Flauta Nativa Lakota - Musicoterapias

Flauta Nativa 

Lakota 

Musicoterapia I 

Recopilación por: 

Erick Rivas Maya 

1

History of the Native American Flute 

Native American Style Flutes hand crafted by John Stillwell 

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I will confine this history to the flute we now call the Native American flute. There are several other types of flutes and whistles 

that were used by native peoples but they are not related in design to the Native American flute. The written accounts of early 

explores and colonizers often mention that the native peoples played ‘flutes’. These accounts do not, however, include pictures 

or descriptions of these instruments. So, it is probable that there were many different types of flutes in use. This is confirmed 

by archeological evidence. 

The specific type of musical instrument we are concerned with is called a ‘two chambered duct flute’. This type of flute is now 

commonly referred to as the Native American flute. A two-chambered duct flute has a slow air chamber at the head end of the 

flute into which air is blown. Then, there is a duct or channel, which conducts air from this chamber to the splitting edge where 

part of the air is directed down into the sound chamber or bore of the flute. A solid area separates the two chambers. This 

design – as far as I can determine - is unique geographically to what we English-speaking people call the North American 

region of the planet. 

The history of the Native American Flute is not very clear. 

This is due to the fact that the indigenous peoples of North America – who are credited with the creation of the flute - did not 

have written language. So, there are no written records of the Native American flute in pre Columbian times. The Native 

peoples preserved their history in the form of stories that were passed from generation to generation. These stories told of how 

the people came to be who they are and where they are. And, the stories gave accounts of how they acquired different aspects of 

their cultural heritage. In many of the tribes these stories were expressed in the form of song. Some of these songs were so long 

and detailed they would take days to tell (sing). Usually they were sung in the context of nocturnal ceremonies. 

Ethnologists sometimes call these tales creation myths. There are many such stories about how the flute was discovered – 

created – given – to the people. A common one concerns a woodpecker, a hollow branch and wind. Many others revolve 

around a young man wanting to attract the attention of a maiden. A little searching of the Web will turn up dozens of these 

stories. 

Till the present day the Hopi people of the Southwestern area of what is now called the United States have had an organized 

group called a flute society. Among the Hopi the flute is used by Flute Society members for ceremonial and healing purposes. 

We may assume that other native tribes had similar relationships to the flute. Oral tradition usually confines the use of the 

flute to men. These constrictions have, however, been relaxed in modern times. 

19th century. 

In historical times the first existing examples of the Native American flute appear to date from no earlier than the nineteenth 

century. Dr. Richard Payne, an authority on this subject, believed that what we now call the ‘Plains style’ Native American flute 

originated with the Northern Ute tribe. These early Plains style flutes were made of wood. They had the duct cut into the body 

of the flute. Examples of these flutes were collected in the 1820s. It is conjectured that these Plains flutes were a variation of a 

type of flute found in the Southwest among the Papago and Yuman peoples. Flutes crafted by these tribes are made of a river 

reed (Phragmites australis). These flutes are made by removing all but one of the nodes inside a reed of sufficient size. The 

craftsman then made a hole on either side of the remaining node and a duct was carved into the reed between the two holes. 

The player would use his finger as a block to cover the channel and direct air against the edge of the sound hole. The fingers of 

the other hand were used to cover the tone holes. 

Dr Payne believed that knowledge of the Native American flute traveled from the Great Plains region south to the Taos pueblo 

community. From there it was dispersed to other Southwestern tribes, then to the Plains tribes of Oklahoma. Subsequently, the 

flute spread to other Plains areas and then to Northern and Eastern tribes. 

Another line of thought conjectures that the inspiration for the design of the Native American flute came from the observation 

by native peoples of the construction of church organs. It is also possible that they arose by modifying the design of European 

recorders. All that we can know for certain is that - baring the invention of a time machine - the true history of the early 

development of the Native American flute is lost in time. 

1960's 

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The current renaissance and refinement of the Native American flute began in the late 1960s when there was a Native roots 

revival centered on the flute. Up until that time because of the suppression of Native cultures by the Federal government and 

the consequent deterioration of tribal societies and cultural traditions the practice of making and playing the flute had almost 

died out. Its preservation is attributed to Elders on rural reservations. Native artists like Doc Nevaquaya and Carl Running 

Deer who had learned the art of making and playing flutes from their grandfathers were important figures in the revival. Some 

makers such as Raven Charles King and Arnold Richardson turned to historic flutes for their inspiration. The collecting and 

research of Dr Richard W Payne, MD and others also helped reintroduce the flute to native and non-native people. 

Up until modern times the flute had been designed around the measurements of the body parts of the individual player. For 

example, the length of the flute might be measured from the shoulder to the wrist. The placement of tone holes was measured 

by the length of a finger joint. Consequently, these flutes were not tuned to any specific scale. Holes would be made and 

enlarged until the flute sounded good to the maker. 

1970's & 1980's 

During the decades of the 70s and 80s flute making began to shift from individual players making their own flutes to craftsmen 

making flutes in quantity for others to play. The tuning of Native American flutes began to be brought into conformity with 

western musical traditions. The mode one pentatonic scale was adopted for the tuning and playing the Native American flute. 

This helped further standardized the instrument. These developments combined to help make the instrument accessible to 

individuals from other cultures and musical traditions. 

During the 1980s two individuals had a dramatic impact on Native American flute making and playing. The first was the music 

of R Carlos Nakai. His popular recorded flute music mixed traditional with New Age influences and ambient sounds to produce 

a composition that was universally appealing. His recordings and performances encouraged countless people to take up Native 

American flute playing for themselves. Second, was the publication of a series of books on flute design and fabrication by Lew 

Paxton Price. These little books contained a wealth of information on every aspect of making a Native American flute. At the 

time they were the foremost reference on the subject and they helped to guide many contemporary makers through the initial 

stages of their flute-making journey. 

The Native American flute and flute playing has continued to improve and evolve though subsequent years. Modern electrical 

tools and fabrication techniques have allowed flute makers to improve precision and reduce crafting time. Flutes are being 

made not only of softwoods, cane and bamboo but also of exotic hardwood, plastic and metal. Multiple tone chamber flutes 

(called drone flutes) have been introduced. Flutes are now available in a range of keys spanning two octaves. 

Present day. 


Presently, the Native American flute is probably being played in every area of the world. I myself have sent flutes to Europe, 

South America, the Near and Far East, Asia and Australia. Flutes are being used in traditional Native American ceremonies 

and contemporary healing modalities. Flute Circles are active, growing and bring people of diverse heritage together. It’s power 

of personal and interpersonal healing is amazing. I see a bright and expanding future for this simple and accessible folk 

instrument. 

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Why Play A Native American Flute? 



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There are several things about the Native American style flute which make it an ideal instrument for someone who has limited 

(or no) musical experience: 

1. Unlike conventional symphony and band instruments the Native American style flute does not demand any difficult 

mouthing techniques (called embouchure) to play. You simply blow with a gentle breath into the mouth hole of the 

flute. From the very beginning a clear sound comes out of the flute. 


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2. The Native American flute is tuned to play what is called a minor pentatonic scale. With this flute you have five not 

eight (diatonic) notes in a scale. With a pentatonic scale all the notes and combinations of notes played on your flute 

sound good together. You don’t have to worry about hitting a ‘sour’ note. From the moment you start playing the Native 

American style flute you are making music. In this respect the Native American flute is easier to play than a recorder 

(which is a diatonic instrument). 

3. The volume of the Native American style flute is quite soft or mellow. When you play the sound is not loud like that of a 

conventional instrument such as a trumpet or clarinet. To me this meant that I could play my flute in my living room 

without fear of waking the dead or disturbing others. It got me over a kind of psychological barrier of being afraid of 

what others might think of my playing. 

4. People who play the Native American style flute have evolved into a very sympathetic and supportive groups of 

individuals. These are called Native American flute circles. Members are happy (if you wish) to encourage and support 

you in your evolution with your flute. 

5. With the Native American flute it does not take hours of practice to develop and maintain your playing technique. This 

flute is an instrument that you can feel relaxed about playing (or not playing). 

6. In spite of the comparative simplicity of the Native American style flute it offers great potential for artistic and 

expressive growth. Two different pentatonic scales are available on each of my flutes. These are called the Mode One or 

Aeolian scale and the Mode Four or Dorian scale. If you use cross fingerings when you play you can add several extra 

notes. This increases the musical range of the flute. If you work at your technique you can even play a full twelve note 

chromatic scale. The Native American flute is sometimes called a simple or folk instrument. But, I have been playing 

this type of flute for more than ten years and I am still discovering new things every day 

The term Native American Flute is reserved by tradition to refer to those flutes made by individuals of Native American decent. 

I am not a Native American. Therefore, the flutes that I make are called a Native American style flutes. I consider myself to be a 

contemporary not a traditional flute maker. I am not attempting to re create or romanticize the past. I use state of the art 

fabrication techniques and tune my flutes to a modern pentatonic scale such as can be played on a piano. It is my intention that 

the Native American style flute be open up to everyone so that you will have the opportunity to make your own music. 


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We ourselves are a kind of musical instrument. 


We can sing, hum, whistle and make many other expressive and pleasing sounds. Sound waves are an integral part of the fabric of 

Creation. We use the words harmony, in tune, flow, express, create, commune, in trance, healing, stimulate, connect, carried 

away, relax, enjoy, motivate, uplift, make, etc. to describe the musical experience. This is because something special happens 

inside of us when we express ourselves with musical sounds. People have been participating in this musical experience since time 

immemorial. 

My personal experience with the Native American style flute leads me to believe that this act of making music has a profound 

transformative effect. And, this transformative and therapeutic experience is available to anyone. 

I find that in making (playing) music I enter a meditative state. Im sure there are many definitions of meditation. By meditative 

state, I mean an experience that is categorically different than what we experience in our usual mundane activities. I have 

experienced in myself that this musical meditation has the potential to relax me, focus my attention, stop the inner dialogue and 

open up a connection to a more fundamental (some say higher) state of consciousness. In this respect the flute can be considered 

a transformative or meditational tool. 

I think that making music is an avenue, if you will, to what some call inner regions. 


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It is an opportunity - open to anyone - to go on a journey to a place 

without walls, without form and without preconceptions. A mini 

vacation from the everyday world. This musical experience is a place of 

astounding inner freedom. It can be experienced through chanting and 

singing. This therapeutic meditative state is also experienced when 

playing the hand drum or Native American style flute. 

Very early on, being the inventive creatures that we are, humans began 

making special physical objects to expand the range of the musical 

sounds that they could make. We now call these objects musical 

instruments. At first, these music making devices were simple affairs. 

They allowed everyone to make music. A flute was a hollow stick or 

bone with a few holes. But, as our civilization has changed it created 

more and more elaborate musical instruments. Now a flute is a metal affair with so many bells and whistles that it looks like you 

could fly it to the moon. These new and refined instruments have, on the one hand expanded the range and type of musical sound. 

For example, increased volume and diversity of scale. On the other hand, the very complexity of these instruments has limited the 

number of those people who could actually enjoy playing them. Once music making was open to everyone. Now, it has become the 

provenance of a select few who have the talent and dedication to master these difficult modern instruments. Musicians have 

become professionals and the rest of us are an audience. 

This was not deliberate. But, it is unfortunate. Now the vast majority of us don't make music, we listen to music. The experience of 

making music and listening to it are not the same. It is as if instead of dancing we were content to watch others as they danced. 

We can derive a certain type of pleasure thereby but it is not the same as dancing ourselves. We have become spectators instead of 

participants. And, our bodies, hearts and minds are diminished thereby. 

The simple musical instruments on which earlier peoples played - and in many cultures still do play - continue to exist. A lot of us 

were unaware of this. We thought that the band instruments that we were introduced to in school were all that was available to 

someone who wanted to make music. And, the music we were taught to play was very regimented and static. It was not our own 

inner music but some other persons music. Fortunately, the simple instruments of our ancestors such as the hand drums, thumb 


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piano and Native American flute are still available They are being rediscovered. These simple instruments can be played with little 

effort by almost anyone. I bear witness that this is true. 

In grade school I played the trumpet. 

I wanted to play the snare drum and so did all the other boys. Because I wasn't a teachers pet and she needed trumpet players I 

ended up with a trumpet. After a couple of practice sessions at home my Dad stuffed a sock in it which further dampened my 

already weak enthusiasm. I high school I played the clarinet for a while - why I can?t remember. In college I thought I'd try the 

guitar (the cool thing to do). I really didn't feel comfortable with or enjoy any of these instruments. For years I didn?t participate 

in any kind of music. I looked with envy at those who could enjoy the musical experience. But, I thought that because of some lack 

in myself I was not capable of making music. 

Then fate (karma, destiny, chance) put a very simple flute in my hands. It looked like - you guessed it - a stick with a few holes in 

it. I blew on it gently - it made a nice, soft sound. I placed my fingers over the holes - it made a different sound. It was easy, and it 

wasn?t threatening. Those first combinations of notes were so simple I imagine no one could appreciate them but me. However, 

they were coming from within me and I was enjoying what was going on. Not struggling, not practicing but enjoying. 

That was the beginning and the story goes on. 

I have developed a relationship with the Native American flute. When I play, I am almost instantly transported out of myself into 

a place of deep relaxation and enjoyment. I can only call this feeling meditative. Any worries, cares, problems that I think I have, 

immediately disappear. When I stop - after a few minutes of half an hour it doesn't matter - I feel clean, relaxed and refreshed. 

Perhaps it has something to do with the rhythmical breathing or the dancing of the fingers over the tone holes. I don't know what 

causes it. I'll leave it to someone else will seek a scientific explanation of the phenomena. 

This experience is not unique to me. I have seen (after having talked with many people who have had a similar response to playing 

their flutes) that this experience is available to anyone Because of our early conditioning and negative experiences many of us 

have been turned away from making our own music. We stood outside and looked in while others played. This does not need to be 

so. You can re-establish your connection to this extraordinary state of consciousness. It just takes a little willingness. Willingness 

to let go of self consciousness, old fears and inhibitions. Let go of the "I can't do that attitude" that imprisons our musical muse. 

When you are ready the flute is there. Why not give it a try? What have you got to lose? Your fear of failure, your fear of ridicule? 

That's right, you can lose that stuff. Why not now. 

The human mind in its habitual waking state pulsates with electrical energy at a rate of fourteen beats per second This pulsation is 

called the "Beta" wave. In a meditative state or a sleep state our mind pulses at a slower or " Alpha" wave rhythm of eight to 

thirteen times per second. The "Theta" waves of deep meditation are four to seven pulses per second. These lower rates of 

electrical activity are essential for problem solving, setting and attaining goals, and for experiencing that profound sense of 

pleasurable, meditative relaxation that we are so ardently seeking. You will find that playing your flute can take you to this place 

of inner joy. Enjoy your flute. 

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The Wood 

Wood for Flute Making 

Ash 

African Blackwood 


What can I say about the woods we use to make a flute? Any piece of wood I might use for a flute is at least one hundred years 

old. Most hardwood is probably a great deal older – hundreds and hundreds of years old. Every tree is itself a manifestation of 

Great Spirits guidance over millions of years of evolution. The board I hold in my hand is a triumph of sustained effort 

stretching back to far before the advent of man on this planet. To work with such a material is indeed an honor. When crafted 

into a flute. good, hard, properly treated wood can last for millennia. 

I am aware that the great forests that once covered so much of our planet are disappearing. Most will soon be gone – perhaps 

never to return to their former glory. I might grieve, but I know that I am not capable of understanding the designs of Great 

Spirit. So, I treat each remaining precious piece of wood that comes into my hands with respect. Made into a flute; the beauty 

of a tree may live on long after the last of its kind have fallen to the chainsaw or to a changing climate. 

I Waste No Wood. 

What does not make it into a flute or related object is burned for kindling to start a winter fire in my shop. I will often use wood 

that has small abnormalities if they will not negatively affect tone. In fact I deliberately look for such wood as it often possess 

superior tonal quality. These abnormalities are rightfully called character flaws. They are not blemishes or detracting elements. 

Rather, they express the uniqueness of the tree. A character flaw can impart a singular beauty to the wooden flute. It expresses 

the fact that never before has there been such a flute. And, never again will such an instrument be made in all of eternity. 

Had I the space and finances I would amass a great quantity of wood. Far more wood than I would ever use in a lifetime. Such 

is the allure of a beautiful combination of color and grain pattern. But, I don’t have that kind of luxury in my little shop. So, I 

must leave many boards behind in the lumber dealers warehouse. This is hard to do. Often I will see a series of boards from a 

particular tree. I know that never in this life will I see that same gorgeous composition of color and grain again. Yet, I only have 

space for one of two of those boards. I can let the others go - knowing, as I do, that Great Spirit will provide other equally 

wonderful wood when I need it. 

