how do you make bamboo flutes?!?!?!?!
Bamboo flutes?
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ITS FUN I DID IT A FEW TIME here ya go my friend
Making a Bamboo Flute
1. Choose a flute size
- See sample flutes: can you cover the holes?
- The G flute will best serve the needs of most players.
- Smaller hands will be better off with an a’ or b’ flute.
2. Choose a tube: (sizes in mm)
The Flute Tube
The length of the tube is roughly decided by the
flute’s low note, which is also its “key.” The longer
the flute, the lower that note. This measurement is
for the flute interior only--in other words, from the
open end of the tube, up to the stopper.
The inside diameter (I.D.) of the tube--the distance
between the tube walls--must vary with the length,
for the sake of range and octave tuning. Longer
tubes should be wider. For a simple flute, the best
ratio of I.D. to length is about 1 to 23, or 4.35%. A
wider tube than that will favor low notes, and a
narrower tube will favor high notes. This
measurement too is shown in the table.
3. Clean the tube up:
- The wall thickness of the tube is important mostly because it determines the
depth of the fingerholes.
- A thin wall helps volume, tone, range, and octave tuning. Aim at 1/16 inch
(1.5mm) to 1/8 inch (3mm) for most materials, and never thicker than 5/32 inch (4
mm).
- Rasp and sand out the inside except near the sound / blowhole. Leave the walls
as thick as possible there, just sanding slightly to remove loose material.
Tube Size Table
Key bore
23:1
Inside Length
(min)
C 25 590
D 23 540
E 21 490
F 19 460
G 17-18 410
a 15-16 360
b 13-14 320
c 12-13 285
d 11-12 270
4. Make the Mouth / Sound Hole
The mouthhole must be placed at just the right distance from the flute stopper to give the
closest octave tuning, as well as a clear tone. A good beginning guess for this
measurement is 2/3 of the flute tube’s inside diameter--but you will have to experiment.
(The distance is measured from the mouthhole center.)
- A larger mouthhole will improve volume and tone.
- But a smaller mouthhole will improve range and octave tuning.
- A good compromise size is 7/16 inch(11 mm) or slightly larger. Even better is an
oval of about the same area, for an edge better fitted to your blowing. Try 12mm
wide by 10mm high.
- Thick tube walls are better: thin tube walls are good for fingerholes, but a deeper
mouth-hole produces a more solid tone.
- Burn the hole with a hot iron tool. Then clean it up with a sharp knife to have
clean perpendicular edges and be oblong as shown below.
Note 1: we burn holes in bamboo rather than drilling because bamboo splits easily when drilled. When
burning a hole, the iron tool should be red hot and generate large amounts of smoke. Try not to breath
the smoke.
Note 2: If you have trouble getting a note, there may be loose material inside the tube; clean it out with a
sanding stick. If the mouth hole is so wide that it cuts into the sides of the tube, the mouth hole may not
work.
5. Cut to length
Play your flute, and see what note it plays on the tuner. It should be lower (flatter) than what you
want for your final tuning.
Now you will cut off small sections of the tube until the note is just a bit flat of what you want.
Check the octave tuning.
Final adjustment can be done by sanding.
6. Tuning
The Fingerholes
- Large fingerholes give better volume, tone, range, and octave tuning.
- Smaller holes are easier to cover, and also to reach, because they wind up closer
together.
- A good general hole size is 3/8 inch to 7/16 inch, depending on the flute’s size
and the player’s fingers. But the holes don’t need to be all the same size.
Individual holes can be made as large as 1/2 inch, as long as you can reach and
cover them.
The holes also don’t need to be in a straight line. You may want to offset them to make fingering easier. On longer flutes, you
could place the bottom hole under your little finger, instead of your ring finger, for better positioning and an easier
reach..Tuning The notes of the flute are determined chiefly by the size and placement of the fingerholes.
The pictures below gives a rough guide to where to put the holes for some tuning possibilitites. The chart measurements are
shown as percentages of distance from the mouthhole or soundhole (from center of the hole for sideblown flutes, the lower
edge of the hole for fipple or notch flutes). So carefully measure this distance on your tube and look up the measurement on
the charts of hole placement. All measurements are to finger hole centers, not edges. The charts provides a starting point only.
From there, you will have to experiment with final placement and hole size, using the tuning techniques we’ll now discuss.
Western major scale tuning with the Key starting on the lowest or Root Tone of the tube. This will give
the standard do re mi tuning (whole step, whole step, half step, whole, whole, whole, then half step from
the top hole back to all holes covered and the second octave overblow)
Measure:
- Use the precalculated measurement charts and mark your flute tube carefully.
