All About the Native American Flute

by Howard Fosdick © FolkFluteWorld.com

The Native American flute emits some of the most emotive, soulful sounds you'll ever hear. That's why its music on Youtube attracts millions of listeners. People feel relaxed and connected by these natural, soothing sounds.

Beyond its special voice, what is unique about this flute is that anybody can play it. That's right... appealing though its music may be, this is an instrument that even non-musicians can easily bring to life.

We'll get into why this is later, but for now: one secret is that the flute is tuned to a 5-note pentatonic scale. All notes in this scale sound harmonious together. So you literally can't play a wrong note. (That's not the case, of course, with instruments tuned to the standard 7-note western scale.)

So, the Native American flute not only sounds intriguing, it's also incredibly easy to play. It's the perfect vehicle through which those who aren't musicians can experience the joy of musically expressing themselves.

This article introduces the Native American flute. We'll tell you a bit about its history, how it's constructed, how to play it, and recommend where to start in exploring it. We'll include links to so many free resources that you won't have to buy anything beyond the flute itself.

Here's the agenda...

How It Sounds

To understand the Native American Flute's special appeal, listen to a sound sample:

Origins

Historically, Native Americans comprised a diversity of related peoples with different languages and cultures spread over a vast geographic area. They invented many kinds of flutes and developed varieties of each.

One developmental thread consists of bone flutes. These are flutes carved from animal bones, most often bird bones. Those of the eagle were used in religious ceremonies, for example.

You can buy bone flutes today from a variety of Native American and other sources. Some are designed to be playable musical instruments, while others are intended more as cultural or ceremonial pieces. Read my article The Ultimate Guide to Bone Flutes to learn more.

In this article, we'll discuss wood flutes. Native Americans developed a very wide variety of them. There are many traditions regarding design, fingering, pitches, and more.

In the 1980s, standardization occured that brought many flutes into closer conformance to European musical concepts. For example, most flutes adopted concert pitch standard for tuning, and pentatonic minor for their basic scale. Fingering of the notes also became more standard across flutes. And, the basic design with two air chambers and attached block became predominant.

This standardization resulted in much wider appreciation of the Native American flute in mainstream American culture. Music featuring the Native American flute became widely popular. Compositions were often associated with meditative contemplation or new age trends.

For the first time, Native American flutes became commercially available. You could now purchase a quality flute and make your own music, and follow your heart with wherever it took you.

We'll focus on the predominant trends with Native American flutes in this article. Keep in mind that there are other aspects to Native American fluting beyond our scope.

The Flute's Design

Several factors underlie the Native American flute's beautiful voice.

First, these flutes are traditionally made from natural wood. Cedar is very popular, but many other woods are used, as well. Wood instruments have their own special timber that metal or plastic cannot duplicate.

Second, consider the unique design of this flute.

As this diagram shows, the flute has two air chambers. The first is the slow air chamber, located right next to breath hole the musician blows into. Air is forced through a narrow flue and hits the splitting edge to produce sound waves.

The sound waves enter the long sound chamber and travel down the body of the flute. Here are the musician controls the pitch of the note by fingering either five or six holes atop the instrument.

Native American flutes have no thumb holes.

This concept of a dual-chambered instrument is unique to the Native American flute. You can usually spot Native American flutes immediately by the block that sits atop and creates the flue. This differentiates it from all other kinds of flutes.

You might also hear the block referred to as the bird or fetish. Most blocks are held to the body of the instrument by a strap or string. (A few flutes have non-removable blocks). This separate block allows you to alter the pitch of the instrument or tune it. It also makes for easier cleaning.

Here's a closeup of how the block looks attached to the flute:

The second image shows how the opening near the bird must located be on the far side, away from your mouth while you blow the flute.

How big an opening should you leave next to the block? Your flute will have instructions on this. In any case, you can always experiment with positioning to see which works best. This also allows you to tune the instrument.

Some flutes intercede a spacer plate between the block and the flute body, as shown in this photo. The spacer plate usually permits more precise control over tuning and sound. However, it may make it a tad more challenging to assemble and tune correctly, because the spacer plate must be attached to the flute between the block and the flute body.

Playing

Playing the flute is simplicity itself. All notes in its pentatonic scale sound harmonious together, so it's the perfect vehicle for improvisation. Just be sure to cover each fingering whole completely to ensure true, clear notes.

Here's a simple fingering chart that shows how to ascend the scale. It's for a 6 hole flute.

If you have a 5 hole flute, the fingering is the exact same, except that your flute doesn't include the 3rd hole down from the top of the diagram. (You'll notice that this hole is always covered when fingering the basic scale with a 6 hole flute.)

The Native American flute is often termed a diatonic instrument, meaning that it plays whole notes, but no sharps and flats.

In fact, most flutes can play the chromatic notes. But fingering varies between flute makers so you'll have to refer to the fingering chart they provide to see how to play them.

Playing chromatics often requires cross fingering -- covering some holes while leaving intervening ones open. This is not at all difficult, but it does mean that you have to memorize the fingering patterns.

You may also have to half hole -- cover half of a hole with a finger. This technique is not difficult either but it does require enough practice to develop some instinctive muscle memory as to where the holes are located on your flute.

