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Indian Flute fingerings

Author: Sandra Franklin Habekost
Date: 2001-11-17 00:34

Hi All! I checked the sneezy site for this, and it's not available on the site. I have a traditional Native-made flute with six tone holes in the front, and no tone holes in the back. I can intuitively find notes, but not the higher register. Any advice from my fellow clarinetists? Thanks, Sandra

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RE: Indian Flute fingerings

Author: Alphie
Date: 2001-11-17 01:11

I collect ethnic flutes for the fun of it and they usually follow the same fingering pattern if they only have 6 holes and none at the back. If it has a normal major scale, usually D-C# you just use half hole for left index finger to get the overblown next D-A, for 2nd 8ve B: xxo/xxo, C: xoo/xxo, C#: ooo/ooo, D 3rd 8ve: oxx/ooo. If this works it will give you 2 full octaves.

Have fun,
Alphie

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RE: Indian Flute fingerings

Author: Sandra Franklin Habekost
Date: 2001-11-17 02:26

Thanks, Alphie
I'm not quite following it. The intervals on this flute:
do, me, fa, sol, la, ti, ra (xxx/xxx to ooo/ooo is an octave and 1/2 step)
fingerings for the major scale (- for half hole): xxx/xxx, xxx/xx-, xxx/x-o, xxx/xoo, xxx/ooo, xxo/ooo, xxo/ooo, o--/---)
When I use half hole on left index finger, I can only sound two higher notes.
I've changed the position of the headpiece (name?).
Any more advice???
Thanks! Sandra
P.S. Oh! What is the best way to swab???
(Please, everyone, no clarinet swabbing advise!)

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RE: Indian Flute fingerings

Author: Alphie
Date: 2001-11-17 12:31

I'm not an expert with indian flutes. I have one baught at an indian reservation in New Mexico 4 years ago and it sounds nothing like a major scale. Sometimes they are just made for tourists and not very playable. Sometimes they are tuned in some kind of an "ethnic scale" and then I guess you need to know more about the music that it was made for.

In Sweden we have a folk music flute called a "Spil�pipe". The scale is very "ethnic" and is not major/minor tonality. It's based on the natural tone series in the "clarino" register. (3rd octave in the harmonic series). It's more or less a beautifully organized version of a primitive flute that you simply carv out of wood and play just by finding the overtones. The sound is euforic and gives a flash of where we all came from a long time ago, when we were closer to nature.

I wouldn't believe that your flute were made for playing with others. Just take it for what it is and make up your own tunes while meditating or something and don,t bother so much about half holes.

Music has many faces and is ever so powerful when heart and soul comes with it.

Again, have fun,
Alphie

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RE: Indian Flute fingerings

Author: Sandra Franklin Habekost
Date: 2001-11-17 15:38

Thanks, Alphie! This flute is a beautifully made cedar Native flute, numbered and signed. It retails for about $225, and it's nicely tuned. I don't know my modes very well, but it's familliar in tonality. I was able to use some of your information, but cannot reach higher notes, and I wanted to know more about swabbing it and using the fetish over the tone hole. Thanks for all your help! Sandra

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RE: Indian Flute fingerings

Author: Peter
Date: 2001-11-19 12:21

Sandra,

I am curious from which tribal group did you purchase this flute?

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