Fun Mini Temple Blocks

Highly portable mini temple blocks for fun, for stress relief, and for meditation to promote relaxation and mindfulness. The model retains the overall shape of the traditional temple block, known as muyu (木鱼 wooden fish) in China. The profile is simpler and cleaner for a modern look and better suited for 3D printing.

I made three for 3 pitches, low, medium and high, to make them sound like do-re-mi. However, since these are for fun, they are not tuned exactly to the C major scale. The different pitches are achieved by having different sizes of the resonance chamber inside the blocks. From the outside, they look the same, except for the label L, M, and H (see the last photo).

One doesn’t have to print all three to have fun. If only one is printed, I recommend the low pitch one for the most hollow, resonant sound of the three. If printing all three, use the same spool of filament for consistent interval between the pitches.

Print with PLA. I used Bambu PLA Basic filaments. Please use the provided print profiles to have the best chances of producing the desired sound. Changing settings like wall count or infill can greatly affect the outcome. Please make sure the build plate is clean to ensure good bed adhesion.

Two ways to play:

Hold the block in the open palm (fingers not touching the block. See the 5th photo). Striking the top above the edge (the “mouth”) The sound it produces depends on where it's hit. I have found that striking about ¾ inch above the mouth edge (imagine the top of the forehead, if there is such a thing for fish :))  gives the sound that I like the most. Playing while fingers touching the block produces muffling sounds. Play with it and find your favorite sound(s).

Place a piece of foam or a folded towel on a surface (desk or table). Then place the temple block on top the the foam or folded towel (see the 6th photo). Make sure the temple block is resting in the natural position of having the mouth tilting up. The foam or folded towel separates the temple block from the desk/table to allow it to vibrate freely to produce a good sound.

Tips:

Hold the stick using the thumb and the index finger and gently play. No wrist movement is needed.

One can strike with the tip of the stick, or the back side of the tip, or the butt end of the stick to produce slightly different sounds. Have fun experimenting.

A round wooden chopstick can be used as the stick to play.

The model is 2.4 inches (61 mm) wide, 2 inches (51mm) tall, and 3 inches (76 mm) long.

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