Flute Making Part 1

(top to bottom) Mid G, Mid G, F#

In learning to make NAF style flutes, two sayings come to mind: One is the joke that first you do it for love, then you do it for friends and finally you do it for money. The way I apply that here is not that I am changing careers (because I think I might go hungry!) but simply that as you really discover something great it begins to apppear in more and more aspects of your life. The second adage is something I read on Clint Goss's site that I think is attributed to Jirí Stivín in Prague who said "every flute player should make his own flute!" Well now I resemble that remark I guess.
One of our flute circle members is a very accomplished woodworker and turner. His interest in learning to make flutes included an invitaion to try it with him and it has been a huge amount of fun. Learing to work in wood, in this case Poplar, and get a feel for how it comes together is amazing. I made a Mid G and a F# in 3/4" & 7/8" bores respectively. They sound good and are fun to play. Most importantly they feel great in the sense of accomplishment and I can say that this is a very compelling feeling. I will try my hand at it again as soon as I have time and when my flute playing catches up again. These two seemed to take all of autumn to complete.

I have several folks to credit for the inital success beside Paul my woodworking buddy. Keith Stanford at Cherry Cows puts together a great manual at cost and runs a weekend workshop online that has proved priceless. Thanks Keith, for success the first time!
Second is Bill Hughes new DVD - on Making NAF Style Flutes. This DVD really helps bring the details together and looking at both resources carefully gives one the confidence to try and move forward in a way that avoids some classic first time mistakes. Several years ago I think my first attempt without prior woodshop experience would have meant firewood but with these two excellent teachers to reference I have two servicable flutes. The adventure continues!

Flutes go to school

Just a quick update - my son and I are playing didge and flute at a few local schools and trying to get anyone who will listen with a breif history, mechanics and song session. Doing NAF flute and didge in the same session can be tight but it is fun to see the reactions to such different and yet similar instruments. Last session, when these photos were taken the kids got to dance to the beat they felt in the playing and it looked like a bag of popcorn popping! Very fun stuff.


Also a fun note for this coming weekends flute circle meeting: The Celtic group Blackbirds and Thrushes will present two performances of its Heritage Holiday Concert as part of the 2006-2007 Concert Series at the Randolph County Community Arts Center. The first holiday concert is on Saturday, December 9th at 8pm followed by a second concert on Sunday, December 10th at 3pm. This provides an additional benefit to being in Elkins for the weekend and promises some great flute playing.