This list below of wood types is not exhaustive. I have refrained from judging the different species as to their tonal quality. This 

is because there is so much variation within each species. Not every piece of wood from a particular type of tree will be good (or 

conversely) mediocre flute wood. And, oftentimes the fault in the tone may be my deficiency as a craftsman and not a 

particularity of that wood. I will attempt to update this list from time to time. 

I use many different verities of domestic and tropical hardwoods to make Ancient Territories Flutes. I have done some research 

on the different woods that I use to ensure that I (and you) are not involved with wood species that are overly exploited or in 

danger of extinction. The only woods that seem to be in short supply is cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) and ebony (Diospyron 

crassiflora). Therefore, I do not purchase these woods but the little I use come as scrap pieces from another craftsman. These 

pieces would otherwise be discarded or burned. 

Most wood colors darken somewhat with age as light and ultraviolet rays stimulate a photochemical reaction in the pigments of 

the wood This takes place so slowly that it is seldom noticed except when you remove or change the position of the leather 

band that secures the bird. Then you may see a lighter color on the covered portion of the wood that was shielded by the 

leather. Many of you are not familiar with the different species of wood that you will find in Ancient Territories flutes so I am 

posting pictures of the different woods that I use with a brief description of their charateristics. 

Types of Wood 

Ash 

This wood is as American as apple pie. It is a medium dense, hard wood with 

distinctive open pored grain patterns similar to oak. Ash is a creamy white light 

colored wood that is easy to work and makes a pretty flute. 

African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) 

This wood comes from Southern African and Tasmania. It is used extensively in the 

manufacture of musical instruments such as clarinets. Efforts are made to ensure a 

continuing supply of this important wood through reforestation and timber 

plantation management. Blackwood is a dark black color with some dark brown 

grain. It is relative hard and dense and finishes will. It is very expensive so I use it 

only for small accents in my Collectors flutes. 

African Walnut 

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African Walnut 

Bloodwood 

Bubinga 

Birds Eye Maple 

Beech 

Cherry 

Canary 

cocobolo 

This is a nice, dense, close grained hardwood with muted red/brown colors. Grain 

pattern is more wavy than straight but subtle. When finished it has a lovely luster. 

Easy to work with and makes an attractive flute. 

Bloodwood (Brosimum paraense) 

Also called Satine, bloodwood, as the name infers has a deep red rose color of 

outstanding beauty. The color does darken somewhat with age, but not noticeably. 

Bloodwood is a very dense, heavy wood with a tight and straight grain. It is a wood 

that polishes out to a fine deep finish. When combined with other woods it makes an 

outstandingly beautiful flute. 

Bubinga (Gubortia demeusii) 

Often called African rosewood, Bubinga has deep red/brown colors and a wavy grain 

pattern highlighted by dark streaks with purple overtones. This wood darkens 

somewhat with age. Bubinga is a very hard, dense wood that takes on a beautiful 

finish. 

Birdseye Maple 

This is not a separate species but an unexplained aberration in the grain pattern of 

ordinary hard maple (Acer saccharum) that produces small eye like grain structures 

scattered through out the wood. Its occurrence is quite rare and consequently the 

wood is expensive. All types of maple are hard, dense, light white to cream colored 

woods. It makes a very attractive flute in combination with other woods. 

Beech 

Beech is a medium dense even grained domestic hardwood. It has a tight grain and 

its color ranges from tan to medium brown. It is distinguished by tiny, evenly and 

closely spaced dashes of brown color (called ray flecks) distributed throughout the 

wood. 

Cherry 

American black cherry is a medium density wood with a close tight grain with 

beautiful pink/brown colors that darken with age to a rich russet brown. It has 

modulated tones of light reflective grain. Cherry is one of my favorite flute woods. 

Canarywood (Liriodendron tulipifera) 

This tree is in the Magnolia family and is also called the tulip tree. It grows in 

Eastern North America. It is a medium density distinctively grained wood in mixed 

muted reds and yellows. A very attractive flute wood. 

Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) 

Sometimes called Mexican rosewood, Cocobolo has deep rich orange reds with black 

and yellow striping in a very distinctive grain pattern. It is considered one of the 

most beautiful rosewoods in the world. Cocobolo is a very dense, heavy and tight 

grained wood. The few small pieces that I get I use for the ends of my Collectors 

flutes. 

Curly Maple (Acer saccharum) 


Maple is a dense, hard, American wood. Curly maple is an aberration of common 

maple that has a distinctive light reflecting wavy grain pattern of outstanding 

beauty. You can gaze at the changing patterns of light reflected through the wood as 

you turn it in the light for hours. it makes a very beautiful flute. 


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Curly Maple 

Jarrah 

Jatoba 

Lacewood 

Padauk 

pauamerello 

Purple Heart 

Pecan 

Santos Mahogany 

Walnut 

Jarrah 

Jarrah is in the eucalyptus family of woods from Australia. It is a dense, close and 

even grained, slightly coarse wood. The grain patterns are a subtle mixture of dark 

browns to blacks. Although not a particularly striking grain pattern its an attractive 

wood that finishes well. 

Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) 

Often referred to as Brazilian cherry because of its color (though it is not in the 

cherry family). The colors of this hard, dense somewhat coarse grained wood range 

from medium brown to rich orange and reds. I usually choose pieces that have fine 

black lines running through the wood. A very attractive wood that makes good flutes. 

Lacewood (Roopola brasillensis) 

A soft to medium dense wood of light to medium brown color from Australia. It is 

known for its fascinating lace like grain pattern that is distributed evenly throughout 

the wood. It makes a beautiful flute in combination with other woods. 

Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii) 

This is a bright orange wood from South Africa. The orange color darkens with age 

to an attractive burnt umber. It is a dense but not heavy wood with wavy grain. 

Padauk is not an easy wood to work with but it's worth the effort. 

Pau Amarello (Yellowheart) 

This is another of the many woods that come from South America. This is a medium 

dense wood with an even, barely distinguishable grain pattern. It is a pale yellow to 

mustard color that does not change with time. Looks good when used sparingly for 

its distinctive color. 

Purpleheart (Peltogyne paniculata) 

This is a very common hardwood from Central and South America known for its 

amazingly purple color. It has a hard coarse grain with little grain pattern. The color 

darkens with age. Like yellow heart it is good for accents. 

Pecan (Carya illmoensis) 

These trees grow in the lower Mississippi valley. Pecan is in the hickory family. It is a 

hard, dense, somewhat coarse grained wood with champagne and beige coloring. It's 

a little difficult to work with because the grain tends to splinter and tear. It makes a 

nice flute. 

Santos Mahogany (Myroxylon balsamum) 

This mahogany is one of my favorite woods. More expensive than the others but 

worth it. It grows from Central America to Argentina. This is a beautiful, medium 

density mahogany with reddish brown colors that darken to a beautiful deep red. 

The figured grain can be straight or wavy with medium to high luster. A very 

beautiful wood. 

Walnut 



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Wenge 

Zebrawood 

The most sought after of American hardwoods. Black walnut is a medium dense 

wood with close pores and tight grain. It is dark brown with blackish/ purple 

overtones. Not a flashy wood but good looking when contrasted with other woods. 

Wenge (Millettia laurentii) 

This is an exotic wood from Africa. It is a very striking, mostly black wood with fine 

grey/brown streaks. Its coarse texture and open grain makes it difficult to achieve a 

good flat finish. 

Zebrawood (Microberlina brazzavillensis) 


This is a coarse textured African wood known for its distinct zebra like stripes of 

alternating black/brown and cream/tan colors. It makes a wonderfully showy flute. 




09/02/2011

Hardwood versus Softwood 



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You may have heard some talk about flutes made of softwood having a different sound than those made of hardwood. First, we 

must get our definitions straight. Softwood is a type of wood that comes from a coniferous tree such as pine or cedar. A 

Hardwood comes from a deciduous tree such as maple or oak. Some Hardwoods are actually softer than some of the Softwoods 

and visa versa. 

You may have heard that a flute made of Softwood (such as cedar or redwood) has a softer, sweeter or mellower tone than a 

Hardwood flute. Personally, I have played on and listened to a good number of Native American style flutes made of all types of 

wood. Based on careful observation it seems to me that the quality of tone depends more on the design parameters of the flute 

itself than on the type of wood from which the flute is made. By design parameters I mean 'true sound hole' configuration, bore 

diameter, tone hole placement and wall thickness. Even flutes made of the same wood to the same specifications can have 

significant variation in tone. There may be subtle differences between different woods in respect to their resonant qualities. But 

I don't feel that the type of wood is the critical factor in tone. This does not mean that the wood is not one of the variables 

affecting the final tone. It is my opinion that tonal quality lies more in how the flute is made rather than the wood the flute is 

made from. 

The primary reason that I make my flutes from hardwood is because it allows me a greater range of artistic expression and 

because the harder wood is more resistant to damage. 

If you wish to learn more about flute wood go to the wood section of this website. 


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I have genuine respect for every piece of wood that I use. Almost nothing is wasted. Anything leftover is used to heat my shop 

in the winter. 


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09/02/2011

Wood Species and Tonal Quality in the Native American Style Flute 



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I do not put wood type near the top of my list of things that affect tonal quality in Native 

American style flutes. That does not mean that I am not aware that different types of wood 

produce different types of tone. I do not personally use soft woods such as cedar and 

redwood. There are many factors that lead to this decision. I will not go into them here. 

Wood density is measured on a scale called the Janka Hardness Scale. Alaska cedar, for 

example, has a rating of 580. Ipe, a dense tropical hardwood, has a rating of 3680. The 

hardwoods that I use range from a density of 1010 for black walnut to Indian rosewood 

with a rating of 3170. 

There is no such thing in nature as a pure sign wave tone. Any tone – like a tone in the key 

of A – is always a mixture of tones. The predominant tone is that of A – vibrating at 440 

Hz. But, mixed in with that tone are other tones both above 440 Hz and below it. These 

tones are called overtones. They add color to the pure sign wave or note. 

Wood that is lower in density, such as walnut, has a tendency to selectively absorb sound 

vibrations of a certain wavelength. The vibrations that have the greatest tendency to be absorbed are the higher vibrations or 

overtones. Higher density woods tend to reflect these overtones not absorb them. Tones that are not absorbed by the wood 

itself are projected out into the surrounding atmosphere and strike the ear. Thus, they become part of the musical experience. 

Overtones that are absorbed into the wood do not get projected out into the atmosphere. They do not reach the ear and 

consequently do not become part of the musical experience. 

A flute that is in the key of A has a brighter tone than a flute in the key of E. Higher overtones, like higher keyed flutes, are 

usually called bright overtones. Some people prefer higher, brighter tones. Others prefer lower, moodier tones. It is my opinion 

that a good flute should have the proper balance of higher and lower tones. 

When I am making a flute in a higher key – such as an A – I want to balance the tonal quality. The flute is naturally going to be 

bright. If it is too bright then the tone can begin to sound hard and penetrating. If I were following my own personal preference 

I would prefer to use a lower density wood. I would do this to absorb some of the higher overtones. By neutralizing these 

extreme tones I would take some of the edge off the hardness. The resulting flute would sound more comfortable to the ear. 

Lower keyed flutes on the other hand tend to be dull. If I were making a flute with a lower tone such as an E or lower I want to 

preserve bright overtones. So I would make the flute out of a harder wood. In my experience the harder the wood the better. I 

do this because the flute is already laid back in tonal quality. I want to preserve as many bright tones as I can so that they are 

projected out into the atmosphere. By preserving the bright warm overtones the flute retains as much of a happy, bright quality 

as possible. These qualities are the ones that tend to be lacking in the lower keyed flutes. 

These are not hard and fast rules. Every hand made instrument is different. Some, perhaps many, will violate these principles. 

Also, as I have tried to explain in previous articles, there are many other factors that are simultaneously having their effect on 

the tonal character of the flute. 


09/02/2011


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09/02/2011

How Wood Density Affects Tonal Quality 



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The sound created by a wooden flute like the Native American style flute is not dependent on the vibration of the wood itself. 

With a guitar or violin the sound coming from the instrument is dependent on how the wood out of which the instrument is 

constructed vibrates. The vibration from the string stimulates the wooden body of a guitar. The guitar body begins vibrating in 

harmony or concert with the string. The vibrating wood then amplifies this vibration. 

The flute creates sound differently. The wooden flute does vibrate somewhat. You can feel this vibration with your fingers when 

you play. But this vibration is not where the sound of the flute comes from. The sound of the flute comes from a vibrating air 

column inside the flute. This vibrating air column pushes pulsating air out of the holes of the flute. The holes that perform this 

function are the primarily the hole at the end of the flute and the hole called the true sound hole. When a finger is lifted from a 

tone hole this hole is then available for pulsating air to exit the flute. It is these sound pulses/vibrations that reach and 

stimulate your eardrum and create the sensation of sound. 

The flute body itself acts as a resonance chamber. 

A speaker box is a resonance chamber. As with the flute the sound does not come from the speaker box resonating. The sound 

comes from the pulsating speaker cone. Speaker boxes (at least in the old days) were made out of dense, hard plywood. A 

dense, hard wood was used so that the box itself would not absorb sound vibrations. If the box were to absorb sound vibrations 

the tone coming from the speaker would be somewhat muted. 

A Native American style flute, like a speaker box, is a resonance chamber. Therefore if the flute is made out of a softer wood the 

flute body will absorb some of the sound vibration. As a consequence the sound coming from the holes in the flute will be 

muted somewhat. The wooden body of the flute absorbs different types of vibrations selectively. Softer wood tends to absorb 

higher overtones. Lower overtones are less affected. This accounts for the so-called mellow tone of a cedar or other soft wood 

flute. 

If we are concerned with obtaining as much fidelity of tonal quality as possible then we want a resonance chamber with 

absorbs the least amount of overtones – both high and low. A dense, hard wood is best for this. That is why the best clarinets, 

wooden flutes, bag pipes etc are made form African blackwood or another dense hard wood. 

Soothing sound quality 


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The tonal quality of the Native American style flute has come to be associated with a soothing sound quality. For me this means 

that a flute that generates and preserves the higher overtones can be too bright. I want brightness (brightness is often equated 

with sweetness) but not so that it becomes hard and dry. So I prefer a medium density hardwood like African mahogany, 

cherry, soft maple. Walnut is a bit too soft for me. I tend to avoid purple heart, bubinga, bloodwood, African blackwood and 

santos mahogany. 

These are just personal preferences and different flutes will react differently independently of the wood type they are made of. I 

just thought I’d give you something to ponder on a you gaze lovingly at your flute and fondle it in your hands before putting it 

to your mouth and breathing sound into existence. 


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09/02/2011

What Goes Into Making an Ancient Territories Flute 



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A renowned craftsman and teacher named James Krenov has said "Fine things in wood are 

important, not only aesthetically, as oddities or rarities, but because we are becoming 

aware of the fact that much of our life is spent buying and discarding, and buying again, 

things that are not good. Some of us long to have at least something, somewhere, which 

will give us harmony and a sense of durability - I won't say permanence, but durability - 

things that through the years, become more and more beautiful, things that we leave to our 

children. We can enjoy them while we are here, and even if we can't surround ourselves 

with these things ... they should be here for those of us who long for this sort of thing". 

Knowledgeable wood selection is the basis of a living flute. I have had the opportunity to 

work with exotic hardwoods for more than thirty years. During that time I have studied 

under several master craftsmen. This has enabled me to develop an eye for quality in 

wood. 

Fortunately, I live within driving distance of several large wood dealers. This allows me to 

go to a warehouse and search through hundreds of different boards. I am trying to find 

those special pieces of wood that have unique qualities of pattern, color and density. This 

is wood that will make an exceptional flute. Handling big boards is slow, heavy and time 

consuming work. In a single visit I may sort through several thousand pounds of wood. 

But, this is the only way to get those special gems that I will feel enthusiastic about making into an Ancient Territories Native 

American style flute. All the striking colors found in my flutes are natural wood. I don't use any stains or dyes. 

I want to help you understand what goes into making an Ancient Territories Native American style flute. I think that this 

knowledge will help you better appreciate your flute. And, you will know what your money is paying for. So that you can learn 

how my flutes are made I am going to list the basic steps that go into making a flute. These steps are taken with every flute I 

make. For the higher priced models like the Craftsman Flute and the Collectors Flute many additional procedures are 

necessary. 

It would be possible to simplify this process and thereby make a less expensive instrument. But, then I would not feel 

comfortable putting my name and brand on the flute. In my mind that type of flute would be second-rate. 

If you wish, you could also use these notes to help you make a flute of your own. But, you would need a shop equipped with 

similar tools. If you are serious about making a flute on your own there are some good flute making manuals and DVDs 

available. Get one of those. Then, you can use these notes as a supplement to instructions you find in other sources. I don’t 

recommend that someone with little or no wood working experience attempt making a flute. This is because it usually takes 

several flutes before you start to make something that is much good. But, if you’ve got the bug - good luck. 

