with occasional assistance from him. I began working on the final version. These were the tools and materials I used to bring the Decapod to life:
Along with envisioning the device, I had envisioned (and composed looped melody lines for) a song that would utilize the device. It was a song called "Come Unto Me," featuring two separate loops that intertwine to create a Latin feel. It was in Ab minor, or G# minor, because my guitar was tuned down 1/2 step as I played in "A minor." Pictured to the left are the required tubes for "Come Unto Me."
I made multiple trips to The Home Depot, Tap Plastics, Lowes, and other places, spending a total of $420.00 on the necessary items for this project.
I knew that the "tripod" setup I had experimented with on my first prototype was not a strong one, so I created a frame out of ¾” PVC pipe that had a triangular base with three legs coming up. This provided a great foundation that would allow for maximum stability. The initial dome frame was made of cardboard, reinforced with metal wire from a tomato cage, and held in place with duct tape.
I then began to extend the dome outwards with wire mesh.
Click here to add text.
After this, I applied papier-mâché to hold the initial structure in place. Anticipating the need for the three tubes nearest to me to be pointing more upward, I began building up their "platforms." The dome started to take shape.
I tested the longest Boomwhacker on top of the dome, and the top of it was just higher than I could see, so I shortened the legs of the stand. I then made cardboard discs which I placed strategically on top of the dome, where I knew the tube chambers would be located.
I knew that the triangle base with the three legs was a great support idea, but I also knew that I wanted it to disassemble into smaller pieces. PVC pipe couplers come in many angles, but never in a splitter like I needed for the three corners. So I made a new triangle base, temporarily using papier-mâché to hold the corners, with metal wire reinforcing them about 5 inches from the corners. Meanwhile I kept adding layers of papier-mâché to mold the dome.
Then I drilled holes in the three corners and the central mic hub, and I used strong-tie metal bands (for each convergence of three pieces of PVC pipe) to reinforce them. These were held in place with small bolts and nuts, which were cinched down tight. I also used PVC 90 degree “T” couplers about halfway along each of the support base pipes, which allowed for an additional hub in the center of the stand, which would support a microphone. I carefully measured the central microphone hub to make sure it would amplify the tube holes equally.
Having pre-measured the angles of the Boomwhackers (which were held inside 2" PVC couplers by insulator foam tubing), I marked the location of where the holes would be in the top of the dome. I then glued small pieces of ¾” PVC pipe on top of the disc surfaces, anticipating that they would form the holes in the fiberglass. The construction of the dome was finished! I created a cardboard sheath around the legs (to reduce drippage of chemicals) and applied the first layer of topical treatment: a white paint called "Artist's Gesso," which sealed the papier-mâché mold.
To further eliminate the porous quality of the papier-mâché, I sealed the Gesso with a spray-on Matte Finish.
After this came a special product called PVC-A Separating Agent. This vital chemical was brushed on sparingly so that later, the actual fiberglass dome would fall away more easily from the mold.
Finally, I began applying what would be permanent…I painted on the white “Gel Coat” finish, which would first be visible underneath the dome.
Then came the hard part – applying the fiberglass cloth. Having never worked with fiberglass before, I was in for a big surprise...it's really difficult to work with! The resin cures quickly (less than 10 minutes) so I have very limited time to work with it, it leaves lots of sharp spiky protrusions that can puncture and cut skin, it's really hard when it cures, making it difficult to re-shape...and it smells awful. But if you can get past all of these obstacles, you have a very durable, light, waterproof finished product. To protect myself from the chemicals, I wore a mask, goggles, and protective gloves (not to mention an arm-length hooded sweatshirt and pants, so as not to spill the chemicals on my skin.) I first pre-cut the fiberglass cloth into small, manageable pieces, some with small holes in the middle (to facilitate placement over the PVC markers.) Then I mixed up small batches of resin and MEXP hardener catalyst. Working in sections, I applied the first few layers of fiberglass, and eventually had the dome completely covered, maintaining its shape.
Once the dome had a thick enough layer of fiberglass on it, it was time to get rid of the papier-mâché mold. I hung it from a dock and let it sit underwater for a couple hours, so that the papier-mâché would disintegrate.
After the dome had soaked underwater, it was time to remove the papier-mâché materials, the reinforcing mesh, the tomato cage wire, and the PVC marking pieces. It was a bit tedious, but I was able to remove every non-permanent part.