- Before burning, compare with a finished flute of the type you are making and the
images above to be sure that you have not made a major marking error.
For flutes in G and below, I burn the hole with it’s lower edge right on the marked line. For flutes above G,
I burn the hole centered on the line. The higher the key or root note, the less room there is for error.
Burning:
- Do the bottom 3 holes first and when they are close but still slightly flat, do the top
three.
- Burn the holes small to start with, check the tuning and then increase the hole
size to bring the hole into tune. I use the burner to increase the size and a knife to clean
up the burned part.You can move the center of the hole up or down as needed as you increase
the size.
The percentages of the acoustic length are set to be a bit flat to start out. If you go too quickly and make
the note sharp, it is very hard to lower the note.
Here are the two most important rules for tuning:
- A hole will give a higher note if it is placed closer to the mouthhole. It will give a
lower note if placed farther away.
- A hole will give a higher note if made larger. It will give a lower note if smaller.
These rules mean you can “raise” a note by enlarging the hole or by placing the hole closer to the
mouthhole. You can “lower” the
note by using a smaller hole or by placing the hole farther from the mouthhole. It also means you can
change the hole size and its placement without changing the note. A larger hole could be placed farther
from the mouthhole, or a smaller hole placed closer to the mouthhole. The tuning of any fingerhole’s note
is also affected by:
- The depth of the hole--in other words, the thickness of the tube. The deeper the hole, the lower
the note.
- The open fingerholes farther from the mouthhole. The more and larger these fingerholes, the
higher the note.
- The size and depth of the mouthhole. The larger the mouth-hole, the higher the note. The
deeper the mouthhole, the lower the note.
- The placement of the stopper. The closer to the mouthhole, the higher the note.
- The width of the tube. A wider tube produces a lower note.
Generally, anything that “opens up” the tube wall and allows the air to vibrate more freely will raise the
note. Anything that “closes” the wall and resists air vibration will lower it.
How you play the flute will also affect the tuning. When checking the tuning of a note, play at a medium
loudness, with your fingers at a medium height over the fingerholes, and without bending over the
mouthhole. Try your best not to “bend” the notes into tune, as you would during normal playing.
Also keep in mind that the first note in both the second and third octave is fingered differently from the
flute’s low note. Instead of covering all the holes, you should leave the top hole uncovered as a “vent,” as
shown below.
The tuning of these two higher notes is affected by both the flute length and the size of the vent hole.
Enlarging the vent hole or placing it closer to the mouthhole will sharpen the first note of the second
octave. It will flatten the first note of the third octave. For tuning, the notes of the flute can be compared to
the notes of a piano, pitchpipe, or other tuning instrument. Play your own note first, so you aren’t tempted
to “bend” your note to match the other. Or you can simply tune the notes of the flute to each other, in the
do-re-mi pattern, with the low note as do. If you tune this way, check each note against the flute’s low
note, so you don’t “drift” out of tune.
Whichever way you choose, remember that the notes of the flute aren’t supposed to be exactly in tune,
but only close enough to.”bend” into tune when you play them. This is because simple flutes seldom have
perfect octave tuning.
To make sure both the first and the second octave are tuned well enough, the first octave must normally
be tuned a little sharp, and the second octave a little flat. You may also have to smooth out differences in
“out-of-tuneness” between holes of different sizes. Tuning is the chief art in simple flutemaking. It will
become easier, and you’ll get better, the more you do it.
Tuning Chart:
Major Keys
Root 3 5 6 8 10 12 R’
octave
A B C# D E F# G# A
B C# D# E F# G# A# B
C D E F G A B C
D E F# G A B C# D
E F# G# A B C# D# E
F G A A# C D E F
G A B C D E F# G
Hole Placement for none standard tunings:
Decimal fractions of acoustic length to allow hole placement for any tuning you want using the Western
12 step scale. If you know the notes of the scale, you can calculate where to place the holes using these
percentages. The holes are numbered by how many half steps they are up from the base note of the
tube.
Example: Key of C
B A# A G# G F# F E D# D C# C
11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
______________________________________...
|
| O O O O O O O O O O O O
|_____________________________________...
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
0.0 .439 .465 .50 .54 .585 .63 .68 .73 .78 .83 .89 1.0
Note: these calculations are set to be a bit flat, allowing for tuning. Burn the holes small to start with and increase the size to
bring into tune.
7. Cleaning and Finishing
Bamboo needs only a light sanding, to
remove dirt. A bottle brush will clean the
inside. You can decorate the flute by
burning in an insignia, or running a torch
over it to darken it, or even by inlaying.
