Native American flutes

Besides the Anasazi flute (also known as the Kokopelli flute), there is another kind of flute associated with Native Americans: the courting or love flute. This instrument features two sound holes. The first hole directs air from the end of mouthpiece under a wood block tied to the body of the flute. The block is carved to resemble a totem animal. The airstream is forced through a space between the block and the flute, by way of a gasket, over the front edge of the second or "true sound hole." Some Native American flutes have five finger holes, consistent with the pentatonic scale typical of Native American music. Finger holes may vary in size and position. Since rulers and precise measuring devices were not necessarily available many years ago, native craftsmen used their fingers, hands and arms to measure finger hole distances, flute lengths and other values. The above is a Cedar flute made from a kit. I used my fingers and hands to position the various holes.

Now here is a flute made from wood inner corner or cove molding. Molding can be found at a Home improvement store such as Home Depot.

Wood blocks are usually tied onto the body of the flute with leather straps. I use chamois instead. Here are a couple more videos, showing similar flutes built from molding, as well as dowels and pieces of lumber.

Here's a Native American style flute I made from what I call fallen bamboo. In other words, the bamboo was growing locally but parts died off. This piece was from a bamboo stand located in front of a science museum not far from where I live. I consider this piece a lucky find.

Here's another flute made from fallen bamboo.

I also made three flutes from fallen branches. The inspiration came from a book explaining how to go about making such flutes. It happens two of the three reliably make sounds so I include them in this blog.

Now here is a PVC flute made in the style of the Native American flute, with a PVC "fetish" consisting of a two inch section of pipe cut vertically on one side to make sliding over the body of the pipe easier. A section of cork, whittled to fit the inside of the pipe, serves as a plug to divert air through the first sound hole, through the slit between the "fetish" and body of the flute and over the true sound hole.

Now here is  PVC flute made in the Native American style. This flute is from a kit I bought recently at a Music Festival. I made the flute on Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 so it is finished and ready to play.

Reed my lips: an interlude with clarinet

Just for fun

Some flutes can be played with the nose, rather than the mouth. I personally have not had much luck making or playing such instruments but I do have a plastic novelty item called the Nose Flute, no less.
Here I am, playing "Mary had a little lamb" on one such instrument.

Anasazi style flutes

Anasazi flutes are notch flutes similar to the shakuchi and quena. The mouthpiece is slightly bevelled and there are six finger holes. The original Anasazi flutes were found in a cave in Arizona and have been carbon dated as being over thirteen centuries old. I made my Anasazi style flutes according to descriptions of the original instruments. The models I created probably resemble shakuhachi/quena hybrids rather than actual Anasazi flutes but that did not matter to much to me.

Here is a PVC flute made in the Anasazi style:

Here's a bamboo version. I made this one with finger holes placed according to how my hands fit on the instrument. Note this flute is made from bamboo I found lying on the ground. In other words, I made this instrument from scratch.

 Here's an Anasazi style flute made according to descriptions of the original instruments. I was unable to play my first attempt properly because I had taken the descriptions literally. Then I considered the possibility the original craftsman/player made his flutes according to how his hands fit on the instruments and I followed suit.

A few of my bamboo shakuhachis

cross/transverse flutes

Cross flutes or transverse flutes are basically hollow tubes sealed at one end. An oval hole close to the blocked part serves as the mouthpiece. Blow gently across the edge of the hole to produce notes. You can get a range of sounds just by overblowing or blowing with various amounts of force. Adding finger holes gives the player some control in terms of the notes produced. Here is a video showing me improvising on a PVC flute without finger holes.

The orchestra or band flute, the Chinese di tzi and the Indian bansuri have features in common. They are all cross flutes. The buttons and levers on the orchestra/band flute are of fairly recent invention and supposedly make playing the instrument easier. Traditional flutes lack these features. The bansuri is usually made from bamboo, with holes burned into the instrument with a red hot poker. Besides a mouthpiece hole and six finger holes, the di tzi features an additional hole covered with onion skin. This modification produces a distinctive "nasal" quality to the flute sound. I do not have bansuris in my collection but do have an Indonesian flute and a di tzi, along with bamboo cross flutes I have made myself.

Here is a video of yours truly playing an Indonesian flute bought from an ebay seller.

Now here I am with a di tzi.

Now here's a bamboo flute made in the style of a di tzi. I cheated a bit here: I used clear scotch tape instead of onion skin.

The tune is my rendition of "Japanese banana", sung by Alvin and the chipmunks on a record from the time before CDs replaced vinyl disks.

Playing another bamboo flute here.

This is still another ebay seller purchase. The instrument is tuned according to a scale common to Anasazi flutes (found in a cave in Arizona).

 Clay is an excellent medium for instruments. This is a ceramic fife, about twelve inches long, with six finger holes. The key is B flat, though I did not deliberately tune the instrument to that key.

Here's a little flute made from a bamboo tiki torch. The torch itself cost a dollar so I definitely made a "bargain" instrument. Actually, this might be considered a piccolo, given its high range.

Here's a fife made from a discarded piece of aluminum tubing.

Still another bamboo flute.

One more:

and a last one. This is my rendition of an English tune, "John Barleycorn" played on a fife made from a bamboo tiki torch.

Panpipes

Panpipes go by other names as well: Bolivian or Peruvian flutes or pipes, as well as zamponias. Another name for the instrument is "syrinx." Panpipes consist of hollow tubes sealed at one end and fastened together. "Pan" refers to the Greek demi-god who was half goat and half man. The instrument is common to Greece, as well as Peru, Bolivia, Romania, Hungary, some African countries and even China. Here I am, playing a set of panpipes I bought from an ebay seller. Of the three such instruments I purchased, this one remains my favorite because it is easiest for me to play.

Now here's a set of panpipes I made from scratch, using a couple of tiki torches, cardboard and tape. I was glad to get sounds from this makeshift instrument.