Here is all that was left of the mold that I had spent so much time building - just a bucket of remains.
Using a wood rasp, various files, an X-acto knife, and an electric sander, I sanded down the dome. Concurrently, I began using fiberglass on the corners and hub of the support base. This was difficult, because there was very little for the fiberglass to grab onto, but it worked. To keep the fiberglass from grabbing onto parts of the PVC pipe that I didn't need fiberglass on, I used duct tape to act as a barrier. Here's what the dome looked like before I sanded down the rough edges.
The good news is that although the dome mold was destroyed, the shell that remained was shaped exactly the way I needed it to be. The inside was white because of the Gel-Coat I had applied after the PVC-A Separating Agent.
Here's what it looked like with the edges sanded down a bit more. I soaked off the dust and scrubbed it down with a brush, letting it dry in the hot sun.
Now it was time to apply the PVC couplers on top of the dome. I started with the four tallest ones for the long tubes, in front (the audience side.) Carefully marking their locations, I prepped all surfaces with acetone, and then used Boomwhackers with cardboard and duct tape “scaffolding” to hold their position. Once I had applied the fiberglass around the couplers, I carefully monitored the tubes to make sure they stayed in place while the fiberglass resin cured.
I proceeded with the next three couplers, carefully applying small pieces of fiberglass cloth along the bases. I finally finished with the last three. The 3/4" PVC pipe base pieces got covered with resin and gunk, so I knew I would need to replace all but the corners and the central mic hub, but the corners were holding the exact angles I needed for the finished product.
The chambers that would hold the tubes were all finally in place! Subsequent layers of fiberglass followed, interspersed with rasping, filing, and sanding. I used fiberglass to smooth the dome edges by wrapping it underneath. This created a smooth surface. I also drilled a hole that would support two ¾ - 1” 90 degree PVC couplers that would point vertically for piping that would hold the two mallets in place…I wanted the device to be a “stand alone” unit with the mic and the mallets already where I needed them to be.
I secured the inside three base support points (PVC angled couplers) with an additional layer of fiberglass cloth, to make sure they didn't come off. They were held there securely after this. The mallet holder addition towards the back (the performer side) was held in place by a long bolt, a nut and washer, and several layers of fiberglass cloth.
Using a temporary PVC pipe stand to support the dome, I thoroughly sanded it with multiple grades of sandpaper. On the base, I cut the grimy PVC pieces out and replaced them with clean new PVC and couplers (which I had scrubbed with Goof-off to get rid of the black letters and numbers labeling them.)
While the fiberglass on the dome was curing, I worked on the three base corners and the central hub, applying additional fiberglass cloth to each corner. When I had finally finished applying fiberglass to all parts of the device, I used Cabosil thickener to make a fiberglass paste. I filled the base corners and the mic hub so that there were no more air pockets, and I smoothed the outside surface of the dome.
Believe it or not, the sanding and shaping took the longest. The fiberglass process was very quick, because the resin had such a short working time. Once it solidified, it was up to me to work on the surface with a rasp, file, and grades of sandpaper from coarse to fine...and this took hours. I worked late into the night on this aspect. The fiberglass dust was everywhere, so I kept my mask on.
It was time to apply the Gel Coat finish (mixed with the MEXP hardener catalyst. The Gel Coat incidentally smells the strongest, so I was glad when it was over. After the final layer was applied, it took weeks to air out, so that the chemical smell was gone.
The mic hub was in the perfect location. The tubes all protruded from the chambers at the correct angles. I filed the holes that the Boomwhackers would be sending their sound through, so that they were large enough to allow sound, but small enough to keep the tubes from falling through them (like my papier-mâché prototype did.) I found a slight pitch difference from the tubes outside the stand to inside the stand, but it was not a major obstacle. The tubes did need to be slightly shortened with a rasp to bring them up to standard pitch when they were inside the Decapod chambers. This took a dedicated set of Boomwhackers, and some time to tune them, but it was worth it.