Click here to view a step-by-step guide to the process I go through in making a flute. 



Tel: (760) 365-8312 


09/02/2011


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09/02/2011

The Process: A Step-By-Step Description 



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1. After I have selected my wood at a dealer and trucked it back to the shop the first 

thing I do is cross cut the boards with a chop saw into flute lengths – 21”, 22”, 23” etc. 

I cut out any of the wood that has flaws like knots, cracks or blemishes. The length of 

the pieces varies depending on the key of the flute I am making. The lower the key the 

longer the flute and the longer the pieces of wood. 

2. Because boards from different mills have different thickness I must run all the pieces 

through a thickness planer so that they are of equal thickness. 

3. Then, I take these pieces and rip cut them on the table saw to the rough width – 1 

5/8”, 1 1/2” etc. depending on the bore diameter of the flutes I will be making. Cutting 

two adjacent slices out of a board makes the right and left sides of the flute. When you 

do this the resulting two pieces can be 'book matched' so that when the two halves are 

glued back together the grain patterns of the wood form a near mirror image down 

the center of the top of the flute. 


Cutting wood to size 

4. I now carefully label these book-matched pieces of wood. I must do this so that they don’t get mixed up as the process 

progresses. 

5. The next step is to flatten the bore side of the wood (if necessary) on a jointer so that the two sides go together 

accurately. 

6. Next, the bore and slow air chamber of the flute are routed out on a router table. To 

do this I use a half round bit. This type of router bit is also called a cove bit. Routing 

out the semi circle groove requires three passes over the router. You take off a small 

portion of wood with one pass raise the bit and take off more wood with the second 

pass. For very hard wood I may have to make more passes over the bit to 

progressively deepen the half round cut. Remember that the flute is made in two 

halves, which are glued together to make a single hollow tube. The large routed 

groove does not go entirely through to the mouth end of the flute. 

7. Now I must flatten the piece of wood to take out any warping that has resulted from 

routing the bore. This is done on a machine called the jointer. 

8. I sand the jointed surface on the belt sander to give the wood some tooth for the glue 

to adhere to. This removes a small amount of wood so I must go back to the router for 

a final pass to get the exact dimension of the depth of the cut. It must be an exact half 

circle. 

Routing 

9. The slow air chamber is tapered near the mouth end of the flute by routing first with a 5/8 inch bit. This cut is about 2 

inches long. Then I change to a 3/8 inch bit to make the entry or mouth end hole where the air enters the flute. 

10. At this point I make the plugs that will separate the bore from the slow 

air chamber. The plugs are cut from birch dowels. The bore end of the 

plug is cross cut at ninety degrees and the slow air chamber end is cut 

at a 52-degree angle. This angled end of the plug is called the ramp and 

guides the air up and out of the SAC. This cross cutting is done on the 

chop saw. 

11. After the plugs are cut to size I sand off any rough edges left by the saw 

cut. Then I soak them in polyurethane for a few hours. They will 

absorb the poly deep into the wood fibers. This makes the plugs 

resistant to absorbing moisture from the slow air chamber. Moisture 

absorption causes wood to swell up and this could lead to cracking of 

the flute. 


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The heart of the flute and the tools that craft it 

12. Now, I take the two halves of the flute and cut out the exit hole from 

the slow air chamber and cut the true sound hole. Half of the hole is cut into each half of the flute. 


09/02/2011


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13. I sand the barrel and slow air chamber (the inside of the flute) by hand to remove any roughness before sealing the 

wood with polyurethane. 

14. I then seal the inside surfaces of the flute with a coat of polyurethane. This must be hand brushed onto the inside of the 

flute. Once the poly is dry I sand once again to remove any roughness that may have been created by the poly raising 

the grain of the wood. 

15. The two halves of the flute are now ready to be glued together. To glue a flute together 

I put glue on the edges of both halves of the flute and on the plug. I must spread the 

glue into an even film with my finger. I wipe off my finger, position the plug inside the 

flute and put the two halves together. I must be careful to assure that the cut out for 

the SAC and THS match and that the barrel halves are aligned. The two halves are 

inserted into a press and pressure is applied evenly along the entire length of the flute 

to pull the two pieces of wood closely and evenly together. 

16. Excess glue always squeezes out of the joint. This glue is swabbed out of the inside of 

the barrel of the flute with a damp piece of cloth on the end of a long dowel. Excess 

glue is cleaned out of the slow air chamber with a wet cloth on the end of a stiff piece 

of wire. The flute is set aside to dry. 

17. When the glue is dry I can take the flute out of the press. Now I take a chisel and scrap 

any excess glue off the outside of the flute. 

Gluing 2 halves together 

18. Next, the surfaces of the top and bottom of the flute where the glue joint is must be flattened and squared off. This is 

done by first flattening the bottom side on the belt sander and then running the flute through the thickness planer to 

flatten and square the topside. 

19. Now, I cut a shallow groove into the top of the flute between the slow air chamber and the bore of the flute. This groove 

is called the flue and it carries air from the SAC to the splitting edge. I do this with a hand held router and a jig to guide 

the movement of the router bit. 

20. 

Often there is a small degree of misalignment between the two halves of the flute after 

gluing. Therefore, I must now clean up the surfaces of the true sound hole and the 

exit of the slow air chamber with hand files and chisels. This is exacting work because 

any mistakes will affect the sound generating mechanism of the flute. After this is 

done, I can put a bird over the nest and test to see what kind of tone the flute will 

have. This is the first sound from the new flute. 

If shape, color and fine craftsmanship were all there was to an Ancient Territories 

Native American flute then they would be simply 'eye candy' or 'wall hangers'. But, 

the most important thing about a flute is sound quality. Just as the shape of my flutes 

has evolved over time and with experience so has the configuration of the sound 

generating mechanism. The air-focusing channel is cut into the body of the flute itself 

not into the bird. This is sometimes called the Eastern woodlands style of flute 

making. I find that this method allows for a more consistent focusing of the air stream 

against the fipple of the flute and thus a cleaner, clearer sound. It also allows for 

greater volume without breaking octave. 

Putting the pieces together 

At this point the future flute looks like a long square block of wood with a hole down the middle and some strange holes 

on the top. We’re about half way to a finished flute. Now, the flute must be molded into that distinctive Ancient 

Territories shape. This shaping transforms a block of wood into a pleasing, comfortable and attractively dimensioned 

flute. Over the course of making hundreds of flutes, a very unique and contemporary shape has evolved. I like to think 

that my flutes have a design quality not unlike a piece of abstract sculpture. This shape not only pleases the eye but it 

feels good in your hands and against your mouth. 

My flutes are not round as are almost all other Native American style flutes. Round flutes are usually turned on a lath. A 

lath turned flute is fast and easy to make. However, I find the finished appearance to be somewhat boring to the eye. All 

the flutes that I make have a soft, triangular cross section. All Ancient Territories flutes are shaped - you might say 

sculpted - by hand. The resulting subtle angles and asymmetrical curves create a complex form that attracts and 

stimulates the eye. 

21. The first step in shaping the flute is to trim the mouth end to its final length. This trim 

cut is made at a 90-degree angle on the chop saw. 

22. Then some of the excess wood is milled off the mouth end with four angle cuts on the 

table saw. Each cut takes a little wedge shaped piece of wood from each side and from 

the top and bottom of the flute. These cuts begin the shaping of the mouth end of the 

flute. 

23. I begin to create the triangular shape of the body of the flute by cutting a thirty five 

degree slice off of each half of the bottom of the flute on the table saw. To do this the 

blade of the table saw is tilted over to a 35-degree angle. These cuts are the beginning 

of the triangular shape. 

24. I refine this triangular shape with specially made router bits. The bottom half of each 

side of the flute is milled on the router table. This changes the flat surfaces into a 

curved and refined shape. I also use a special router bit to curve over the top surface of the flute. 


Shaping 


09/02/2011


25. 

To shape the remaining angular surfaces around the mouth end I go to the large belt sander and start removing 

material with a 36 grit (very coarse) sanding belt. I must carefully hand shape all of the subtle angles and surfaces of 

the flute removing excess wood a little at a time. This is a task that takes a lot of attention and hard work. At this stage I 

also clean up and refine the cuts that have been made by the router. 

The head end of the flute where you place your mouth is tapered to an end that is somewhat blunt in comparison to 

those of most other makers. This enables the flute to be held against the lips rather than placed in the mouth. I find this 

more pleasing and less tiring when playing. The top of the flute where the tone holes are is slightly flattened. This 

makes for a more comfortable placing of the fingers 

26. I change sanding belts to further refine and smooth the shape. First, I use 60 grit and then 120 grit belts. 

27. Then, I take the flute (which at this point actually looks like a flute) to the flap sander to soften the shape a little more 

and take off any remaining sharp edges on the mouth end. 

28. Now, the tuning can begin. The first step in tuning the flute is to trim the barrel end of the flute to the required length 

to sound the fundamental note. Remember the longer the barrel of the flute the lower the sound. This trimming is done 

on the chop saw with the blade set at a 15-degree angle. The angled end is for appearance. It doesn’t affect the sound. 

Each flute is slightly different, so that you must cut off the end to the approximate length and test the tone on an 

electronic tuner. If it is too flat it means that the barrel is too long. I must trim off a little more length and test again 

until the fundamental note is clear and in tune. Sometimes, I must make fine adjustments to the true sound hole and 

flue while doing this in order to get the tone I am looking for. 

29. Once the fundamental is in tune it is time to drill the individual tone holes that make 

the different notes. This is done on the drill press. To do this the flute is put in a 

machinists vice that allows movement in two dimensions – side-to-side and end-toend. 

This vice holds the flute securely and ensures that the holes are aligned with each 

other up the barrel of the flute and are the proper distance apart. 

30. After the six tone holes are drilled I sand out the inside of the bore of the flute with 

sand paper on a long rotating rod. This is done to remove any hanging pieces of wood 

that have been left as the drill bit cuts through into the inside of the flute. 

31. Now, I take the flute to the flap sander and carefully round over the outside edges of 

the tone holes so that they are comfortable on your fingers when they cover the holes. 

If this isn’t done the hole edges feel sharp under your fingers. 

Drilling tone holes 

32. Then, I take a Dremel tool with a small bit and round over the inside edges of the tone 

holes where they enter the bore. Now I can begin the tuning of each individual note. This is done by shaving off small 

amounts of wood from the bottom of the holes to bring the notes into balance with each other. Each flute is tuned and 

voiced using an electronic tuning device. This results in what some makers call 'concert quality' tuning. A mathematical 

program devised by Lew Paxton Price and others determines the layout of the tone holes. This positioning of the holes 

allows the player to use cross fingering and half holing to obtain a diatonic scale. 

33. With the Dremel tool I round over the inside edge of the end of the flute. It is not necessary to do this but I like the way 

it softens the appearance of the end of the flute. 

34. Back to the belt sander and I begin to round over the outside of the end of the flute. As I have said, this rounding over is 

to make a pleasing shape on the end of the flute. 

35. The flap sander is used to further round over and smooth the end of the flute. 

36. It looks like an Ancient Territories flute now. But, the surface of the flute is still rough so more sanding is needed. I use 

the flap sander, which I now load with 220 grit paper. With this fine grit paper I smooth all the exterior surfaces of the 

flute again. I must be careful not to touch the edges of the true sound hole on top of the flute or I could ruin the sound. 

37. The flute body itself is now pretty much done and ready for finishing. But I still have 

to make the birds. 

38. The first step in making a ‘Sound Wave’ bird is to dimension the wood. I rip the wood 

I need into 1 3/8” wide by 26” long pieces on the table saw. 

39. I then take these pieces if wood to the band saw to be resawn into 5/16 inch thick 

slices. 

40. The band sawed cut leaves a rough surface. So, these pieces are then dimensioned on 

the thickness sander to produce a smooth surface that will glue tightly. 

41. I take three of these strips and spread glue in between them, then I put the pieces 

together and clamp them under pressure. 

Getting ready for finishing 

42. When the glue is dry the pieces of wood are removed from the clamps, excess glue is milled off on one side with the belt 

sander. This squares the block at the same time. 

43. The opposite glued edge is then trimmed on the table saw so that the piece if wood has a finished width of 1-1 1/2 

inches. 



09/02/2011


44. These long lengths of wood are now cut into smaller 3 1/8” long pieces on the chop saw. 

45. Now, we have a bunch of small pieces of wood 3 1/8” long by 1 1/4” high by 7/8” wide. They are three layers thick. I take 

these pieces to the drill press and with a 5/8” drill I drill a hole (which will become the inside curve of the wave) in each 

piece. 

46. Then, I cut the chimney into the end of the bird with a dado blade on the table saw. When the finished bird is put on the 

flute this chimney is adjacent to and surrounds the true sound hole on three sides. This configuration keeps the air 

stream condensed and focused against the splitting edge. It also tends to impart a mellow quality to the tone. By using 

this method of sound generation the flute is capable of a good range of volume from loud to soft while maintaining 

purity of tone. 

47. Next a cut on the table saw goes from the chimney end of the bird up to the bottom of the hole. 

48. A quick cut on the band saw removes the waste piece of wood and the two more 45 degree trim cuts rough the out line 

of the back of the wave form. 

49. The final shape of the back end and front end of the bird is rounded over to a gentle curve on the belt sander so that we 

have a nice, flowing, wave like shape. 

50. The inside curve of the wave form (that we drilled out earlier) is smoothed with sandpaper on a machine called an 

oscillating spindle sander. 

51. The sharp edges that are still on the bird are rounded over on the router table with a 3/16” cove bit to soften the shape. 

52. The bottom of the bird that mates with the flute is flattened and smoothed on the belt sander with 220 grit sand paper. 

53. All the top surfaces of the bird are softened and rounded on the flap sander. 

54. The flute and bird are finished inside and out with polyurethane varnish. 

Polyurethane -when dry- is a non-toxic substance. After much experimentation, I 

have settled on polyurethane as a protective surface because it has excellent durability 

and flexibility. Unlike harder epoxy and lacquer finishes it resists chipping and 

cracking. It is waterproof and does not react with chemicals like alcohol and saliva. 

Polyurethane is very resistant to the transfer of moisture. This means that the wooden 

fibers of your flute will not absorb moisture from your breath or the surrounding 

atmosphere. This is important because moisture absorption can lead to expansion 

and contraction of the wood and possible cracking of the flute. Polyurethane will also 

resist cracking, chipping and denting if the flute is inadvertently knocked against 

something hard. Poly is also good at filtering ultraviolet light rays. This helps to 

preserve the colors of the wood.I have experimented with so called 'natural' finishes 

such as Tung oil and other oils. They just don't hold up as well. Also, the slow air 

chamber of flutes finished with natural oils will tend to absorb moisture, grow mold 

and acquire an unpleasant odor. 

Finishing 

55. To apply polyurethane to the exterior surfaces of the flute I use a HVLP (high pressure low volume) sprayer. First, the 

raw wood flute is wiped clean of dust. Then, a single heavy coat of polyurethane is sprayed on. This is allowed to dry for 

24 hours. 

56. Once dry, the flute is sanded lightly on the flap sander with fine 220 grit paper to 

smooth the surface. The fine sanding scratches also give the second coat a surface to 

key to. 

57. Now, I apply a second coat of polyurethane to all the inside surfaces of the slow air 

chamber. To do this I take a bulb syringe and fill it with polyurethane. I seal the 

mouth hole with my index finger and inject poly through the exit hole of the SAC into 

the SAC itself. Then I rotate the flute in my hands so that the poly coats all the 

surfaces of the SAC. Then, the flute is suspended with the mouth end down to allow 

excess poly to drain out. I do this to make sure that the slow air chamber is 

completely sealed even along the glue joints. The inside of the SAC is a very moist 

place and I don’t want any problems with moisture absorption. 

58. A second coat of polyurethane is now sprayed on the outside of the flute. When this is 

done correctly in a dust free environment you end up with a nice smooth semi gloss 

surface. The bird is finished in the same way as the flute itself. 

Final Polish 

59. Applying the polyurethane finish to the flute has changed the dimensions of certain critical areas around the splitting 

edge and the tone holes. So, I tune the flute once again to make sure that it is just right. 

60. I cut the leather thong, which secures the bird from a deerskin. When I put it all together I have a new Ancient 

Territories Native American style flute ready to go. 


If you have followed me through all these steps you can appreciate the craftsmanship and attention to the smallest detail that 

goes into making my Ancient Territories Native American style flutes. I strive to make a quality musical instrument. With your 

flute you will make beautiful music. And, it will be a proud possession for a lifetime. 


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09/02/2011

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I will put the diameter of the flutes’ bore as factor number six. The bore diameter is 

related to the key of the flute. Higher keys – smaller bore. Lower keys - larger bore. 