A bamboo flute will crack and split when
the inside of the tube expands much
more rapidly than the outside. This can
happen when you take a flute outside
on a cold day and blow your warm
breath into it. It can also happen
anytime the flute absorbs moisture from
your breath too quickly. To resist
moisture and guard against cracking,
bamboo requires finishes inside and
out.
Finishes
You have many choices. Wooden
orchestra instruments are finished with
bore oil, which is nothing but light
mineral oil. Be careful not to use too
much on the outside of your flute,
because it never dries! Almond oil is
used by many flutemakers. Buy it at a
natural foods store. If you prefer an oil
that dries, you can use walnut oil.
Avoid using commercial finishes from
hardware stores on the outside of your
flute, because they almost always have
toxic additives. However, they work well
inside, sealing against moisture better
than most natural finishes. One way to
apply a finish inside only is to seal the
flute holes with masking tape and pour
in the finish.
Other options for the outside include
shellac and petroleum jelly. Organic
wood finishes are sometimes advertised
in fine wood-working magazines.
Binding.
You should also bind the flute, at least once
below the mouth- hole and once at the open
end. See the illustration following. You can’t pull the
cord tight enough with your fingers alone, so use one or
more dowels, sticks, or extra bamboo pieces for
wrapping, pulling, and levering. The finished binding
must be tight enough that the end loops don’t spread
out when you nudge them with a finger.
You can find a wide variety of cords for binding at
hardware stores and craft shops. Your cord must be
strong, not slippery, and attractive. One favorite is
waxed flax (linen). Another is waxed nylon, available
from leather supply and shoe repair shops. Synthetic
cords become tighter and stronger when the air is dry.
Natural cords become tighter and stronger when the air
is humid--but hot, humid weather also shortens their life.
Waxed cords aren’t as affected by changes in humidity,
and last longer. Among natural fibers, cotton and jute
are too weak. You can make your bindings even
stronger by coating them with epoxy or melted wax.
Binding a Flute
(from “Simple Flutes” by Mark Shepard)
Tools:
Step 1:
sample flutes to test for ability to cover holes.
Step 2: No tools: need precut and sorted flute tubes.
Step 3:
round rasps and rat-tail files (these can be hard to find)
sanding sticks: use contact cement to glue pieces of sandpaper around the ends of sticks. Glue heavy
grade paper on one end, finer grade on the other for finish sanding. Be sure to use the contact cement
properly (apply it to the stick and sandpaper in a thin layer, and let it dry 15 minutes before sticking the
paper onto the stick. I use large rubber bands to hold the paper in place while the glue finishes setting).
Step 4:
Metric ruler in millimeters
pencil
thin stick (to find the exact depth of the tube stopper to place the mouth hole properly)
burning tool: I use double headed nails driven into a wooden
dowel handle (a piece of old broomstick will do), and then
cut the top head off with a hacksaw.
gas camp stove
sharp knife
Step 5:
cheap electronic instrument tuner: I am using a and a.
hacksaw with 10” blade and 10 teeth / inch (rotate the tube as you cut to keep from knocking