A final technique to learn is overblowing. This is where you finger a note and blow harder or more sharply into the flute to produce a higher-sounding note with the same fingering. Overblowing extends the range of your flute into more notes than shown in the above fingering diagram. It may give you an extra couple notes on the high end of what your flute can play.

Overblowing is unique to each flute. You'll have to refer to the information the maker provides with your flute to see what notes overblowing can achieve. Not all flutes support overblowing. In many cases, this technique only offers an extra note or two beyond the basic scale.

How many notes a flute can play is specific to that flute. Often you'll hear Native American flutes described as ranging across about an octave and a third.

Musical Notation

Traditionally, the Native American flute is more a vehicle for personal music-making and contemplation than a vehicle for playing written sheet music. It hasn't been so much about public performance as it has been about personal growth.

But the standarization process that occurred in the 1980s also led to the development of a musical notation.

It's called Nakai tablature. R. Carlos Nakai, the famous Native American composer and musician, invented it. Nakai notation employs standard western staff notation and conventions. Since the notes it describes are based on the flute's own relative pitches (rather than absolute pitches), it can be used to score songs for all keys of Native American flute.

Nakia notation music is typically scored in the key of F# minor. This key has four sharps. Here's the scale:

It's pretty common to see fingering diagrams immediately below each note, such as those from the above fingering chart. This makes it easier to play tunes if you're not accustomed to reading music.

Caring for Your Flute

Just like with a wood recorder, it's important to care for your flute properly. Wood flutes are susceptible to damage from the moisture in your breath, as well as from extreme temperatures. So here's what to do.

First off, you'll want to break your flute in gently. You may be enthused when you get your first flute, but resist the temptation to play for hours at a stretch. Don't play for more than 15 or 20 minutes per day! Even when you've had your flute for a while, limit playing time to a maximum of 30 minutes in a session.

Playing too long will wet out or water out a wood instrument. This is when it's accumulated sufficient moisture from your breath that it no longer plays. Or perhaps notes sound off-key or don't voice clearly.

Stop playing, remove the block, and let your flute dry out. You may use a swab (like those used for recorders) to gently swab out the instrument to reduce internal moisture.

Many like to blow out the moisture from their instrument by sharp breaths. To do this, turn the flute so that it is upside down. With the block now underneath the flute, a sharp breath or two will cause water to drip out and clear the flute.

Never leave your flute in direct sunlight or exposure it to extreme temperatures. Always let it revert to room temperature before playing or you could warp or crack the wood.

Some like to oil or wax their flutes. Follow your maker's instructions on this because different woods have different care needs.

Don't share your flute with others. Even when the flute is completely dry, it may harbor harmful microbes. Share your flute, and you share gems with whoever has played it!

For more information on flute care and maintenance, this article offers much detail on the subject.

Who Makes Flutes

When you first access flute maker websites, you'll notice that some say they make Native American flutes, while others state that they craft Native American style flutes.

The difference is that the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts Act requires that only those who are federally defined as "Indian" can make Native American flutes.

Those who do not qualify as Indian under this law vend their flutes as Native American style flutes.

This is a legally defined ethnic/racial distinction about who makes the flute. It has no bearing on the nature of the flute itself.

Where to Start

Native American flutes are typically produced from woods like cedar, walnut, juniper, redwood, cherry or other more exotic choices. As with recorders, wood density affects tone (though not so much, perhaps, as the flute's design parameters.) Coloring often depends on staining techniques more than the wood used.

Longer flutes are lower pitched, and they cost more. 6 hole flutes are more popular than 5 hole because they yield more notes and more musical possibilities.

Many people become enamored of the beautiful sounds of low-pitched flutes. But beware. You want to be sure you can comfortably reach all the fingering holes on the flute you buy, and the finger spread on some low flutes may be too long for your hands. Vendors will usually specify the hand reach required for their lower flutes.

Probably the most popular flute is in the key of G. F# is also popular given that it's the basis of Nakai tablature. But buy a first flute in any key you like, as long as its comfortably playable.

Be sure to listen to a sound sample before you buy. Flutes do sound different from one another and you want to buy one that you find most pleasing.

Most people start with a relatively inexpensive 6 hole wood flute. You can gain experience with the instrument and learn what you like and don't like. Some reputable flute makers that offer quality instruments for $100 USD or less include:

• Laughing Crow
• Gray Fox Flutes
• Blue Bear Flutes
• Stellar Flutes

After you become expert, you may know exactly what pitch of flute you'd want to buy next, and from which maker. They all vary tremendously and so you need experience to discover what suits you. Since all flutes are handmade, the best are expensive investments. It makes sense to spend money for one of those only after you've gained significant experience.

Free Resources

Good news! You needn't buy anything beyond your flute. Sheet music, lessons, advice, fingering charts, articles, and more are all available on our free resources webpage. (You might have to scroll down the the "Native American flute" section of the webpages.)

The resources webpage links to flute circles, groups of Native American flute players who socialize and share tips and advice. In addition to dozens of local groups, regional and national organizations hold various events and festivals.

Final Thoughts

The Native American flute projects a haunting, soulful voice that encourages contemplation and personal growth. It connects to the centuries of Native American tradition and culture in North America.

With its pentatonic scale, it's truly an instrument anyone can play. No special skill or lessons are needed.

I hope you grab this opportunity and find hours of enjoyment in this pastime.

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