I glued ¾” couplers on the base corners and the mic hub, and glued the “T” joints together. I added one final coat of Gel Coat to the fiberglass parts that required it. I labeled all the joints with an alphabetical lettering system, because each of the corners and the “T” bars were unique. For disassembly purposes, I put a small red line along the joints that had been permanently glued (on the "T" bars) and a green line along the PVC where the couplers would attach and detach. This served two purposes: it allowed anyone who disassembled the device to know which pieces wouldn't come apart, and it helped anyone who assembled the device to know how far to push the PVC into the couplers. I will probably be the only one who does this, though, since it's still pretty fragile (and I actually fractured one of the couplers myself when I pulled too hard to disassemble the device...fortunately, I was able to repair it with super glue.) I attached foam pipe coating to the interiors of all ten chambers with rubber cement. This was the perfect adhesive for them.
I now have a custom stand which can amplify and support ten “Octavated” Boomwhackers in any combination. This allows me to play them in the quickest fashion yet. The device is durable, waterproof, easy to lift, and it’s a one-of-a-kind. I’m sure I’ll need to do some periodic maintenance of it from time to time, but I’ve got extra resin and Gel-Coat for that very purpose. The tubes will be visible from where they protrude from the base, allowing for the most colorful presentation.
One unique aspect of the Decapod is that it has a virtually unlimited number of tube combinations. Because the tubes vary in height, each new combination of tubes requires me to re-learn how to play. This presents an exciting and unique challenge. Here are a few different configurations I've begun experimenting with. You'll see a template I've generated below each example.
Picture of closed road case
Corresponding Excel file (colored)
This was the arrangement of the tubes from my initial vision (see sketch drawing below.) The forthcoming song "Come Unto Me" features a double layered loop in G#/Ab minor towards the end of the song, and it has to be played lightning fast.
I didn't want to leave the Decapod out of my future Christmas tours. For 2009, I created a Christmas version of "Melody Madness," as well as a looping version of measures 5-12 of Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" from "The Nutcracker." You have to see it to know what I'm talking about. Above is the first draft of a configuration for a forthcoming arrangement of "Sing We Now of Christmas" in Db Dorian mode, which will also feature looping technology. This may require some experimentation; I may end up playing it in D Dorian mode.
The Decapod was debuted in concert on September 6, 2009.
The total hours I spent bringing the Decapod to life exceeded 130. But I believe this to be more than worth it, since I can now use Boomwhackers in a way that no one else does. What's really scary is that this new invention has opened my mind to more complex inventions and ideas. Stay tuned for more...
From a practical standpoint, I had to purchase an additional full chromatic set of Boomwhackers, so that I could make full use of my "Piano" Boomwhackers stand as well as the Decapod. This meant purchasing the bass diatonic set, the bass chromatic set, the treble diatonic set, and the treble chromatic set (pictured at left.)
Here's what the Decapod looks like when it's completely consolidated:
Here are all the 13 pieces that make up the Decapod.
Here's what the process involves when I assemble the Decapod.
Corresponding Excel file (colored)
Corresponding Excel file (colored)
Corresponding Excel file (colored)
Could my daughter Madeline be the one to carry on my legacy of musical creativity?
The central mic hub (which I did my best to place) allows for a mic to amplify the tubes perfectly. It is lined up with the center tube hole, but is virtually equidistant from all the tube holes. Plus, the siding on the dome shell helps send the sound into the center of the cavity where the mic picks it up evenly.
The inventor, peeking through a forest of Boomwhackers protruding from the Decapod
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Much like a newly-purchased instrument, this device will take some time to get used to. I'll need to develop my skills on it and to practice for many hours, before I make it a regular part of my program. That's why, although I finished building it in August of 2009, it may take many months before I consider it one of my consistent onstage instruments. I already have several ideas for how I plan to use the Decapod. Just to whet your appetite, here's a very short video clip...
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This arrangement of tubes allows for Bb Major melodies (with occasional F Major melodies which necessitate an E which replaces Eb) to be played in a new audience participatory game I created called "Melody Madness," which features popular melodies played backwards and reversed through a loop station.
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Proverbs 15:22 says "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed." The Decapod would not exist were it not for several helpful family members, friends, and professionals.
I would like to extend my special thanks to:
Tom Harsh (assistance, input, working area, tools)
Whitney Harsh (photography, webpage building, tremendous support throughout the project)
Gail Harsh (photography)
Kayti Heuser (photography)
Bill Thatcher (photography)
Tap Plastics, Bellevue (input)
Jon Martin (input)
Darren Nieman (input)
Jeff Hoffman (input, photography)
Craig Ramsell (for inventing Boomwhackers)
Lastly, and most of all:
My Heavenly Father (for the inspiration to invent this device)
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