OT my latest project

[O'Neille]

looks neat, but you forgot the drones, bag and reed!

[Moosedog]

Hi, Sean,

It's just pine (I only had a few days and so needed something soft) with a cherry block--I sealed it well then rubbed in a few coats of local beeswax which gives it a nice glow. I wasn't sure I could get anything to them via mail so wanted them to have it for the flight home.

The piece that's tied on, called the "block" or "bird," it what makes Native American flutes unusual...Most flutes around the world are a single tube and require a certain embouchure ( or "the way you hold your mouth") to play...NA flutes have two chambers sepearated by a piece of wood left inside--roughly under the block. You blow in one end, your breath tumbles around the first chamber, and then is directed by the block against the edge of a hole into the second chamber--this cause the air to vibrate and produce the sound.

Makes it easy to be able to play right away but still allows great expression. The block is tied on (as apposed to being fixed permanently) so you can adjust it slightly as needed for sound, and you can remove it after playing to let the flute dry out.

Moosedog

[Bugbear]

That's interesting, Moosedog. I like the music that gets played on those up in the Four Corners area, Window Rock...

[James MacMillan]

Neat! Can you post an audio???

[Alan H]

Very nice. I made a flute out of....horrors...PVC pipe a while ago, but this is an awful lot nicer!