Flute

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MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Flute

Post by MaineGeezer »

A few weeks ago I heard this guy: https://hawkhenries.com/

That inspired me to try to make a flute. I knew nothing about it -- for that matter, I still don't -- but somebody told me about flutopedia.com . It seemed to have enough information to get me in trouble, so I decided to see what I could do.

I got a cedar log that I was able to get a sufficiently large knot-free blank from, and started whacking away. The result isn't great, but it makes a sound --- which I wasn't sure I'd be able to achieve -- and the finger holes mostly work. It still needs more precise tuning (by selectively enlarging the holes) and the tone could be more clear at some frequencies. At any rate, it's keeping me occupied while I think about what I might do for another guitar.

Here is a sound sample and a picture.
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Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Flute

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

That is awesome. I have been wanting to try a flute/recorder. This inspires me to try it. I am going to try a duck whistle to go along with my mallard hen calls.
Danl8
Posts: 733
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:50 am
Location: Chadds Ford, PA

Re: Flute

Post by Danl8 »

Very nice flute. I'm going to add that to my bucket list...
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Flute

Post by MaineGeezer »

I've now got it more or less correctly tuned, I think. I need to talk to somebody who actually knows something about these flutes!
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Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Flute

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

That is sweet. I've got to make me some of those
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Flute

Post by MaineGeezer »

I got all the construction information from http://www.flutopedia.com/
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Mal-2
Posts: 104
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2018 12:56 am

Re: Flute

Post by Mal-2 »

1/2" Schedule 40 pipe is a good, cheap material for testing flute designs. If you're building a transverse (side-blown) flute rather than a fipple flute, it is necessary to use pipe with a narrower inner diameter for the headjoint, or your octaves will get flatter and flatter as you go up the instrument. (Or you can go the recorder route and have a wide head and tapered body.) This may also be necessary on fipple flutes as well, but I get the impression Native American flutes are rarely played high in the second octave where it becomes really noticeable. Either that, or awkward cross fingerings that pull the impedance peaks into line are considered acceptable.

I've built dozens of flutes, and even sold a few. In terms of hours invested and materials costs, they fetch a much higher rate of return than assembling acoustic guitar kits. All you really need is a drill press, a lathe to cut your bore taper, and possibly tools for making tenon joints if you want them to come apart. If you want to never leave the most fluid keys of C, G, and D (relative to the instrument) then you need five instruments ranging from F# to Bb (or G to B) to cover all keys. This pretty much eliminates the need for keywork, and without any moving parts, the instruments will be almost indestructible as well as much cheaper to manufacture.
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Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Flute

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Love it! I think I may try my hand at it one day.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
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