splinters out of the bottom edge of the tube)
Step 6:
measuring chart
good metric yardstick in millimeters
burning tool
gas camp stove
sharp knife
electronic instrument tuner (or a good set of ears)
Step 7:
damp cloth
fine sandpaper
hemp twine
beeswax
natural furniture polish or oil (olive, walnut, orange)
Major C
542 544 546 548 550 552 554 556 558 560 562 564 566 568 570
233.1 233.9 234.8 235.6 236.5 237.4 238.2 239.1 239.9 240.8 241.7 242.5 243.4 244.2 245.1
271.0 272.0 273.0 274.0 275.0 276.0 277.0 278.0 279.0 280.0 281.0 282.0 283.0 284.0 285.0
314.4 315.5 316.7 317.8 319.0 320.2 321.3 322.5 323.6 324.8 326.0 327.1 328.3 329.4 330.6
368.6 369.9 371.3 372.6 374.0 375.4 376.7 378.1 379.4 380.8 382.2 383.5 384.9 386.2 387.6
395.7 397.1 398.6 400.0 401.5 403.0 404.4 405.9 407.3 408.8 410.3 411.7 413.2 414.6 416.1
449.9 451.5 453.2 454.8 456.5 458.2 459.8 461.5 463.1 464.8 466.5 468.1 469.8 471.4 473.1
Major C - D
512 514 516 518 520 522 524 526 528 530 532 534 536 538 540
220.2 221.02 221.88 222.7 223.6 224.5 225.3 226.2 227.0 227.9 228.8 229.6 230.5 231.3 232.2
256.0 257.0 258.0 259.0 260.0 261.0 262.0 263.0 264.0 265.0 266.0 267.0 268.0 269.0 270.0
297.0 298.1 299.3 300.4 301.6 302.8 303.9 305.1 306.2 307.4 308.6 309.7 310.9 312.0 313.2
348.2 349.5 350.9 352.2 353.6 355.0 356.3 357.7 359.0 360.4 361.8 363.1 364.5 365.8 367.2
373.8 375.2 376.7 378.1 379.6 381.1 382.5 384.0 385.4 386.9 388.4 389.8 391.3 392.7 394.2
425.0 426.6 428.3 429.9 431.6 433.3 434.9 436.6 438.2 439.9 441.6 443.2 444.9 446.5 448.2
Major D
482 484 486 488 490 492 494 496 498 500 502 504 506 508 510
207.3 208.12 208.98 209.8 210.7 211.6 212.4 213.3 214.1 215.0 215.9 216.7 217.6 218.4 219.3
241.0 242.0 243.0 244.0 245.0 246.0 247.0 248.0 249.0 250.0 251.0 252.0 253.0 254.0 255.0
279.6 280.7 281.9 283.0 284.2 285.4 286.5 287.7 288.8 290.0 291.2 292.3 293.5 294.6 295.8
327.8 329.1 330.5 331.8 333.2 334.6 335.9 337.3 338.6 340.0 341.4 342.7 344.1 345.4 346.8
351.9 353.3 354.8 356.2 357.7 359.2 360.6 362.1 363.5 365.0 366.5 367.9 369.4 370.8 372.3
400.1 401.7 403.4 405.0 406.7 408.4 410.0 411.7 413.3 415.0 416.7 418.3 420.0 421.6 423.3
Major C
542 544 546 548 550 552 554 556 558 560 562 564 566 568 570
233.1 233.9 234.8 235.6 236.5 237.4 238.2 239.1 239.9 240.8 241.7 242.5 243.4 244.2 245.1
271.0 272.0 273.0 274.0 275.0 276.0 277.0 278.0 279.0 280.0 281.0 282.0 283.0 284.0 285.0
314.4 315.5 316.7 317.8 319.0 320.2 321.3 322.5 323.6 324.8 326.0 327.1 328.3 329.4 330.6
368.6 369.9 371.3 372.6 374.0 375.4 376.7 378.1 379.4 380.8 382.2 383.5 384.9 386.2 387.6
395.7 397.1 398.6 400.0 401.5 403.0 404.4 405.9 407.3 408.8 410.3 411.7 413.2 414.6 416.1
449.9 451.5 453.2 454.8 456.5 458.2 459.8 461.5 463.1 464.8 466.5 468.1 469.8 471.4 473.1
Major D
482 484 486 488 490 492 494 496 498 500 502 504 506 508 510
207.3 208.12 208.98 209.8 210.7 211.6 212.4 213.3 214.1 215.0 215.9 216.7 217.6 218.4 219.3
241.0 242.0 243.0 244.0 245.0 246.0 247.0 248.0 249.0 250.0 251.0 252.0 253.0 254.0 255.0
279.6 280.7 281.9 283.0 284.2 285.4 286.5 287.7 288.8 290.0 291.2 292.3 293.5 294.6 295.8
327.8 329.1 330.5 331.8 333.2 334.6 335.9 337.3 338.6 340.0 341.4 342.7 344.1 345.4 346.8
351.9 353.3 354.8 356.2 357.7 359.2 360.6 362.1 363.5 365.0 366.5 367.9 369.4 370.8 372.3
400.1 401.7 403.4 405.0 406.7 408.4 410.0 411.7 413.3 415.0 416.7 418.3 420.0 421.6 423.3
Major E
452 454 456 458 460 462 464 466 468 470 472 474 476 478 480