The ratio of the bore diameter to the length of the bore is open to question. But, most 

students of the subject agree that it should be in the neighborhood of one to eighteen. 

A lower ratio can lead to a hollow tone (some would say mellow). Higher ratios may 

lead to a thin or weak tone lacking in richness. 

Wood Type. 


Article Index 

Factors Effecting Tonal Quality 

Bore Dimentions 

Page 3 

All Pages 

I know you’ve been waiting for a discussion of the type of wood used to make the flute. Here it comes as factor number nine. 

Some might put it higher on the list. They may have good cause. But, I have let it slide down to number seven. I mean no 

disrespect to the wood. Perhaps I have been prejudiced by all the hype I have heard about wood type and mellowness. 

With an acoustic guitar or violin the type and dimensions of the wood with which it is made have a defining effect on the sound 

it produces. This is because the wood acts as a resonator projecting the sound waves out into the surrounding environment. 

The wood of a guitar, violin or other similar instrument actually picks up the vibration of the string. It itself then vibrates in 

harmony with the string and magnifies its sound. It does this by beginning to vibrate in sympathy with the vibration of the 

strings. However, the vibration of the wood is much stronger than that of the string itself. Those of you who are familiar with 

the sound of an unamplified electric guitar understand what I am talking about. If you pluck the string of an electric guitar that 

is not turned on the sound is practically inaudible. The body of an electric guitar is solid wood. It does not resonate. The 

electric guitar depends on an electric pickup and amplifier to project sound. 

With a flute the effects of this sympathetic vibration are much less pronounced. Yes, you can feel a good flute vibrate under 

your fingertips. But this vibration of the wood has only a secondary effect on the tone. The primary sound of a flute comes from 

pulses projecting out from both ends of the bore of the flute. Sound pulses or sound waves come out of the end or foot of the 

flute. Sound waves also come from the True Sound Hole. The flute acts more like a speaker box. The speaker box is called a 

cabinet resonator. It has a vibration of its own. Similarly, the wooden flute (if properly constructed) has a vibration of its own. 

It does not amplify the tonal vibration that the flute is producing. Instead it should add overtones that stem from its own 

characteristic tonal quality. 

Now, the wood of which a flute is made affects tone in two ways. First, softer wood (more hollow space within the cell walls) 

tends to absorb or dampen sound vibration. Think of a car muffler. Second, hard or dense wood by not absorbing these same 

vibrations begins to vibrate in sympathy with the sound of the flute. You can get an idea of what I am talking about by rapping 

a piece of wood with the knuckle of your hand. If you do this to a piece of softer wood the resulting sound is rather dull. A 

harder wood will have a more pronounced and sharper quality. PVC plastic, which is used to make cheaper flutes and 

recorders, has practically no resonant quality. Try rapping on a piece of hard plastic. These instruments have a very sterile 

sound. 

Overtones. 

In order to fully appreciate what I am describing you need to know what overtones are. This requires a discussion of sound 

waves and notes or keys. The key of a flute in A above middle C on the piano is a sign wave that vibrates at 440 Htz. This wave 

has a certain fixed length. A pure sign wave is almost impossible to create. And, in fact for musical instruments we want a wave 

that is pure - composed predominantly of a particular wavelength. But, not too pure – or sound loses its character. Sound 

character, as in human character, comes from the pleasing mixture of inconsistencies. Mixed in with the 440 Htz sound waves 

of an A flute you hear other higher and lower waves of varying lengths. These are the overtones. Too many overtones and the A 

sound wave is obscured (approaching too close to chaos). Too few overtones and the tone sounds dry or sterile (like a 

personality that is too predictable). 

So, when you take out/absorb too many of the higher overtones (think of these as the exciting overtones) the flute doesn’t have 

that bright edge. Some call this mellow; I call it dull. 

Inside of the bore. 

Number eleven in the list of factors affecting tonal quality is the way the inside of the bore of the flute is finished. Is it rough, 

smooth, does it have a hard finish etc. Finishing the inside of the bore with varnish or oil and sanding it smooth contributes to 

the sweetness and volume of the flute. 

Number twelve is the size and placement of the tone holes. I like my tone holes to be on the large side rather than constricted. I 

feel that this gives greater fullness and volume to the notes. This is especially important for the first hole (hole #1) above the 

fundamental. If it is too small the note will sound constricted in comparison to the fundamental note. 

Chimney dimensions. 


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Another factor that I will mention is the dimensions of the chimney. A chimney is created by having two wings on the end of 

the bird. A bird with a chimney flanks the True Sound hole on three sides. Some flute makers don’t use a chimney. I feel that 

this is a mistake for two reasons. First, a properly dimensioned chimney seems to enhance volume. It also imparts richness to 

the tone. Perhaps this is my imagination. But, without a chimney the tone sounds a little raw. Second and more noticeable is 


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the sheltering effect the chimney has on cross currents of air. Without a chimney even slight currents of air can distort or 

interrupt the air stream leaving the flue. This has a very negative effect on the sound of the flute. 

Direction holes. 

One last thing – direction holes. Direction holes are those holes (usually four in number) on the top, bottom and sides of the 

foot end of a flute. Direction holes are the effective end of the flute. The area beyond these holes is not part of the vibrating 

column of air that is producing sound. Having this extra length makes a flute look larger and perhaps more imposing. But, this 

extra length of dead air space can have a dampening effect on tone. Some makers like this effect (more mellow etc). I like 

clarity and therefore I don’t use direction holes on my flutes. 




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Tonal Quality. 


Article Index 


Bore Dimentions 

Page 3 

All Pages 

Tonal quality is an elusive subject. This is in part due to differences of opinion between individuals as to what exactly is a 

pleasant or appealing tone. The tone of one flute may be preferred over another by one individual. Another person listening to 

the same two instruments may have a different preference. So, to a certain extent tonal quality is subjective. I have learned not 

to be judgemental when it comes to the sound of my flutes. Someone else will love a flute whose tone I do not personally 

appreciate. I have seen this over and over at flute shows. And, when people come to my shop to audition instruments they 

make choices that I might not make. 

It is difficult to discuss tonal quality because the words used to describe sound are themselves ambiguous. What, for example, 

is a sweet sound? Or, what is a mellow sound? When it comes to the word ‘breathy’ there is more agreement. But, again, is 

‘breathy’ necessarily a negative quality? Not to the ears of some. Out of this fog of words and meanings I will attempt to draw 

some clarity. My opinions are certainly not the last word on this subject. I am not a professional musician or musicologist. But, 

I have been making Native American style flutes for many years. What I relate here is based on that experience. 

A flute maker has only his ear to rely on when it comes to creating a sound-producing instrument. My ear is my muse. It is the 

guide that I have followed as I have slowly groped my way forward in perfecting my craft as an instrument maker. Each maker 

has his or her own ideal sound. My teacher, Clint Carlyle, makes beautiful flutes. They have a soft, melodic tone - almost a 

whisper. That, however, was not what I was called to produce. What I intuitively wanted was a strong, clear voiced flute. So, I 

took what I learned from Clint and began to make modifications in his flute design. I read, I asked questions, I listened and I 

experimented. I followed the muse of my ear. 

With a flute the final sound is a consequence of many factors. Each of these variables has its individual impact of the sound 

that the flute produces. To make things trickier the variables are interrelated. I think that these variables can be loosely ranked 

in order depending on the degree of impact they have on the sound of the flute. 

Flue Design. 

The design element with the most impact would be the width and depth of the flue. The flue depth especially has a marked 

impact on sound. A flue that is overly deep will make for a weak airy sound. The flute will also have little backpressure and 

consequently not respond quickly to note changes. This makes for what I would call a mushy flute. Flue width is not as critical 

as depth. But, it is important. If the flue is too narrow you have a weak sound. Too wide and you lose clarity. Then there is the 

length of the flue to consider. I have found that a flue of about ½ to 3/8 inches in length to be the best for my type of flute. By 

length I mean the length of the dimensionally constant portion of the flue. 

Flue Positioning. 

The second factor would be the positioning of the flue. The flue can be either cut into the bottom of the bird or into the flute 

itself. In my experience a flue in the bird (sometimes called the Plains style) does not produce as much volume and clarity of 

tone as does a flue cut into the body of the flute itself (sometimes called the Woodlands style). In my opinion the flue in bird 

configuration does not allow the air stream to optimally impact the splitting edge. This is because the splitting edge is on the 

same plane as the bottom of the flue. For optimal sound quality the splitting edge should be at or near the center of the air 

stream. 

True Sound Hole. 

The dimensions of the True Sound Hole are the third most important element in creating sound. Too deep front to back and 

the flute becomes airy. Overly constricted front to back and the flute is sensitive to breaking into a higher octave and volume is 

compromised. Too wide side to side and clarity is compromised. Too narrow side to side makes for a weak sound. 

The positioning and configuration of the splitting edge has a defining effect on backpressure (responsiveness), clarity and 

sensitivity. There are as many splitting edge designs as there are flute makers. Is it sharp or blunt? If blunt, how blunt? Where 

is the splitting edge positioned relative to the stream of air leaving the flue? What are the angles on the top and bottom of the 

edge? All these factors come into play. In even the most meticulously crafted instruments small variations creep in. 

Thousandths of an inch one way or the other make appreciable changes in tone. I like my splitting edge to be in the upper half 

of the air stream. But, its exact position is variable due to the vagaries of handcrafting. These subtle variations are what give a 

well-made flute its individual character. 

Flue Surface. 


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The fifth variable affecting sound is the surface of the flue. The type of surface within the flue affects the laminar flow pattern of 

the air traveling through the flue. If the surfaces are rough the the laminar layer is thick and the flow is turbulent. Smooth 


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surfaces allow the air to slide through the flue with minimal turbulence. The difference between an oil finished surface and a 

varnish finished surface although not detectable by the eye or hand is detectable by the ear. 

Slow Air Chamber. 

The dimensions of the Slow Air Chamber exit hole have a pronounced effect on tone. A large, smooth and properly angled exit 

hole contributes to good sound quality. 

The importance of the way the air from your lungs enters, circulates through and exits the SAC cannot be stressed enough. This 

flow must be made as direct and smooth as possible. What we are concerned with is reducing turbulence. When the stream of 

air molecules leaves the flue and enters the TSH those little fellows should not be jostling each other for position. They should 

be friends with a common purpose. So, the blowhole or mouth hole diameter and length, the SAC size and finish, the ramp 

leading out of the SAC all come into play. 

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A finish is a substance used on raw wood to bring out the color and grain pattern of the wood. A finish is also used to add 

hardness to the wood fibers and to provide a protective surface over the wood. For me, putting the first coat of finish on a flute 

and watching the color of the raw wood flash to a deep, rich tone is a satisfying reward after weeks of work. 

What type of finish should be used on a Native American style flute? 

Is there a single best finish? The following discussion will, I hope, provide you with some interesting and useful information 

that will add to your knowledge of flute making. Armed with this knowledge you can draw your own conclusions as to which 

finish you think might be best for your flute. This discussion is not intended to be an exhaustive study. The opinions I am 

expressing about the various finishes are based on my years of hands on woodworking experience. But, they reflect my 

personal point of view. Other craftsman may draw different conclusions. 

You could divide the wood finishes into three general categories – oil finishes, wax finishes and hard finishes. These different 

finishing materials are sometimes used in combination. An oil finish may be applied first and allowed to dry and then a hard or 

soft wax applied over it. Or, the flute may be oiled and a hard finish applied over the dry oil. A hard finish may be applied to the 

wood and wax applied over it. I will begin with a discussion of the oil finishes. 

Oil. 

Oil finishes are probably the most ancient type of wood finish. Almost any type of oil may be used as a wood finish. Common 

vegetable oils make a serviceable finish on wood if applied properly. Skin oil and hair oil have been used as wood finishes. Each 

craftsman has his favorite type of oil. There are dozens of formulations both ancient and modern. All oil finishes work in pretty 

much the same way. By penetrating the cell walls of the wood fibers oil can increase the stability and hardness of the woods’ 

cellular structure. Commercial penetrating oils have resins that polymerize (link together) over time and become permanently 

set in the wood. This helps consolidate and harden the surface of the wood. Oil finishes do not, however, form a very hard, 

protective surface on the wood. The exception to this is tung, or chinawood oil. Tung oil is an aromatic natural drying oil that is 

obtained from the nut of the tung tree native to China. When applied repeatedly in thin coats tung oil will produce a beautiful, 

hard glossy surface. Applying tung oil is a very slow process because each coat takes several days to cure before a new coat can 

be applied. Tung oil is, therefore, seldom used commercially. 

Usually an oil finish is applied with a brush or oil soaked rag. The oil is allowed to penetrate the wood for a period of time. 

Then, any excess oil remaining on the surface of the wood is wiped (rubbed) off. Some flute makers submerge the entire flute in 

oil for a period of time. When they remove the flute form the oil bath they drain or wipe off the excess oil. It may take several 

coats of oil to produce a protective surface on the wood. When oil is applied properly the surface of the wood acquires a 

pleasant, smooth sheen. 

Oil - Advantages & Disadvantages. 

One of the advantages of an oil finish is that it is easy to apply. It does not require any special and expensive equipment. It is 

also easy to repair an oil finish. Superficial damage to the wood surface such as scratches or dents can be sanded out with a 

little fresh oil and sand paper. The downside of an oil finish is that it does not provide a very effective protective barrier over 

the wood. With oil finishes the surface of the flute can be easily stained or damaged. Foreign materials can penetrate the oiled 

surface and discolor the wood beneath. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to get these stains out. The stains – which are 

often subtle - may not be objectionable to some. But, they can be a source of annoyance to others. The area around the tone 

holes and mouth hole are the first places where discoloration is noticed. The discoloration around the tone holes results from 

oils and dirt on the skin of the fingers. These foreign substances penetrate the surface coat of oil on the flute and are absorbed 

into the wood beneath. The discoloration and rising of wood grain around the mouth hole results from saliva penetrating the 

oiled surface and changing the color and texture of the wood beneath. 

Oil finishes do not provide much of a protective barrier to the absorption of atmospheric water by the wood. Water 

transference from the surface of the wood to the fibers beneath can come from absorption of actual water droplets. This is 

appreciable in the slow air chamber. Or atmospheric moisture (humidity) can be absorbed into the wood from the surrounding 

air. Moisture absorption is not necessarily harmful to the flute. More significant to the integrity of the flute is the speed with 

which the water is absorbed or released. Rapid water absorption and loss causes swelling and shrinking of the wood. This can 

compromise the integrity of the wood and lead to cracking. It can also cause the grain on the surface of the flute to rise. This 

raised grain will make the wood surface a bit rough. 

A second potential problem with oil finishes is that they do not prevent toxins which may be present in some wood species 

from migrating to the surface of the flute. Once they are on the surface of the flute they can get on the hands and lips of the 

player. Thus, allergic reactions – though rare – may occur. This is less of a problem with those oil finishes that dry through 

polymerization (linking) of the molecules in the oil formulation. 


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A third disadvantage to oil finishes is that they need regular maintenance. Oil applied to the surface of a flute (with the 

exception of Tung oil) will wear off with time. How quickly this happens depends on the type of oil used, the amount of use the 

flute is getting and ambient climatic conditions. The maintenance of an oil finish consists of reapplying fresh oil to the wooden 


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surfaces of the flute. Depending on the flute owners’ character applying oil can be an opportunity to get deeper into your flute 

or a messy chore. 

Wax. 

Wax is another type of finish used on wooden flutes. Wax can be used as a topcoat over oil or other type of finish. It can also be 

used alone. The two most common natural waxes are bees’ wax and carnauba wax. There are also many synthetic waxes 

derived from petroleum distillates. Bees’ wax is a solid at room temperature. To make it easier to apply bees’ wax is usually 

liquefied by dissolving it in a solvent such as turpentine. A liquid wax is applied to the raw wood surface with a brush or wax 

soaked cloth. The wax is then rubbed into the wood with a dry cloth. When bees’ wax is applied in multiple coats you can get a 

beautiful semi-gloss sheen on the wood surface. With wax you can get more of a build on the wood surface than with oil. 

Consequently, it gives the wood a slightly better protective coating than most oils. With wax finishes, like oil finishes, small 

dents or abrasions to the wood are easy to repair. Like oil finishes, wax must be periodically reapplied to maintain the integrity 

of the protective surface. Again, like oil finishes wax does not provide a very stable protective barrier against abrasion and 

staining of the wood by foreign substances. 