194.4 195.2 196.1 196.9 197.8 198.7 199.5 200.4 201.2 202.1 203.0 203.8 204.7 205.5 206.4
226.0 227.0 228.0 229.0 230.0 231.0 232.0 233.0 234.0 235.0 236.0 237.0 238.0 239.0 240.0
262.2 263.3 264.5 265.6 266.8 268.0 269.1 270.3 271.4 272.6 273.8 274.9 276.1 277.2 278.4
307.4 308.7 310.1 311.4 312.8 314.2 315.5 316.9 318.2 319.6 321.0 322.3 323.7 325.0 326.4
330.0 331.4 332.9 334.3 335.8 337.3 338.7 340.2 341.6 343.1 344.6 346.0 347.5 348.9 350.4
375.2 376.8 378.5 380.1 381.8 383.5 385.1 386.8 388.4 390.1 391.8 393.4 395.1 396.7 398.4
Major F 1
430 432 434 436 438 440 442 444 446 448 450 452 454 456 458
184.9 185.8 186.6 187.5 188.3 189.2 190.1 190.9 191.8 192.6 193.5 194.4 195.2 196.1 196.9
215.0 216.0 217.0 218.0 219.0 220.0 221.0 222.0 223.0 224.0 225.0 226.0 227.0 228.0 229.0
249.4 250.6 251.7 252.9 254.0 255.2 256.4 257.5 258.7 259.8 261.0 262.2 263.3 264.5 265.6
292.4 293.8 295.1 296.5 297.8 299.2 300.6 301.9 303.3 304.6 306.0 307.4 308.7 310.1 311.4
313.9 315.4 316.8 318.3 319.7 321.2 322.7 324.1 325.6 327.0 328.5 330.0 331.4 332.9 334.3
356.9 358.6 360.2 361.9 363.5 365.2 366.9 368.5 370.2 371.8 373.5 375.2 376.8 378.5 380.1
Major F G
400 402 404 406 408 410 412 414 416 418 420 422 424 426 428
172.0 172.9 173.7 174.6 175.4 176.3 177.2 178.0 178.9 179.7 180.6 181.5 182.3 183.2 184.0
200.0 201.0 202.0 203.0 204.0 205.0 206.0 207.0 208.0 209.0 210.0 211.0 212.0 213.0 214.0
232.0 233.2 234.3 235.5 236.6 237.8 239.0 240.1 241.3 242.4 243.6 244.8 245.9 247.1 248.2
272.0 273.4 274.7 276.1 277.4 278.8 280.2 281.5 282.9 284.2 285.6 287.0 288.3 289.7 291.0
292.0 293.5 294.9 296.4 297.8 299.3 300.8 302.2 303.7 305.1 306.6 308.1 309.5 311.0 312.4
332.0 333.7 335.3 337.0 338.6 340.3 342.0 343.6 345.3 346.9 348.6 350.3 351.9 353.6 355.2
Major G
370 372 374 376 378 380 382 384 386 388 390 392 394 396 398
159.1 160.0 160.8 161.7 162.5 163.4 164.3 165.1 166.0 166.8 167.7 168.6 169.4 170.3 171.1
185.0 186.0 187.0 188.0 189.0 190.0 191.0 192.0 193.0 194.0 195.0 196.0 197.0 198.0 199.0
214.6 215.8 216.9 218.1 219.2 220.4 221.6 222.7 223.9 225.0 226.2 227.4 228.5 229.7 230.8
251.6 253.0 254.3 255.7 257.0 258.4 259.8 261.1 262.5 263.8 265.2 266.6 267.9 269.3 270.6
270.1 271.6 273.0 274.5 275.9 277.4 278.9 280.3 281.8 283.2 284.7 286.2 287.6 289.1 290.5
307.1 308.8 310.4 312.1 313.7 315.4 317.1 318.7 320.4 322.0 323.7 325.4 327.0 328.7 330.3
Major a' - G
344 346 348 350 352 354 356 358 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368
147.9 148.8 149.6 150.5 151.4 152.2 153.1 153.9 154.8 155.2 155.7 156.1 156.5 157.0 157.4 157.8 158.2
172.0 173.0 174.0 175.0 176.0 177.0 178.0 179.0 180.0 180.5 181.0 181.5 182.0 182.5 183.0 183.5 184.0
199.5 200.7 201.8 203.0 204.2 205.3 206.5 207.6 208.8 209.4 210.0 210.5 211.1 211.7 212.3 212.9 213.4
233.9 235.3 236.6 238.0 239.4 240.7 242.1 243.4 244.8 245.5 246.2 246.8 247.5 248.2 248.9 249.6 250.2
251.1 252.6 254.0 255.5 257.0 258.4 259.9 261.3 262.8 263.5 264.3 265.0 265.7 266.5 267.2 267.9 268.6
285.5 287.2 288.8 290.5 292.2 293.8 295.5 297.1 298.8 299.6 300.5 301.3 302.1 303.0 303.8 304.6 305.4
Major a'
318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 327 329 331 333 335 337 339 341 343
136.7 137.2 137.6 138.0 138.5 138.9 139.3 139.8 140.6 141.5 142.3 143.2 144.1 144.9 145.8 146.6 147.5
159.0 159.5 160.0 160.5 161.0 161.5 162.0 162.5 163.5 164.5 165.5 166.5 167.5 168.5 169.5 170.5 171.5
184.4 185.0 185.6 186.2 186.8 187.3 187.9 188.5 189.7 190.8 192.0 193.1 194.3 195.5 196.6 197.8 198.9
216.2 216.9 217.6 218.3 219.0 219.6 220.3 221.0 222.4 223.7 225.1 226.4 227.8 229.2 230.5 231.9 233.2
232.1 232.9 233.6 234.3 235.1 235.8 236.5 237.3 238.7 240.2 241.6 243.1 244.6 246.0 247.5 248.9 250.4
263.9 264.8 265.6 266.4 267.3 268.1 268.9 269.8 271.4 273.1 274.7 276.4 278.1 279.7 281.4 283.0 284.7
Major b' - a'
301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317
129.4 129.9 130.3 130.7 131.2 131.6 132.0 132.4 132.9 133.3 133.7 134.2 134.6 135.0 135.5 135.9 136.3
150.5 151.0 151.5 152.0 152.5 153.0 153.5 154.0 154.5 155.0 155.5 156.0 156.5 157.0 157.5 158.0 158.5
174.6 175.2 175.7 176.3 176.9 177.5 178.1 178.6 179.2 179.8 180.4 181.0 181.5 182.1 182.7 183.3 183.9
204.7 205.4 206.0 206.7 207.4 208.1 208.8 209.4 210.1 210.8 211.5 212.2 212.8 213.5 214.2 214.9 215.6
219.7 220.5 221.2 221.9 222.7 223.4 224.1 224.8 225.6 226.3 227.0 227.8 228.5 229.2 230.0 230.7 231.4
249.8 250.7 251.5 252.3 253.2 254.0 254.8 255.6 256.5 257.3 258.1 259.0 259.8 260.6 261.5 262.3 263.1
Major d' - c'
284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300
122.1 122.6 123.0 123.4 123.8 124.3 124.7 125.1 125.6 126.0 126.4 126.9 127.3 127.7 128.1 128.6 129.0
142.0 142.5 143.0 143.5 144.0 144.5 145.0 145.5 146.0 146.5 147.0 147.5 148.0 148.5 149.0 149.5 150.0
164.7 165.3 165.9 166.5 167.0 167.6 168.2 168.8 169.4 169.9 170.5 171.1 171.7 172.3 172.8 173.4 174.0
193.1 193.8 194.5 195.2 195.8 196.5 197.2 197.9 198.6 199.2 199.9 200.6 201.3 202.0 202.6 203.3 204.0
207.3 208.1 208.8 209.5 210.2 211.0 211.7 212.4 213.2 213.9 214.6 215.4 216.1 216.8 217.5 218.3 219.0
235.7 236.6 237.4 238.2 239.0 239.9 240.7 241.5 242.4 243.2 244.0 244.9 245.7 246.5 247.3 248.2 249.0
Major d'
267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283
114.8 115.2 115.7 116.1 116.5 117.0 117.4 117.8 118.3 118.7 119.1 119.5 120.0 120.4 120.8 121.3 121.7
133.5 134.0 134.5 135.0 135.5 136.0 136.5 137.0 137.5 138.0 138.5 139.0 139.5 140.0 140.5 141.0 141.5
154.9 155.4 156.0 156.6 157.2 157.8 158.3 158.9 159.5 160.1 160.7 161.2 161.8 162.4 163.0 163.6 164.1
181.6 182.2 182.9 183.6 184.3 185.0 185.6 186.3 187.0 187.7 188.4 189.0 189.7 190.4 191.1 191.8 192.4
194.9 195.6 196.4 197.1 197.8 198.6 199.3 200.0 200.8 201.5 202.2 202.9 203.7 204.4 205.1 205.9 206.6
221.6 222.4 223.3 224.1 224.9 225.8 226.6 227.4 228.3 229.1 229.9 230.7 231.6 232.4 233.2 234.1 234.9
Reply:Take some bamboos which are dried enough, should be fragile and in a condition to make holes on it.
Procedure :
1.Take a bamboo stick of length 30 -40 cm.
2. Mark circles on the bamboo with regular intervals. The firt and second circle should have large space than the rest of the circles.
3.Then take a knife and try to make a hole on the circles.
4.Then try to play it.
flute is a musical instrument that produces sound when a stream of air is directed against the edge of a hole, causing the air within the body of the instrument to vibrate. Most flutes are tubular, but some are globular or other shapes. Some flutes are played by blowing air into a mouthpiece, which directs the air against the edge of a hole else-where in the flute. These instruments, known as whistle flutes, include the tubular recorder and the globular ocarina. Other flutes are played by blowing air directly against the edge of the hole.