To my eye nothing beats the appearance and feel of a flute that has been given several coats of penetrating oil followed by an 

application of bees or carnauba wax. I like the fact that there is no obvious barrier between the wood and me. With this finish 

the warmth and texture of the wood are apparent to the eye and sense of touch. I also like the way light is diffused as it hits the 

surface. What I don’t like is that the surface of the flute has little protection. Personally I don’t like dents and scratches on a 

flute. I can live with them. They impart a sort of character or history to the flute. But, I don’t actually like them. I like having to 

re oil the flute every once and a while. Most people want to put too much oil on or put it on too frequently. They over oil a flute 

like most people over water plants. This can lead to a greasy, sticky flute. A properly oiled flute should look and feel dry. You 

only gain this knowledge through trial and error. And, each type of wood has its own special needs. 

Shellac 

There are many hard finishes that can effectively be used on wooden flutes. Each type has its adherents. One of the most 

commonly used hard finishes is shellac. Shellac is made from the secretions of the Lac beetle native to South-East Asia. To 

make shellac hard flakes of this purified beetle juice are liquefied in alcohol. This liquid is then applied with a brush or sprayer. 

Shellac is available in aerosol spray cans. Shellac penetrates the surface wood fibers and brings out the color of the wood. It 

also builds a fairly strong, hard surface over the wood when applied in multiple coats. There are, however, several potential 

disadvantages to using shellac as a finish on flutes. First, most commonly used shellacs impart a yellowish cast to the wood. 

This is most noticeable with light colored woods like maple or ash. Second, because shellac is soluble in alcohol and many 

other substances it is not as stable as some of the other hard finishes. A shellac surface is rather soft in comparison to varnish 

or lacquer. It therefore scratches and dents more easily. A shellac finish has a distinctive (not necessarily objectionable) odor 

that is detectable even years after it is applied. One of the drawbacks of shellac as a wood finish is that it is thermo plastic at 

higher temperatures. A shellac surface can become slightly sticky under exceptionally damp, hot conditions. Shellac is a nontoxic 

substance, even in liquid form. In fact it is sometimes used as a coating over food items. 

Varnish. 

Varnish is a hard finish made by dissolving a resin in an oil based solvent. There are many resins; both natural and synthetic 

used to make varnish. When liquid varnish is applied to the wood surface some of the varnish is absorbed into the wood. This 

hardens the wood surface and brings out the color in the wood. In a relatively short time the solvent evaporates and the 

remaining resins bond together to form a hard, stable surface with good abrasion resistance. Multiple coats of varnish may be 

applied to the flute. Each coat is allowed to dry, then sanded to allow the next coat to key to the existing varnish. Then a new 

coat is put on. In this way it is possible to build a substantial protective barrier over the wood. Most commonly used varnishes 

also provide some protection from ultraviolet light rays. This helps protect the wood from photo reactive discoloration. Varnish 

is usually brushed or sprayed onto the wood. It takes several hours to dry. To the best of my knowledge, all types of commonly 

used varnishes are non-toxic when dry. 

For the flutes that I make for sale I have settled on Minwax brand semi-gloss high build polyurethane varnish. It is a 

commercial product most commonly used on hardwood floors. I spray two coats on with a High Volume Low Pressure spray 

gun. Most of the first coat gets absorbed into the wood. This hardens and seals the wood. It also raises the grain on the surface 

of the wood and makes the flute feel rough and fuzzy to the touch. After the varnish has cured for a couple of days, I sand down 

the raised grain to create a smooth, flat surface. Then I spray on a second coat. The second coat does not absorb into the now 

sealed wood surface. Instead, it builds a substantial protective coating over the wood. A varnish finish is very hard and stable. 

It is highly resistant to water and alcohol. It is very resistant to abrasion. That is why it is used as a finish on wooden floors. 

Lacquer 


Lacquer is another hard finish used on flutes. Dissolving a hard polymer in a solvent called lacquer thinner makes lacquer. 

Older lacquer formulations were made from the same substance as shellac. Most lacquers are now made from acrylic resins. 

Lacquer is usually sprayed on the wood. There are also formulations suitable for application by brush. Varnish and shellac 

harden (cure) by evaporation of the solvent. This leaves behind the hard resin on the wood surface. Lacquer cures by a process 

of the polymers linking together. This is a molecular bonding process. Lacquer does not need to be sanded between coats as 

does varnish. The new coat of lacquer melts into the previous coat. Because lacquer hardens very quickly multiple coats of 

lacquer can be applied in rapid succession. Lacquer does not usually build a surface as thick as most varnishes. 

When completely cured (which takes several weeks) lacquer can be buffed to a smooth high-gloss finish. A lacquer surface is a 

bit harder than varnish and therefore resistant to stains and abrasion. Lacquer is also resistant to the transfer of moisture. It is 

non-toxic when dry. In my experience the hardness of a lacquer surface has one disadvantage: instead of denting under 

pressure the way varnish does a lacquer surface may crack or chip. Usually this is only a problem with thick applications of 

lacquer. Modern automotive lacquers (seldom used on flutes) do not have this problem. Lacquer is used as a finish on most 

guitars and pianos. 




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I know that there are those who would like to have as much information as possible about Ancient Territories flutes. After all, 

unless you visit the shop, you cannot play the flute and examine it from every angle. So here I have provided photos and 

dimensions of the outside and inside of a typical flute. Dimensions may vary slightly from one flute to another. 

Flute weights 

In order that you might get some idea of the relative weight of the different types of wood I have taken these measurements 

from an F# backpacker flute. I use hardwood species to make my flutes so you will find that they are heavier than those made 

from softwoods such as Cedar or Redwood. 

Zebrawood 9.7 oz (275g) 

Walnut 7.45 oz (211g) 

Purpleheart 8.85 oz (252g) 

Bubinga 10.7 oz (305g) 

Flute dimensions 

The blow hole or mouth hole of all my flutes is 3/8 inches in diameter. 

Here you will find the dimensions of flutes in the various keys that I make. For the positioning of the splitting edge I measure 

from the mouth end of the flute down. For the distance to the center of the 6 tone holes I measure from the mouth end of the 

flute down the flute. 

Key of C 

Overall length 18 1/8 inches 

Bore diameter 3/4 inch 

Distance to splitting edge 7 1/2 inches 

Distance to center of hole 6 – 10 11/16, hole 5 – 11 7/16, hole 4 – 12 1/8, hole 3 – 13 1/16, hole 2 – 14, hole 1 – 14 15/16 inches. 

Key of B 


Bore diameter 3/4 inches 


Distance to center of hole 6 – 10 15/16, hole 5 – 11 3/4, hole 4 – 12 1/2 hole 3 – 13 5/16, hole 2 – 14 3/8, hole 1 – 15 7/16 inches 

Key of A 




Distance to center of hole 6 – 12 1/16, hole 5 – 12 15/16, hole 4 – 13 7/8, hole 3 – 14 13/16, hole 2 – 16 1/16, hole 1 – 17 1/8 

inches 

Key of G 

Overall length 23 inches 



Distance to center of hole 6 – 12 7/8, hole 5 – 13 13/16, hole 4 – 14 13/16, hole 3 – 15 13/16, hole 2 – 17 1/16, hole 1 – 18 5/16 

Key of F # 





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Distance to center of hole 6 – 13 1/4, hole 5 – 14 1/8, hole 4 – 15 3/16, hole 3 – 16 1/4, hole 2 – 17 5/8, hole 1 – 19 inches 

Key of F 


Bore diameter 1 inch 


Distance to center of hole 6 – 13 9/16, hole 5 – 14 9/16, hole 4 – 15 5/8, hole 3 – 17, hole 2 – 18, 3/8, hole 1 – 19 11/16 

Key of E 




Distance to center of hole 6 – 13 7/8, hole 5 – 14 15/16, hole 4 – 16 7/32, hole 3 – 17 19/32, hole 2 – 19 hole 1 – 20 3/8 inches 

Key of E b 




Distance to center of hole 6 – 14, hole 5 – 15 5/8, hole 4 – 16 7/8, hole 3 – 18 3/8, hole 2 – 19 7/8, hole 1 – 21 3/8 inches 

Flute cross section 

Below is a picture of a flute that I have cut in half lengthwise. 

Now you can see what the inside of one of my flutes looks like. 

Side view of the Sound Wave bird. 

Here is a representation of the cross section of one of my flutes. 

It shows the triangular shape of an Ancient Territories flute. You can see the distinctive 

flattened top. 

A 1 inch bore used for flutes in the key of F, E and Eb – side to side at maximum width 1 

3/8 inches. Top to bottom 1 11/6 inches 

A 7/8 inch bore is used on flutes in the key of F#, G and A – side to side at maximum width 

1 19/32 inches. Top to bottom 1 7/32 inches. 

A 3/4 inch bore is used on flutes in the key of B and C – side to side at maximum width 1 

9/16 inches. Top to bottom 1 7/16 inches. 

3/8 inch diameter blow hole leading to the Slow Air 

Chamber. The SAC is sealed with epoxy resin to resist 

moisture absorption. Moisture absorption can lead to 

cracking of the flute. 

A Plug of solid wood separates the SAC from the bore of the 

flute. It is made from a birch (hardwood) dowel soaked in 

polyurethane. The polyurethane helps seal the plug form 

absorbing moisture and expanding in diameter. Expansion of 

the plug could lead to cracking of the flute. 

The Ramp gently directs air from the SAC to the flue. It is 

important that the air be allowed to flow smoothly into, 

through and out of the SAC to get good tonal quality. 

The Flue is cut into the body of the flute. It carries air from 

the SAC and directs it against the Splitting Edge. The 

splitting edge is in the center of the stream of air exiting the 

flue. This is important to achieve volume and clarity of tone. 

The True Sound Hole is the hole opposite the SAC exit hole. This is the sound generating mechanism of the flute. The 

dimensions of the TSH are vitally important to sound quality. All surfaces must be clean and smooth. 

Bore of flute. The bore is sealed with a coat of polyurethane and then sanded smooth. A sealed, smooth bore is important for 

tonal quality. 

Flute Bird 



09/02/2011


Chimney 

Top view of the bird. 

The extensions on the front of the bird form what is called the Chimney. 

The chimney helps focus the stream of air coming out of the flue and protect it from disturbances from cross air currents. 





09/02/2011

Importance of the SAC in Your Flute 



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The Importance of the Slow Air Chamber in the Native American Flute 

The Native American style flute is technically called a ‘dual chambered duct flute’. The flute has two separate hollow chambers 

separated by an area of solid wood. The chamber closest to the mouth end of the flute is called the slow air chamber. The 

chamber that terminates on the lower end of the flute is called the barrel or sound chamber of the flute. 

This configuration is unique to the Indian or Love flute also called the Native American flute. The two chambers are generally 

considered to derive from the primitive flute made out of river cane by the Southern Arizona Indian tribes. River cane, like 

bamboo, is divided into sections by nodes. These Indian flutes use the natural node in the cane too create two chambers. 

‘Slow air chamber’ is a sort of misnomer. This chamber got its name from the fact that air moving through this part of the flute 

is moving slowly in comparison to the air going through the duct of the flute. The air when it funnels into and moves through 

the constricted duct is going quite fast. It is curious to note that the air moving through the barrel of the flute is actually moving 

at a much slower speed than the air in the so called slow air chamber. 

It is commonly assumed that the slow air chamber is not a very important part of the Native American flute. It’s just sort of 

there containing the air before the real work of sound generation begins. In my experience this is definitely not the case. 

One of the primary characteristics of the tonal quality of a well-constructed Indian flute is its purity. This is in part due to the 

nature of the stream of air that is striking the splitting edge. The stream of air going through the duct is smooth with little 

turbulence in it. The air is behaving in this manner because in its journey through the slow air chamber the initial turbulence 

that is present when it leaves the players mouth and enters the SAC has been largely eliminated. So the SAC acts as a damper of 

sorts to calm turbulent air. 

So a direct, smooth, unimpeded path for the air to follow through the SAC and into the flue are important for a clean, sweet 

sound. That is why a long, gentle ramp out of the SAC is also important. 


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The Slow Air Chamber also acts as a secondary resonance chamber. A resonance chamber is a partially enclose space the forces 

the resonating sound frequencies to bounce back and forth off the wall of the chamber before exiting the chamber space. It is 

important that the walls of the chamber be smooth and hard and that the space be as large as possible for maximum effect. The 

bore of the flute is also a resonance chamber. It is not, as some assume, a resonator like the body of an acoustic guitar. 

It is generally agreed that a hard wood resonance chamber is more effective than one made of softer material. In the old days 

speaker boxes were made of hard, dense plywood for this reason. 

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Importance of the SAC in Your Flute 

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09/02/2011

Making Your Own Native American Style Flute 



Home Making Your Own Flute 

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I know that there are many of you who would like to make a Native American style flute. That’s how I got started. My thought 

was ‘I’m a woodworker, why spend the money if I can make one myself’. This started me down a path that continues to this 

day. 

If I had known then what I know now I might have been hesitant. 

Knowing how to make things out of wood is one thing. Knowing how to make a musical instrument that has the proper sound 

is another. I had to make quite a number of Love flutes before I began to understand the dynamics of sound creation. 

Find a teacher. 

The absolute best way to get started in Indian style flute making is, of course, to study with an accomplished flute maker. When 

I decided to make my own flute I was prescient enough to seek out someone to help me. Having a teacher makes a huge 

difference in the steepness of the learning curve. When you have an experienced teacher you have access to a body of 

knowledge in dynamic form. When you make mistakes – and you will – the teacher is there to show how to correct them. Or to 

show you how to do it right the next time. 

Those of us who make Native American style flutes professionally seem to agree that the second most efficient way to start 

making a flute is to reverse engineer a good flute. Reverse engineering is to carefully study an existing flute. Then you try and 

make as exact a copy as possible of that flute. With reverse engineering you have a functioning finished product to study and 

compare with your flute in progress. Measurements of all the dimensions and angles are there in front of you. Of course this 

means that you have to buy or borrow a good flute. But in my opinion it is well worth the cost. 

Flute making kits. 

If you just want to get your feet wet in the flute making game then a flute kit or roughed out flute are efficient ways to go. My 

preference would be to get a flute that is glued up and tuned. All that is left for you to do is the shaping and finishing. This 

eliminates the difficulties of learning the intricacies of crafting a flute from scratch. Also you don’t need a lot of expensive tools. 

Unless you really blow it you are almost guaranteed to end up with a playable instrument. 

Flute kits usually consist of two pieces of wood with the barrel and slow air chamber hollowed out. With the heavy machining 

done it is up to you to glue the two halves together and cut out the true sound hole and exit hole from the slow air chamber 

with hand tools. You must also drill the tone holes. Even with the best instructions this leaves a lot of room for error. It is 

amazing how much variations of a very small fraction of an inch can make in sound quality. With even the best flute kit you 

may or may not end up with a playable instrument. 

Another way to get into flute making is to take a flute making class. I have never attended on myself. But I have seen a few 

flutes that have come out of such a class. I can’t say that I was very impressed with what I have seen and heard. But, I’m sure 

everyone had fun and went home with a flute that they could make sounds on. One class, with even the best of teachers, will 

not make you into an accomplished flute maker. It will get you started though. 

Books. 

There are several books on how to make a Native American style flute. And there is at least one comprehensive DVD. These 

materials show in relative detail a step-by-step process that may provide enough guidance so that you can make a playable 

flute. I have not read the books nor have I seen the DVD. So I will not comment. Flute lesson videos are also posted on U Tube 

and other sites. If my own experience is any guide even the best book or DVD will not give you more than a rudimentary idea of 

what Love flute making entails. 

Persist. 


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If you feel the strong urge to make an Indian flute don’t be disco uraged by your mistakes. No one makes a great flute the first 

time. Becoming a competent flute maker is a matter of repetition and attention to detail. By carefully exploring what may have 

gone wrong and making the necessary adjustment on the next flute you (if you are like me) will feel your way forward into 

crafting more expressive instruments. 

Please don’t call or email me with questions about flute making. I can’t help you over the phone. If you are interested in getting 

help in making a Native American style flute you should join an internet group – 

www.nativeflutewoodworking@yahoogroups.com 


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09/02/2011

Playing The Love Flute 



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Playing The Native American Love Flute 

Native American Style Flute Keys 


You do not need any technical knowledge about music or sound dynamics in order to play and 

enjoy your Native American Style flute. But, as you progress deeper into your playing you may 

want to broaden your knowledge. 

The Love flute, though a simple instrument, opens the door of the musical world. In that world 

are all kinds of new experiences and, if you want, lots of new information. 

In order to help you better understand this world I am including a few guides and a complete 

Tutorial. 

The left image shows you a graphic 

representation of the many flute keys that 

Native American style flutes come in. 

The key of the flute is shown in the far left hand 

column. To its right in ascending order are the 

different notes that can be played on that 

particular Love flute. The notes in red type are 

the notes of the mode one pentatonic scale for 

that flute. These notes can be played easily 

without using half holing and cross fingering. For 

more information on pentatonic scales go to 

Pentatonic Scales. These red notes are all you 

need to know in order to make beautiful music on 

your Native American style flute. The notes in 

black are the other notes of the chromatic scale 

that can be obtained by cross fingering and in the 

case of the first two ascending notes half holing. 