Some flutes are held vertically and are played by blowing air against the edge of a hole in the end of the flute. These instruments include Japanese bamboo flutes and the panpipe. The panpipe, also known as the syrinx, consists of several vertical flutes of various sizes joined together.
Other flutes are held horizontally, and are played by blowing air against the edge of a hole in the side of the flute. These instruments, known as transverse flutes, include the modern flute used in orchestras.
History
Flutes have existed since prehistoric times. A fragment of a cave bear thigh bone containing two holes, discovered in Slovenia in 1995, is believed by some scientists to be part of a flute used by Neanderthals more than 43,000 years ago. Flutes were used by the Sumerians and Egyptians thousands of years ago. Some ancient Egyptian flutes have survived, preserved in tombs by the arid desert climate. This Egyptian instrument was a vertical flute, about one yard (0.9 m) long and about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide, with between two to six finger holes. Modern versions of this flute are still used in the Middle East today.
The ancient Greeks used panpipes, probably indirectly influenced by more sophisticated Chinese versions. The transverse flute was used in Greece and Etruria by the second century B.C. and later appeared in India, China, and Japan. Flutes almost disappeared from Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, until the Crusades brought Europeans into contact with the Arabs. Vertical flutes spread from the Middle East to Europe, and are still used in the Balkans and the Basque regions of Spain and France. Transverse flutes spread from the Byzantine Empire to Germany, then appeared in Spain and France by the fourteenth century.
During the Renaissance, transverse flutes consisted of wooden cylinders of various sizes, typically made of boxwood, with a cork stopper in one end and six finger holes. During the late seventeenth century, the Hotteterre family, noted French instrument makers, redesigned the transverse flute. Instead of a single cylinder, the flute consisted of a head joint, a body, and a foot joint. Modern flutes are still made in these three basic parts. The new flute also had a single key added, allowing more notes to be played. After 1720, the body was often divided into two parts of varying lengths, allowing the flute to be adjusted to play in various musical keys. By 1760, three more keys were added by London flutemakers, followed by two additional keys by 1780 and two more by 1800.
The transverse flute was completely redesigned in the middle of the nineteenth century by the German instrument maker Theobald Bohm. Bohm changed the position of the holes and increased their size. Because the new holes were impossible to reach with the fingers, new mechanisms were added to cover and uncover them as needed. The Bohm system is still used in modern transverse flutes.
Raw Materials
Some modern flutes are made from wood that produces a different sound from metal flutes. These wooden flutes generally have metal keys and mechanisms.
Most flutes are made of metal. Less expensive flutes, intended for students, may be made from alloys of nickel and other metals. More expensive flutes may be plated with silver.
The pads attached to the surface of the keys in order to cover the holes are made of cork and felt. The springs that provide tension to hold the keys firmly against the holes may be made of steel, bronze, or gold. The pins and screws that hold the mechanism together are made of steel. The mouthpiece, containing the hole into which air is blown, may be made of the same metal as the rest of the flute, or it may be made of another metal, such as platinum.
Design
Every flute is an individually crafted work of art. The flutemaker must consider the needs of the musician who will use the flute. Students need relatively inexpensive but reliable instruments. Professional musicians must have instruments of very high quality, often with special changes made in the keys to accommodate special needs.
The most individual portion of a flute is the head joint. Professional musicians often test several head joints before selecting one which produces the sound they prefer. Head joints are often manufactured to meet the special demands of individual musicians.
The material from which a flute is made greatly alters the sound which is produced. Wooden flutes produce a dark sound. Silver flutes produce a bright sound. The thickness of the metal used to make a flute also alters the sound it makes, as well as changing the weight of the instrument. All these factors may influence the design of a flute preferred by a particular musician.
A flute may be elaborately decorated. The physical appearance of a flute is an important consideration for professional musicians who perform in public. The most detailed designs are likely to found on the professional quality flutes. The process of forming these designs, known as chasing, requires the skill of an experienced artist, and makes the individual flute a truly unique instrument.
The Manufacturing
Process
Shaping the components
A flute is made of hundreds of components, ranging from the relatively large body to tiny pins and screws. Although some of the small components are interchangeable and can be purchased from outside manufacturers, the vast majority of the components must be individually shaped for each flute.
1 Early flutes were made with hand-forged keys. The modern method is usually die casting. Molten metal is forced under pressure into steel dies. A group of connected keys may be made in one piece. Alternately, individual keys may be stamped out by a heavy stamping machine, and then trimmed.