These are the notes that you may eventually want 

to explore as you go deeper into your instrument 

and your music. 

At the bottom of each column of the chart you see 

a representation of a Native American style flute 

and its six tone holes. This is a fingering chart for 

your Love flute. The bottom hole is the lowest 

hole on your flute. A solid black circle indicates a 

closed hole. A half blackened circle indicates a 

half open hole. A circle with a white center 

indicates an open hole. Below the flutes are 

numbers for these notes. Twelve notes make a 

complete chromatic scale. The notes in spaces 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 make up a major, or typical do re mi scale for each flute 

key. I know for those of you without any previous musical experience this looks a bit confusing but don’t be intimidated. You 

don’t need to know this stuff to play your Native American style flute. 

Flute Key Compatibility 


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Here is a chart which shows which flute key will sound good when played with another Love flute or instrument tuned to a 

different key. Just follow the lines from one key to the keys at the other end of the line. For example, take A at the top of the 

diagram. It is connected to F#, E, D and C. These are the flutes the A flute will sound good with. 


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09/02/2011




09/02/2011

Native American Flute Tutorial: Lesson 1 



Home Tutorial Native American Flute Tutorial: Lesson 1 

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Introduction 


Hello, my name is John Stillwell and I am going to help you get started on your new Native American style flute. I’ve been 

making and playing the Native American style flute for more than ten years. I am entirely (or almost entirely) self-taught. But, 

I now realize that if I had been given a lesson or two along the way my playing would have progressed that much faster. So I 

thought that I might help others if I put down in writing what I have learned. 

In this lesson I am not going to teach you about notes, scales, intervals, tempo, theory or any of the other facets of music. 

Instead, you are going to learn how to make beautiful sounds on your flute. 

I imagine you feel excited and a bit nervous if this is your first experience with the Native American flute. If you’re like me (and 

most other people) you may have tried various other instruments in school and like me you gave them up at some point. Maybe 

you studied piano or one of the other complicated and difficult modern, highly technical musical instruments. Unlike the 

Native American style flute these instruments were developed over centuries to meet the needs of professional musicians. 

Relax & Enjoy 

Just looking at your Native American flute you can see that it is not a complicated instrument. And, this lack of complexity 

means that this flute is easy to play. So relax and make a little mental and emotional effort to let go of any anxieties and 

inhibitions that you may be feeling. These feelings are a by-product of your earlier musical experiences. This time it’s going to 

be different. You can easily learn to play and will enjoy playing your Native American style flute. 

Lets consider the word play for a moment. Play is not the same as ‘work’, ‘study’ or ‘practice’. The word play implies or should 

imply relaxation and enjoyment. This is what the experience of making music should be. This is what making music on your 

new flute can be - play. 

Fingers 

At this very early stage, you may experience a little frustration that your fingers can’t do everything you want them to. Your 

fingers will need a little time to get used to dancing on the holes of the flute. But, if you are patient, your fingers and neural 

network will actually enjoy this learning. Don’t struggle; don’t try to take on too much at one session. Play around. If you get in 

the right inner space this playful enjoyment will continue to grow for as long as you play the flute. So, please, don’t let yourself 

be judgmental or frustrated. If you do begin to have some negative feelings - tell yourself to relax, and then take a few breaths. 

Let go of those feelings. They’re the result of some earlier negative conditioning. They don’t have to be there. They will only 

impede your learning. If this doesn’t work just put down the flute for a while until you’re in the right mood. 

The Flute 

Before you start playing lets learn a little bit about your flute. The Native American 

flute is a tube divided into two sections by a solid area of wood inside the tube. This 

solid area is called the plug and it separates the slow air chamber - at the mouth 

end of the flute - from the sound chamber or bore at the far end of the flute. The 

bore is where the six tone holes are. 

Take the bird off the flute by loosening the buckskin band and sliding it back off the 

flute. Now, you can see two holes on top of the flute connected by a groove cut into 

the top of the flute. The hole closest to the mouth end is where the air you blow into 

the flute comes out of the slow air chamber. The other hole opens into the bore or 

sound chamber of the flute. The groove connecting these two holes is called the 

flue. The two holes aren’t actually connected until the bird is on top of the flute. 

When the bird is in place the flue allows air to leave the slow air chamber in a 

How To Hold Your Flute controlled and focused stream and directs it against the splitting edge of the second 

hole. This second hole is called the true sound hole. When the stream of air hits the 

splitting edge at the far side of the true sound hole it is divided into two parts. One part of the air diverted into the sound 

chamber or barrel of the flute and starts a vibration in the barrel that makes sound. 

Put the bird back on the flute over the flue and tighten it down. The bird must be tied tightly on the flute or air can escape out 

the sides of the flue and this will cause disturbances in the sound of the flute. The bird should be centered on the hole. The 

front edge of the bird should be just in back of the rear or back edge of the sound hole. How far back depends on the particular 

flute. A good starting point is about a 32nd of an inch or a little thicker than a plastic credit card. 

Now, let’s blow into the flute. Don’t try to cover the holes with your fingers - just blow gently into the flute. Does it make a 

sound? Good. Now we know that the flute works and you can make a sound. 


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Next, cover the holes on the barrel of the flute with the pads of your fingers. Don’t use the tips of the fingers but the fleshy area 

under where the nails are. 

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Making Music 


Now that you have learned how to make six different sounds (notes) on your flute it is time to start using these notes to make 

music. Our body, mind and soul love new experiences. The desire and capacity for learning new things is just amazing. And, it’s 

fun too. We will begin by building on what you have learned in lesson one. 

Breathing correctly 

Before you start playing your flute, let’s make sure you are using your breath properly. Stand up and put your right hand over 

your solar plexus or stomach area. Now take a breath in and let it go out through the mouth. You should feel your solar plexus 

rise as you breath in and fall back down as you breath out. To do this you do not need to take a big, deep breath. Just be 

sensitive to the rise and fall as you breath in and out. Remember, it’s not your chest that rises and falls; it’s the stomach area. 

When you feel this rise and fall you know that you have a foundation upon which all the rest of your playing can be built. 

Blow into your Native American flute and sound the fundamental note. Pause and breathe in and blow again after raising the 

ring finger of the right hand to sound a second note. Keeping the ring finger up take and breath and raise the middle finger off 

of it’s hole and blow into your flute again to sound the third note. Do the same with the index finger. Skip the ring finger of the 

left hand and raise the middle finger of the left hand and blow into the flute to sound the last note on the pentatonic scale. 

Pause and raise the index finger of the left hand and blow to sound the second octave fundamental or sixth note. 

Holding notes 

To take what you have learned and turn it into music all you need to do is change the time intervals that each note is held. In 

musical terminology the time length a note is held is called whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and eight notes. The whole 

note is the longest. Simply stated, you hold one note longer than another. Try your scale holding different notes for different 

lengths of time. You will discover that these changing periods of time you hold the notes sound pleasing. This, in its simplest 

form is music. Go with what sounds good to you. You are making music. 

Now, do the same thing in reverse. Keeping all the fingers off of their holes (except for hole four) blow into your flute. Pause, 

put the left index finger down and blow. Pause, put the next finger (the right index) down and blow. Continue in this way back 

down the flute until all the holes are closed again and you have sounded the lowest note. You will want to do this many times 

until you feel comfortable with it. You are playing (some would say practising) scales. 

Let’s try going up the scale in one breath. Breathe in and blow into the flute sounding the lowest note and then lift the fingers 

one at a time while continuing the single breathe until you get to the top. Keep your fingers up. Pause, take a breath and blow 

into the flute while lowering your fingers one at a time going down the scale until you are back to the lowest note. Do this 

exercise until it feels comfortable. 

Try going up and down with a single breathe. Blow the fundamental and go up 1, 2, 3, 5, 6. And, without pausing 5, 3, 2, 1, 

fundamental. This is called a run up and down the scale. Play with this for as long as you like. 

Next Lesson - Flute Tutorial: Lesson 3 

Previous Lesson - Flute Tutorial: Lesson 1 

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Adding Variety to your playing 


If you have gone through the first two lessons and have experienced the thrill of hearing real musical sounds come from your 

flute you will be more than ready to develop some new skills. In this lesson I will show you how to add variety and dynamics to 

your playing. 

First, make the sound tah by touching the tip of your tongue to the top of the pallet of your mouth just behind your teeth and 

blowing some air pressure against it as you suddenly let the tongue go slack. It’s a tah like the beginning of the word table. Do 

you feel the air blow outward explosively? Try it again – make the sound tah, tah, tah out loud. Now, do it again silently. Put 

your flute to your mouth and with all holes closed. Make a silent tah into the flute as you sound the fundamental note. Now, 

sound the fundamental by just blowing into the flute. Do you hear the difference between these two sounds? The one made 

with a tah is sharper and quicker than the plain blowing into the flute. This is called a different articulation of the note. 

You have learned how to go up the scale by blowing into the flute as you sound each succeeding note. Now, go up the scale but 

make a silent tah each time you sound a new note. Remember, the force of the breath comes from the solar plexus. One, two, 

three, four, five, six tah notes. Then, go back down the scale with the same articulation. Let’s change it a little by doing a double 

tah with each note as you go up and down the scale of your Native American style flute. You sound the note twice - tah, tah note 

one, note two, etc. And, back down the scale again. 

Try the same double note with the breath only (no tah) as you did with the first exercise. Isn’t it interesting how a simple 

change in the way the note is articulated can make such a difference? Now, alternate the two different ways of sounding notes 

as you go up the scale. Start by sounding the fundamental note with a tah articulation and then sound the second note with a 

simple breath articulation. Continue up and then down the scale using the two different ways of sounding the note 

alternatively. Play with this for a while. Use some tah notes and blowing note in random combinations and listen to what you 

are creating. You are adding variety to the sounds the flute is making. 

Remember in lesson two, when you held notes for different periods of time. Some long and some short. Now, play with 

elongating and shortening the length of time a note is held and the way the note is articulated. Let your fingers and breath play 

with the possibilities for a while. Throw in some short intervals of silence between some of the notes. The silent interval is 

called a rest. Hear how the notes start to find relationships between each other? Your playing is starting to become dynamic. 

After this lesson you are equipped to really play some music with your flute. 





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interspersed patterns of fast notes, trills and glissandos along with very long slow notes creates a very dramatic and powerful 

feel that helps to make your Native American style flute such a uniquely expressive instrument. 







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New Techniques 


In this lesson we are going to add some new techniques to your flute playing. Remember, to master these techniques requires a 

certain amount of repetition. Don’t let yourself fall into the practice trap. Keep a sense of lightness and play in your heart. Then 

even the effort needed to attain proficiency will seem easy and even enjoyable. With that said, we will start with Pitch Bending. 

Pitch bending 

Pitch bending means to change notes slowly. You glide upwards or downwards in pitch with a sort of continuous shift of tone. 

This is different in feel than the abrupt shift from one note to the next, which you have done so far. When you do a bend 

correctly, the pitch slides up or down. It doesn’t jump or have any abruptness. You do a pitch bend on the Native American 

style flute by lifting or lowering a finger slowly. It is done with either a sliding or pivoting motion of the finger. Personally I 

prefer to slide my finger forward across the flute to the left to bend up. I slide the finger backward (from left to right) as I slide 

down. You raise the finger gradually as you are sliding it across the hole bringing the tip of the finger up and off the hole. When 

you do this correctly the hole opens gradually instead of all at once. It takes a little experimentation to get it right, so play 

around with it until you start to hear it happening. Then, practice with it until it becomes refined. A great variety of changing 

pitch patterns is possible. Try some faster, and some very slow. Pitch bending will add a highly effective tool to your repertoire. 

Trills 

Next, we will learn to do Trills. Trills are done by very rapidly lifting and lowering a finger over a hole. You are opening and 

then closing the hole in rapid succession several times. Some of your fingers will be more adept at this than others so that not 

all trills will sound the some. The index finger is usually the most dexterous. You must work a little on the slower fingers to 

bring them up to speed. When you feel confident add some trills to your improvisation. You’re becoming a real musician. 

Vibrato 

Now let’s take on the Vibrato. Vibrato is difficult to describe in words but you recognize it when you hear a wavering in the 

intensity of a note. Some singers have a natural vibrato. If you are unsure as to what I mean listen for it on your favorite CD of 

Native American style flute playing. You create a Vibrato on the flute by using the diaphragm muscles to rapidly vary the air 

pressure entering the flute. For me the vibrato also requires a slight tightening in the back of the throat. Some people find this 

easier to do than others. Don’t focus too much mental effort on it – let your body discover the vibrato. When mastered, this 

technique gives an attractive pulsing sound to a note. 

Glissando 

The next thing you can learn to do with your flute is a Glissando. The glissando is not a difficult effect. It consists of playing 

several notes on your flute very quickly in succession. You can gliss either up or down. On a piano a glissando can be played by 

running a finger over the white keys. On a flute you must raise or lower your fingers in rapid succession one at a time to play 

the note sequences. The trick with this is more mental than physical. Just tell your fingers to do it and get your mind out of the 

way. It takes some repetition to perfect the glissando. But, it’s fun too. You must no longer perceive the technique as playing 

the notes individually. Rather, the entire gliss "feels" like just one note. At the beginning just try this with the bottom three 

holes. (right hand only). Please note that there is a single note followed by a four note ascending gliss and then a single note 

followed by a descending gliss. To do it correctly the single notes have the same time value as the entire following gliss. So, the 

fundamental sounds and then the following three notes sound for a combined period of time equal to the fundamental. This all 

sounds more complicated than it really is: actually it’s neither very complicated nor very difficult. 

Volume 

Let’s try volume changes. By changing breath pressure you can change volume through a considerable range on your Ancient 

Territories flute. Controlled slow volume changes or sudden ones are important in practically every sort of music. They are 

essential for expressive flute playing. Remember you are using your diaphragm to produce volume changes. Holding a single 

note force air into the flute with greater and then lesser pressure so that you can get a feel for what your flute can do. You can 

try a few scales increasing and decreasing the volume. Now, you are ready to add this touch to your improvisations. 

Tempo 


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Tempo is the rate of speed at which a series of notes are played. If you know what a metronome is you are familiar with tempo. 

The metronome can be set to fast or slow tempos or beats. Once the beat is set it continues at a regular pace. Improvisational 

flute music often changes tempo so freely that it’s sometimes hard to pick out a regular beat at all. Sometimes, a single note is 

held for an incredibly long time. This holding of the note will often include a slow pitch bend and/or tremolo. Appropriately 


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Mode Four Pentatonic Scale 


Up until this point you have be playing your flute in the Mode One pentatonic scale. While playing this scale you have kept the 

fourth hole from the bottom of the flute closed. Now, we are going to learn the Mode Four pentatonic scale. In this scale you 

will be opening up that poor little fourth hole. Refer to the diagram below to see how this scale is played. 

Key of A / A# /B /C /C# /D /D# /E /F /F# /G /G# /A flute playing mode four scale. 

Bolded notes are the mode four notes. 

As you can see, you progress up the flute but you keep your right index finger over the third hole. And, you open the fourth hole 

by lifting the left index finger. By doing this, you create a different sequence of notes and a different scale. Listen carefully to 

the new flavor of notes that you are playing. You can refer to the diagram above to see the names of the new notes in this scale. 

As you can see the only difference is that you are playing an F instead of an E as your fourth note in the scale. This changes the 

intervals between the notes from 3, 2, 2, 3, 2 to 3, 2, 3, 2, 2. I hope that I’m note confusing you. Remember that you don’t need 

the theory to play great music. 

Having two different scales to play in increases the breath of possibilities for your flute playing. Experiment with this scale 

until get to know it well. Some people say they like it better than mode one. What do you think? 

With a little experimentation you will find new tunes emerging from this scale. For those of you with an enquiring mind the 

difference between the two scales stems from different intervals between the notes in the scale. In mode one the intervals 

between the notes are 3,2,2,3,2 and in mode four the intervals are 3,2,3,2,2. What, you may ask, am I talking about. Intervals 

are the distance that one note is from another. If you refer to the diagram for a flute in the key of A, you will see the mode one 

scale highlighted in red. Then, in the next column down you will see the mode four scale highlighted in blue. Note the distance 

between the highlighted notes. These are the intervals. As you can see there are twelve possible notes on the diagram. These 

are the notes of what is called a chromatic scale. I won’t burden you with more information on this subject now. I just want you 

to see a graphic representation of what notes you are making as you play your flute in two different modes. 

Cross Fingering 

Key of A /A# /B /C /C# /D /D# /E /F /F# /G /G# /A flute playing mode one scale. 

Now, we will add some more new notes. We will do this by employing a technique called cross fingering. 


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Refer to the diagram above for the flute in the key of A (your flute may not be an A but the principles – that is the intervals 

between notes - are the same). In this diagram you will see that there are notes available if you use different finger placements. 

Sound your fundamental note and then the note that is created by opening hole number one. Now, we will play a new note on 

our flute by putting the ring finger of the right hand back down on its hole and opening hole two by lifting the middle finger of 

the right hand. Look on the diagram and find the new note that you have sounded. It is shown as note number five. This note is 

in neither the mode one nor mode four scale. Notice that it sounds strangely out of tune – like it doesn’t belong. Isn’t it 

amazing that our ear intuitively recognizes what does and does not belong in a tonal sequence of notes. If used in a 


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composition played in mode one or four this note would be called a grace note. A grace note is a little something extra thrown 

in to add just a touch of unusual flavor to the composition. 

Now, lift the index ring finger off the first hole and play the third note of the mode one scale. To get another new note take the 

index finger off of hole three and put the middle finger down on hole two. This gives you another new note that is in neither the 

mode one nor mode four scales. It’s another grace note. 

Looking at the chart you see that note number ten can be made by having the right index, left ring and left index fingers 

covering their holes and leaving the other holes open. And, note number twelve is made by having the left ring and middle 

fingers down while all the other fingers are up. 

I assume that you will continue to experiment with these new notes (or maybe not) until you find places for them in your 

improvisations. As I have said, they are grace notes seldom used but there when you want to add a little sauce to the sound. 

When you have mastered the fingerings of these new chromatic notes you will be able to play some music that employs diatonic 

major scales such as the tune Amazing Grace. 

Back to Start - Flute Tutorial: Lesson 1 






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The ring, middle and index finger of the left hand cover the three bottom holes and the ring, middle and index finger of the 

right hand cover the three top holes. Don’t use a lot of pressure. The fingers should rest over the holes not press down hard on 

them. 

First note 

Here is a picture of a flute with six holes. The mouth end of the flute is at the bottom and the end of 

the barrel of the flute at the top. This is the way you see the flute as you’re looking down when you’re 

playing. The hole farthest away from you is hole number one. The hole closest to your mouth is hole 

six. There are six pictures showing the finger position for the six notes we will make. A closed hole 

(finger down) is shown as a solid black circle. An open hole (finger up) is shown as a circular outline. 

Blow gently into the flute. You should hear a clear sustained sound. Your ear will instinctively know if 

the sound is right or not. If the flute doesn’t sound right there are two possible reasons. Either you’re 

blowing too hard or one or more holes aren’t completely covered. Blow again a little softer. Did this 

make it sound better? If not, it’s a leaky finger. Relax and put some focus on your fingers. Don’t press 

harder; just shift them around a little. Take the flute from you mouth and move it so that you can see 

how the fingers are covering the holes. Some people have reported that it helps if they looked at their 

hands on the flute in a mirror. Look for any holes that may not be completely covered. Read just your 

fingers. Now, try blowing again. Keep at it until you hear a clear kind of mellow tone. This tone is the 

fundamental note of the flute. It is also called the key of the flute. 

Now, play around a little with sounding this fundamental note. Puff – puff – puff with your breath 

from the solar plexus or stomach area not from the mouth. Blow some long slow notes from the solar 

plexus. Take all your fingers off the holes and put them back on and blow again. Get the feeling of 

having your fingers comfortably cover the holes. At first this is a rather self-conscious effort. Soon, it will be second nature. 

Here is what you will be doing with your fingers on the holes. 

Adding more notes 

Now, let's sound a second note. 

You will do this by lifting the ring finger of your right hand from the hole it is covering. 

This hole is called the number one hole. Blow into the flute with all holes closed and 

while still blowing lift the right ring finger. Play around with lifting and lowering this 

finger making the sound go up and down. You now have two notes. Let's add a third 

note by lifting the middle finger of the right hand after you have lifted the ring finger. 

One, two, three notes while blowing into the flute with a gentle steady breath. 

Fundamental note – with all holes closed, second note - by lifting the ring finger and 

third note - by lifting the middle finger with the ring finger still up. Pause - keeping the 

two fingers up and take a breath. Then go back down the notes. Blow the note third 

note, then lower the middle, then the ring finger and with all fingers down you're back 

to the fundamental. 

One thing that you need to remember at this stage in your learning is that you don't lift 

up a finger until the finger below it is up. So, you don't lift up the middle finger before 

the ring finger is up. You don't lift up the index finger before the ring and index fingers are already up. 

Let's go on to the left hand and add another note. If you have a flute with five holes the ring finger of the right hand will be 

resting on the flute. With a six-hole Ancient Territories Native American style flute we are not going to lift up the ring finger of 

the right hand but leave it down on the hole. You will raise the middle finger next. So, you push the air up from the solar 

plexus, up and out the mouth to sound the fundamental note. Then, raise the right hand ring finger, then middle, then index 

finger. Next, you raise the middle finger of the left hand. You have sounded five notes in all including the fundamental. This 

completes a pentatonic (five note) scale. 

A scale is like a little five note tune. There are lots of different possible scales. The scale that you are playing is called the Mode 

One Minor Pentatonic scale. 

You will sound the next note by lifting up the index finger of your left hand. This sixth note is your fundamental note again but 

one octave higher than where you started. Of course, you don't need to know what fundamentals, scales; octaves or notes are to 

make music. I'm using a little bit of musical terminology here and if you are not familiar with the terms don't worry because 

you are making music anyway. 

Now, play with letting your fingers dance up and down the holes of the flute. Do this at different rates of speed. Change the 

volume by blowing harder or softer. Play, discover and enjoy the world of music. 





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09/02/2011

Keys of the Native American Style Flute 



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Native American style flutes are made in many different keys. The key of the flute is the fundamental (lowest) note that the 

flute can play. So a flute in the key of A will have a fundamental note that is the same tone as the note A above the middle C on 

a piano. This particular A is calibrated to vibrate at a speed of 440 HZ. A flute in a higher key than A – a C for example – will 

have a faster vibration rate and higher tone. A flute in a lower key – for example E – will have a lower rate of vibration and a 

lower tone. 

The flute in a higher key will have a shorter barrel length than a flute with a lower key. 

For example the flute in the key of A mentioned above will have a barrel length of approximately twelve and a half inches. A 

flute in the key of E above middle C – lower tone than A - will have a barrel length of around seventeen and a half inches. The 

barrel of the flute is the hollow chamber in which sound vibrations are generated. A Native American style flute has a second 

chamber called the slow air chamber. This adds additional length to the flute. So, the overall length of the flute will be greater 

than the barrel length alone. For example an Ancient Territories Native American style flute in the key of A is twenty-one 

inches in length from one end to the other. 

Key Range 

Flutes in the keys of A above middle C through E below middle C are often called mid range flutes. Lower keyed flutes are 

called bass flutes when they are one octave below C and double bass flutes when they are two octaves below. Higher keyed 

flutes are called treble flutes. 

As you can imagine lower keyed flutes will be somewhat more difficult to hold and play. Not only is the lower keyed flute bigger 

and heavier. But, the tone holes that the fingers must cover are further apart. Therefore a novice is advised to start with a 

comfortable sized flute such as an A or G rather than the longer and lower toned flutes such as F#, F and E. 

The tonal quality of each individual note is unique. So also is the tonal quality of flutes in different keys. A flute in the key of A 

will play a mode one pentatonic scale consisting of the notes A, C, D, E, G. A flute in the key of G will play a mode one 

pentatonic scale consisting of the notes G, A#, C, D, F. So, as you can see (and hear) flutes in different keys will play scales 

composed of different combinations of notes. 

Color 

Some people experience each note as having a corresponding color. Or the different notes can be compared to different flavors 

of sound. Just as there are different flavors of ice cream there are different flavors of sound. The note G has a different tonal 

flavor than the note A. Higher sounding notes that vibrate at more rapid rates have/convey more energy. They are more 

stimulating. Lower notes are more relaxed and meditative. Perhaps you are familiar with the sound of the Penny Whistle used 

in much Irish dance music. The Penny Whistle is usually in the key of what is commonly called high D. High D is the second D 

above middle C on the piano. This instrument has a very penetrating and stimulating sound. The dance steps of Irish clog 

dancing reflect this intensity. They are rapid and energetic. The dancers whirl and stomp. Contrast this to the music of a waltz 

in the key E. 

The sound of a flute in the key of F, E, Eb or D is more meditative in quality. Most of the prospective buyers who sample the 

sounds on my website are attracted to these lower keyed flutes. 

Energy centers 

The keys of different Native American style flutes are often assigned to different areas of the human body and their associated 

energy centers. These energy centers are called Chakras. There are seven charkas. The lowest is at the base of the spine and the 

highest is at the crown of the head. According to tradition the lowest chakra vibrates at the pitch of D. The second chakra in the 

lower abdominal region is E. the solar plexus chraka is F. The heart chraka is F#. The chakra in the neck or thyroid region is G. 

The forehead or eye center chakra is G# and the chakra at the crown of the head is A. It is thought that each of these centers 

vibrates in harmony with its particular musical note. 

The key of F# is sometimes called the de facto key of the Native American style flute. It has achieved this status by usage. The 

majority of recorded Native American style flute music is done with an F# flute. And, F# is a very popular flute key among 

amateur players. There seems to be no rational explanation for this. Perhaps it is because so much NA flute music is music of 

the heart. The only problem with an F# flute is that it is not a common musical key. So other musicians – guitarists, pianist etc 

– may have a difficult time playing with you. The keys of A, G and E are more common. 

Listen 

I suggest that you listen to sound samples or better yet play flutes of various keys to feel what key is best for you. You will 

know it when you hear/feel the sound that you like. 



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09/02/2011

Flute Tuning 



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Flute Tuning 


The Native American style flute is a musical instrument of elegant simplicity. This simplicity can be viewed as one of its more 

attractive characteristics. Because of its simplicity this instrument is accessible to the casual player. But with simplicity come 

certain limitations. I would like to address some of the unique characteristics of the Native American style flute so that you 

better understand your instrument. I am not a musicologist or trained musician. What I will try to do is present some common 

sense knowledge gained from my experiences making and playing the Native American style flute. 

Tuning, as we now understand it, was not an issue for the Native American Flute maker/player. 

He was interested only in making sounds that felt right to him. He did not measure the tonality of the instrument by any 

external standard other than his own ear. It was literally a matter of anything goes as long as I like it. In the late twentieth 

century the Native American flute began to gain acceptance beyond the confines of the Native community. In the hands of 

Native and non-Native flute makers and players the Native American style flute began a period of rather rapid development – 

one could perhaps say transformation. 

The most fundamental change that took place was to bring the NA flute into conformity with Western standards of tuning. 

Various makers adopted the mode one minor pentatonic scale as appropriate for the music they felt was being expressed 

through the flute. The resulting instrument had five tone holes and could play a five-note scale plus the first note of the second 

octave (six notes total). When a sixth hole was introduced it became possible to easily produce two scales on the same flute – 

mode one and mode four. So now you had a flute that could play two different five-note scales. Native American style flute 

makers also began to tune their flutes using the modern concert standard of 440 HZ for the key of A above middle C on the 

piano. 

The next challenge that flute makers took up was to craft a flute that could play a full chromatic scale. 

A chromatic scale divides the octave into twelve semi tones (notes) or half steps. There is an equal interval between each note. 

These five notes are the notes you can play on a flute just using open holes. In between those notes are other notes. You can 

think of them as hidden notes. You can see this illustrated on my website on the Playing the Flute page. You can also see this 

when you look at a piano keyboard. On the keyboard you have a sequence of twelve notes that repeat over and over. Five of the 

notes in the sequence are the black keys. Think of these five black keys as a pentatonic scale (which in fact they are). Now think 

of the white keys as the hidden notes between the pentatonic scale notes. 

With a full chromatic (twelve note) scale at a player’s disposal it is possible to play music in diatonic (seven note) as well as 

pentatonic (five note) scales. You can also play in music in major as well as minor keys. The twelve notes of the chromatic scale 

are each a half step apart. The thirteenth note up or down the scale is the fundamental (starting note) again but one octave 

higher or lower than where we started. By convention the interval between one note and the next higher or lower note was 

divided into 100 cents. 

To make playing a chromatic scale on the flute possible the flute maker must tune the flute so that the hidden notes are 

playable. These notes are played by cross fingering and half holing. These notes must be in tune so that there are 100 cents 

between each adjacent note. Remember, these are the notes in between the notes in the two available pentatonic scales. This 

challenge has been met with the possible exception of the two notes that lie between the fundamental and the first open holed 

note. Half holing (rather than cross fingering) must be used to produce these two notes. As anyone who has tried can tell you 

it’s not easy (or in my case possible) to sound both of these notes distinctly. So we have any almost but not quite full chromatic 

scale available on a modern, well tuned Native American style flute. Good enough to have a lot of fun with for sure. 

Temperature. 

The Native American style flute has another limitation. It has become standard practice for flute makers to tune their flutes at 

an ambient temperature of 72 degree Fahrenheit. A limitation of the Native American style flute is that once it is made its 

tuning cannot be adjusted. If the flute is made to be in tune at 72 degrees this means that it will be out of tune if the air 

temperature is higher or lower than 72. Warmer air temperatures will make the flute play sharp. Cooler temperatures will 

make the flute play flat. A change in temperature of 10 degrees higher or lower than 72 will make a flute play about 15 cents out 

of tune one way or the other. 

The length of the barrel of the flute determines the tuning of the fundamental note of the flute. 

A longer barrel lowers the tone. A shorter barrel raises the tone. As a matter of convenience we will say that the barrel length is 

measured from the splitting edge at the front of the true sound hole to the foot end of the flute. The standard metal concert 

flute has a telescoping slip joint on the barrel of the flute. This joint allows the musician to lengthen or shorten the overall 

length of the barrel. This changing barrel length allows the user to adjust the flute to compensate for differences in 

temperature. The Native American style flute (with certain rare exceptions) does not have this capability. It is solid wood from 

one end to the other with not telescoping joint. 

Tone is sensitive to breath pressure. 



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Another factor effecting the tuning of the Native American style flute is that the tone of the flute is sensitive to the breath 

pressure going into the flute. When the flute maker tunes a flute at a particular breath pressure it will be in tune only when 

played at that pressure (and at 72 degrees). If the flute player uses a higher breath pressure the flute will play sharp (it will also 

be louder). If he uses less pressure as he blows into the flute the flute will play flat (and softer). How sharp or flat depends on 

the amount of deviation in pressure from that at which the flute was originally tuned. 

Most Native American style flute makers tune their flutes using a breath pressure that is just short of a pressure that makes the 

tone of the flute start to sound ragged. This is usually (depending on the configuration of the flute) a rather high pressure. 

Beyond this pressure the purity of the note will start to break up. With more pressure the flute will jump octave. 

Does it matter when you are playing if the flute is sharp or flat? 

Not if you are playing solo. Remember the flute is in tune with itself. That is, the notes are in a harmonic relationship with each 

other. So if the flute is sharp all the notes are sharp to the same degree. If flat all the notes are equally flat. So there is no 

dissonance. In any case, few amateur musicians are able to detect (much less be bothered by) minor deviations from 440 HZ. 

So, even if the flute is playing a little sharp or flat it won’t be noticed. 

The tuning of the flute becomes important when it is played ensemble with other instruments. If you are out of tune relative to 

your guitarist friend to the extent of 15 cents there will be a noticeable cacophony between the two instruments. A guitar can be 

tuned. So the guitarist can tune his instrument so that it is in tune with your flute. This solves the problem on one level. Now 

you are both either sharp or flat to the same degree. The two instruments are in harmony with each other. 

The Native American style flute is basically a solo instrument. 


Therefore, there has been little pressure from flute players for a tunable instrument. When the flute is played ensemble with 

other instruments the flute is usually the lead instrument and the other musicians tune to the flute. 

There are two ways of making a Native American style flute that can be tuned. I have already mentioned the first – a 

telescoping barrel. The second method is to make a flute with an adjustable splitting edge. An adjustable or movable splitting 

edge is one that can be adjusted forward or backward along the length of the flute. This makes the barrel of the flute (the 

distance from the end of the flute to the splitting edge) longer or shorter. 




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Pentatonic Scales 



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This article is based on the work of Marcy Paulson in her article 'How to Understand Pentatonic Scales' and is published with 

her approval. 

Octaves 

An Octave is a measurement of musical distance. An octave stretches from a note of a given frequency (A 440 Hz for example) 

up a scale to an A note of twice that frequency – or A 880 Hz. The octave can also be measured downward to an A of half the 

frequency of the starting A – or A 220. 

The octave is broken into 12 notes of equal distance from each other. In musical terminology the distance between each note is 

called a half step. A half step is further divided into 100 cents. This is similar to the foot on a ruler being divided into 12 equal 

inches and the inches themselves being divided into fractions of an inch. A twelve-note octave is also called a chromatic scale. 