Assembling the keys
2 The components that will make up the keys are immersed in a flux solution, containing various chemicals that protect the metal and aid in the soldering process. The components are then soldered together into keys. They are also soldered to other components that will move the keys. The keys are then cleaned in a solution that removes grease and any excess flux. The clean keys are polished and inspected. Keys for inexpensive flutes may be placed in a tumbling machine, where friction and agitation of pellets in a revolving drum polish the metal. More expensive keys will often be buffed individually.
3 The keys are fitted with pads made from layers of cork and felt. Cork is cut to the proper size and attached to the surface of the
Flutes are comprised of hundreds of components, ranging from the relatively large body to tiny pins and screws. The keys are die cast and fitted with pads made from layers of cork and felt. Tone holes are formed in the body of the flute by either pulling and rolling or by cutting and soldering. In the pulling and rolling method, the holes are drilled in the tube, and a machine pulls the metal from the edges of the hole and rolls it around the hole to form a raised ring. If the tone holes are to be cut and soldered, die cut metal rings are soldered to the drill holes. key that will cover the tone hole. Felt is cut and attached to the cork, creating a protective covering.
Forming the tone holes
Tone holes are formed in the body of the flute. They are formed by a process of pulling and rolling or by cutting and soldering. Either process requires great precision to ensure that the tone holes are located in the correct position and are of the correct size.
4 In the pulling and rolling method, the holes are drilled in the tube. Next, a special machine pulls the metal from the edges of the hole and rolls it around the hole to form a raised ring. The tone hole is then smoothed.
5 If the tone holes are to be cut and soldered, metal rings are die cut from sheet metal. The rings are then cleaned and polished. Holes are drilled in the tube and the rings are soldered around the holes to form the tone holes.
Mounting the keys
6 Rods that support the keys are soldered to the body of the flute. Next, the keys are attached to the rods with pins and screws. Springs are attached to provide tension to hold the cork and felt pads firmly against the tone holes until they are lifted when the keys are operated by the musician.
Finishing
7 The mouthpiece is shaped and soldered to the head joint. The head joint, body, and foot joint are fitted together and adjusted. The musician must be able to assemble and disassemble the flute easily, but the fittings should be tight. The flute is tested for sound quality. It is then disassembled, cleaned, polished, and packed into a special protective case.
Quality Control
Constant inspection of each part of the flute during the manufacturing process is critical to ensure that the instrument will produce the proper sound. As the instrument moves from one position on the assembly line to the next, workmanship is reviewed.
The exact size, shape, and position of the keys and tone holes must be accurate to ensure that they will fit together correctly. The completed instrument is played by an experienced musician to ensure that it produces sound correctly. Because professional musicians often make special demands of flutes, flutemakers will often make small adjustments in flutes to satisfy them.
Much of the responsibility for maintaining the quality of a flute rests with the musician. Routine maintenance often prevents flaws from developing. Each time the flute is assembled, the connecting surfaces of the
Most flutes are made of metal. Less expensive flutes, intended for students, may be made from alloys of nickel and other metals. More expensive flutes may be plated with silver. All flutes are individually assembled and play tested prior to sale. joints and body should be cleaned to prevent wear caused by dirt and corrosion. The interior of the flute should be swabbed each time it is played to remove moisture, which could cause the pads to swell so that they no longer fit the tone holes. Careful lubrication of the keys with a special lubricant is necessary about every three to six months in order to keep them working smoothly.
The Future
Very few changes have been made in the basic design of the modern transverse flute since the middle of the nineteenth century. Flutemakers will continue to find ways to make small but critical changes in individual instruments to fit the needs of individual musicians.
Two seemingly opposite trends hint at the future of flutemaking. Many performers of music from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods prefer to use flutes that resemble the instruments used during those times. Such instruments are believed to be more suited to older music than modern flutes, which developed during the Romantic period. On the other hand, many performers of jazz, rock, and experimental music use electronic devices to alter the sounds of flutes in new ways. Despite these two trends, the instrument originally designed by Theobald Bohm is likely to dominate flutemaking for many years to come.
Where to Learn More
Books
Meylan, Raymond. The Flute. Amadeus Press, 1987.
Periodicals
Wong, Kate. "Neanderthal Notes." Scientific American (September 1997): 28-29.
—Rose Secrest
User Contributions:
1Ramesh A. JoshiAug 1, 2006 @ 1:01 am
Flute made-out of wood,after well seasoned by oil is produces
better sound.
Reply:www.bambooflutes.com
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