The octave on a piano is divided into twelve notes played on twelve successive keys of the piano. 

Another way a musician can think of an octave is like the notes are twelve musical steps on a spiral staircase. When you start 

with an A and go up twelve steps you have completed an octave. When you step onto the thirteenth step you are directly above 

the starting step and playing a new A. If you were taking the steps down you are directly below the starting step (or half the 

frequency). The thirteenth note is an A again but twice (or half) the starting frequency. 

When you start on a second octave you start counting the steps again from one – one, two, three up to twelve. So you are 

repeatedly going around the spiral staircase of notes either up or down. It does not matter which of the twelve possible notes 

you start on – the principle is the same. So a flute in the key of A goes form A above middle C on the piano to the second A 

above middle C. 

A pentatonic scale is made up of five of the possible twelve notes or steps. This means that a song in a pentatonic scale will be a 

composition or arrangement of these five notes in differing sequences. What makes a pentatonic scale so magical is that any of 

these notes will sound pleasing next to any other note on the pentatonic scale. So just playing around with these notes makes 

pleasing sound combinations. If you have ever tried playing random notes on the keyboard of a piano (chromatic scale) you 

have experienced that this will not produce a pretty song. Some of the twelve notes don’t sound good with others. This is also 

true of a diatonic (seven note) scale. 

Within any given five note song the musician can hop around however he likes. He can go from the top to the bottom in one 

leap and skip around however he likes between any of the five pentatonic notes. It all sounds good as long as he only touches 

his foot on one of the five notes of the scale. 

Of course, musicians break the rules all the time and touch on a few extra steps. They call those notes grace notes. But as with 

everything in life to sound good breaking the rules you have to know what you are doing in the first place. For the flute player 

to understand which extra (non pentatonic) notes to step on, and why he plays those notes and skips over the seven others is a 

little like solving a musical riddle. 

Of course you can only effectively use these grace notes if the flute is tuned so that you can get the non-pentatonic chromatic 

notes by cross fingering. 

How to Understand Pentatonic Scales 

For a pentatonic (five note) scale to sound pleasing the five notes must be arranged in one of five possible patterns. I will again 

use the analogy of a staircase for the twelve notes of a chromatic scale. This twelve-step/note staircase was described in the 

previous article. Here are the rules that ancient musicians discovered for moving up and down the staircase in five note scales. 

They formulated these rules by listening to the notes and intuiting what sounded right. 

When a musician starts off on step one of a pentatonic scale he will need to step on four other steps while progressing up one 

revolution of the spiral staircase. The first step (called the fundamental) plus four other steps make up the five notes of the 

particular pentatonic scale. 

Starting on step/note one the musician must climb the staircase stepping over intervals between steps/notes of either two or 

three steps. Let’s say that we start with step/note A. The twelve notes on the chromatic (stair step) scale from A to the next 

higher A are – A, A# (also known as Bb), B, C, C#, D, D# (or Eb), E, F, F#, G, G#. When you step off of G# (the twelfth note) to 

the next note you will be back to A directly above and one octave higher than the starting A. By the way, it doesn’t matter which 

note you start out on the principle is the same. One revolution up (or down) the spiral gets you back to the starting position 

only directly above where you started. 

So let’s start by going up what is called a mode one pentatonic scale. Leaving A we land on C. Notice we skip over Bb and B. 

This is known in music as an interval of three – Bb, B, C. Next we skip over C# and land on step/note D. This is an interval of 

two – C#, D. Now we skip another two interval – Eb, E and land on the E. Then we skip an interval of three again – F, F#, G 

and land on the G. Finally we skip another interval of two – G#, A and land on the A step/note one octave above where we 

started. 

So the pattern of the intervals of skipped notes in mode one is 3, 2, 2, 3, 2. We have played five notes – A, C, D, E, G of a 

pentatonic scale. We have skipped notes – A#, B, C#, D#, F, F# and G#. 



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Basically, a pentatonic scale consists of five notes separated by intervals of either two or three and the three step intervals can’t 

be adjacent to each other. Mathematically inclined musicians can work on this riddle to determine the ways of climbing the 

spiral staircase without breaking these rules. Here’s a hint, there are five, and only five correct ways to do it. These different 

patterns of stepped on stairs and skipped over stairs are called modes, another word for pentatonic scales. 

Here are the five modes: 

Mode One: (Minor Mode) 

We play notes 1, 4, 6, 8 and 11. The intervals are 3, 2, 2, 3, 2. 

Mode Two (Major Mode) 


Mode Three 


Mode Four 


Mode Five 

We play notes 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10. The intervals are 2, 3, 2, 2, and 3. 

next of the five keys and go up to it’s higher counterpart. 

Native American style flute players with a piano handy can see 

and hear the five pentatonic modes easily. 

If you study the five black keys on the piano, you will notice they 

are grouped in patterns of two and three. 

There are five black keys in all. You can start progressing up (or 

down) these keys in five different places. Notice you are skipping 

over all the white keys. If you start on one of these notes and 

strike the other four in order until you reach the same black note 

again you will hear one of the pentatonic modes. 

To hear another pentatonic mode you have only to start on the 

If you count the white notes in between each step from on black note to another you will see the intervals or skipped steps in 

the staircase. 

The typical six-hole Native American style flute will be tuned to play two of the pentatonic scales; mode one and mode four. 

Information presented on the Playing Your Flute page of this website will help clarify this material. 





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LA FLAUTA DE AMOR O FLAUTA NATIVA LAKOTA 

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El origen de la Flauta Nativa Norteamericana está envuelto en el misterio. Quizás fueron desarrolladas en el período Anasazi, basadas 

en diseños importados de Mesoamérica (México y América Central). Quizás fue desarrollada localmente, evolucionando de los pitos. 

Seguramente nunca se llegará a saber su origen. Generalmente se la describe esencialmente como un instrumente de cortejo y amorío; 

pero la Flauta Nativa Lakota fue en realidad un instrumento muy personal utilizada para una variedad de distintos propósitos, incluyendo 

Ceremonias y meditación personal en el Sudeste de norteamerica.. También hay indicaciones de su uso en la Sanación. 

Tengo el honor de haber recibido el don y el permiso de fabricar las Flautas de Amor Lakota. 

La tribu Lakota es una de las tres ramas de la Familia denominada por los colonos europeos como Siux. Los Lakotas Oglalas son 

considerados como los más místicos y nobles dentro de los nativos del norte. A ellos pertenecieron Black Elk o Alce Negro el ultimo 

chaman Lakota que dicto el libro La pipa Sagrada en 1947. 

A medida que establecemos el origen de la más común de las flautas Nativas Norteamericanas, o sea la flauta de dos cámaras, nos 

encontramos con un dilema. La mayor parte de la historia es de tradición oral, y la tradición oral se puede considerar como prueba de la 

existencia de algo solo hasta un cierto punto. Es un hecho sabido que las prácticas ceremoniales y las leyendas relacionadas con los 


La Flauta antigua 

POR RICHARD HALL, traduccion Leinad. 

Yo nací antes de que los humanos soñaran 

con andar sobre esta tierra. 

Nacido cuando mi padre, el viento acarició 

a mi madre, la madera. 

Yo soy el alba de la música. 

El canto de pinos cuando la luna aclara las 

nieves que cubrieron las colinas. 

El susurro de hojas cuando una briza de


orígenes de ciertos rituales fueron transmitidas con absoluta precisión de una generación a otra , pero dicha exactitud probablemente no 

se extienda a actividades más mundanas como pudieran ser la preparación de los alimentos o de la vivienda y la fabricación de 

herramientas, armas, e instrumentos musicales.Sin embargo, en nuestro caso, el de la Flauta Nativa Norteamericana, los instrumentos 

musicales que eran usados en ritos sagrados, requerían el uso de materiales específicos y ciertos ritos de construcción, y por lo tanto se 

extremó la precisión en la transmisión de los métodos de manufactura. Son estos métodos los que nosotros, los creadores de flautas 

tradicionales tratamos de respetar y preservar. 

LEYENDAS DEL ORIGEN DE LA FLAUTA DE AMOR O FLAUTA NATIVA 

El origen de la flauta de amor es así: Cuentan los Abuelos Lakota que en la tribu original había un joven que empezo a cortejar a las 

muchachas, pero ay, él se enamoro de sólo una doncella, cuentan. 

Sucedio que él se la encontró en la orilla del rio y le declaro su amor, pero la doncella sólo se rió de él y dijo: "¿Que esta pensando? 

Que yo debo casarme con uno como usted, un morador entre las tiendas sin una propia, es absurdo! " Y con malas palabras lo ultrajó y 

le hizo sentir mucha vergüenza. Porque, de hecho, esta doncella era la hija del jefe; y miraba con desden al muchacho pobre. 

Acontecio que el joven penso: "Ella me ha traído gran vergüenza; sería lo mejor si yo me muriera inmediatamente." 

Así al alba él disparó al norte una flecha y partio caminado detras de ella. En la tarde cuando estaba a punto de detenerse para 


verano toca un bosquecillo tembloroso. 

El gemido bajo cuando el otoño atraviesa 

la rama rota de un roble antiguo. 

Y ahora, cuando los espiritus sueñan la 

canción humana de la vida,Yo soy el regalo 

que habla de su pasado original,de su lazo 

a todos los que son. 

El regalo de madera de mi madre,el regalo 

de la respiración de mi padre. 

El canto del alma humana. 

La curación del corazón humano.


descansar, encontró un ciervo gordo muerto por la flecha que él habia disparado. Él tomó un pedazo de carne, lo asó y comió. Después 

de que hubo comido, el dolor en su corazón fue aliviado un poco; y estando muy cansado pronto se durmió. 

Así hizo durante cuatro días: al alba disparaba una flecha y al crepúsculo él encontraba un ciervo muerto por la flecha. Él asaba la carne 

y la comía, hasta que finalmente se sentía un poco más alegre. 

Cuando él se sento solitario al llegar la cuarta tarde, pensó, "yo creo que ahora podría volver a casa", pero de repente oyó voces 

humanas que venian de un bosquecillo de árboles. ¡Esperando lo peor, pensó, "aun cuando ellos me maten! Es la muerte lo que yo 

busco." Pero cuando ellos casi llegaban y sus voces crecieron claras él oyó que estaban hablando en Lakota. 

Uno de los dos dijo, "Amigo, usted lo da a él", pero el otro contestó, "No, amigo, usted lo da a él." De nuevo el primero dijo : "amigo, 

usted le dice" . De nuevo el otro se negó: "Pero, no, amigo, usted le dice." 

Por fin ellos simplemente se detuvieron dentro del círculo de luz del fuego que tenia prendido el joven y maravilla de maravillas, el 

muchacho vio que ellos eran unos hombres jóvenes guapos, y cuando ellos estaban de pie allí, sus cuerpos parecían emitir luz desde 

su interior. 

Finalmente uno hablo: "muchacho, de seguro nosotros sabemos que usted tiene mucho dolor en su corazón, pero esto se lo hara salir - 

escuche bien! " 

Ellos tenían una flauta larga y uno la empezó a interpretar. De la boca de esta flauta salio un sonido dulce y fuerte. 

Entonces ellos le dijeron, "Tome esta flauta de amor con usted y vuelva a su casa. A medianoche cuando las personas esten 


Los pueblos originales de Isla Tortuga (hoy 

llamada Norte America) interpretaban la 

Flauta de Amor con la intencion de 

conectar con los ritmos naturales, esa 

energia que emana de la madre tierra y 

que marca los ritmos vitales de todos los 

seres que viven sobre su piel. Hoy en dia 

tal conexion se ha perdido de la 

conciencia de la mayoria de las personas. 

La importancia de interpretar la Flauta de 

Amor en estos tiempos es que al hacerlo,


durmiendo, atraviese el campamento tocando esta flauta, y con seguridad todas las mujeres se levantarán y lo seguirán." Entonces los 

dos hombres jóvenes guapos se dieron la vuelta y, enseguida, el muchacho vio dos alces ( heh^aka) desaparecer entre los árboles. 

El muchacho volvió a casa, y cuando las personas dormian, él caminó entre las tiendas interpretando la flauta. Cuando la música llenó 

el aire, todas las mujeres se levantaron de las camas y, arrastrando sus mantas, empezaron a seguirlo. Una muchacha se dirigió a el 

repetidamente, "oiga, usted no me recuerda? Yo soy la hija del jefe". Pero él sólo oyó el sonido de la música maravillosa que venia de la 

boca de la flauta. 

Una muchacha, sin embargo, no se unió a la multitud. Ella sólo se quedo sentaba en silencio en su tienda. Ella fue la muchacha que el 

joven busco para casarse. 

Se dice que este muchacho era el alce original ( wakan heh^aka) . 

Entre los Lakotas el alce es simbólico de belleza masculina, virilidad, virtud, y encanto. Decir a un hombre que él es un alce. Éste es un 

gran cumplido. 

La leyenda del Niño y la flauta 

Se cuenta que la flauta vino a nosotros por primera vez a través de un joven nativo que se había perdido, vagando solo en el bosque. 

Fue allí, en lo profundo del bosque, que el Gran Espíritu que lo vio. Al sentir compasión de alguien tan joven, decidió darle un regalo 

para que no estuviera solo. Desde el cielo envió a un pequeño pájaro que se paro sobre una rama hueca de un árbol de gran tamaño. 


logramos instantaneamente despertar ese 

sentimiento de intimidad con nuestra 

madre tierra. 

"Abuelo, Gran Espíritu... Tú has 

establecido que los poderes de los cuatro 

cuartos de la tierra se entrecrucen. 

Me has hecho andar por el buen camino y 

por el camino difícil, y el lugar donde 

ambos se cruzan es sagrado. 

Un día tras otro, para siempre jamás, eres


Debajo de la sombra del árbol estaba el muchacho nativo joven. A medida que el viento del norte soplaba y atravesaba la rama hueca, 

producía un sonido que el muchacho nunca había escuchado antes. 

Mirando hacia arriba vio un pájaro encaramado en lo alto del árbol. Muy pronto el pájaro se puso a picotear los orificios en la rama y con 

cada agujero que el pajarillo hacia, cambiaba el tono de cada nota con el viento que seguía soplando. El joven se dio cuenta de que el 

hermoso sonido provenía de la rama hueca y que era un regalo para él del el Gran Espíritu. Con mucho cuidado se subió al árbol para 

llegar a la parte alta y con cuidado desprendió la rama. Él sopló en ella, imitando al viento del norte, e hizo aparecer el hermoso sonido. 

Más tarde encontraría a su pueblo y les contó acerca de su don maravilloso. Así es como la primera flauta nativa fue traída a nosotros 

por el Gran Espíritu, y también por qué el pájaro pequeño que se sienta encima de cada una de las flautas. 

o. 

Flauta Hutter Winnebago 


la vida de las cosas." 

Black Elk, sioux oglala (Nerburn, Native 

American Wisdom)


La más antigua Flauta Nativa en existencia fue recogida por el teniente George Christian Hutter, miembro de la expedición-O'Fallon 

Atkinson de 1825-1826, que visitó las naciones Siux principales a lo largo del río Missouri Superior. Actualmente se convirtió en el 

articulo con elnúmero 99-12-10/53006 del Museo Peabody de Arqueología y Etnología de la Universidad de Harvard, nos parece un 

destino un poco triste para un instrumento musical tan vivo. Esta Flauta multinota es rara y frágil. Está hecha de dos piezas de madera 

ahuecada, probablemente de cedro, pegados y atados con tendones. Siete agujeros se abren en la madera a intervalos. ... La flauta fue 

pintada de rojo, y todo el cuerpo del instrumento fue cubierto con una membrana delgada, transparente, probablemente tomado del 

saco intestinal de un Bisonte. 

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Key Six Hole Flauta Lakota 

Minor mode Major mode 

F G# Bb C Eb F G# F G A C D F G 

Three mode Four mode 

F G Bb C Eb F G F G# Bb C# Eb F G# 

Five mode 

F G Bb C D F G

Chromatic Scale for 6-Hole Flute - continued 

Key of “C” - Chromatic Scale Fingering Chart for the 6-Hole Flute 

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A 

Extended Scale (highest possible notes) 

A# B C C# D D# E

Minor Pentatonic Scale 

Major Pentatonic Scale 

Blues Scale 

Mixoblues Scale

Mixolydian Scale 

Dorian Scale 

Melodic Minor Scale 

Harmonic Minor Scale

Lydian Scale 

Asian Scale 

Middle Eastern Minor Scale 

Slendro Scale

Aeolian Scale 

Hungarian Minor Scale

Autor: Pedro Vadhar (Corazón de viento) 

Género: Folk 

Arreglo: Yoltisi 

 

T=60 (Flauta Lakota pentafonal) 

 

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Flauta Nativa Lakota - Musicoterapias

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