Jump to content

Can you recommend a wooden flute?


UstadKhanAli

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Hey everyone...this is an admittedly vague question. But I don't know anything about flutes.

 

I'm interested in surprising my girlfriend with a wooden flute for the holidays. She played flute in a band and wants to get back into it, and has said several times that she is interested in a wooden flute. Problem is she doesn't really know specifically what kind of flute. She doesn't seem really fussy, and just wants a nice flute.

 

Anything you can recommend that is preferably under $100, $150 tops? And no, it doesn't have to be MIDI. ;) Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Flutes don't have keys, they have holes.

 

remember the saying?? Can you {censored} through eight holes? Shove a flute up your bum.

 

Instead of a wooden flute I prefer one made of clay. I have an Ocarina and it sounds wonderful.

 

Do you know them pieces of wood they use under railways? I used one to make a flute for an elephant once.

 

By the way,.... Can you hook me up with a 25 ft table? We're having Giraffe for dinner on my birthday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Bansuri

 

bansuri.jpg

 

the classical flute from India as played in Raga

 

Bansuri website with sound example

 

Bansuri - Google Picture

 

The blowing/playing technique is similar to the the silver-plated C Flute. They come in various length and key, for example Bansuri in D. The prices start at $10.00 to $25.00 in online stores. Professional models as Hariprasad plays may cost way more.

 

Hariprasad Chaurasia, the bansuri master

http://www.hariprasadchaurasia.com/

 

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia:

pt_hariprasad_chaurasia.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Ken, there's a Native American dude who makes and sells flutes at the Hollywood farmer's market... the one they have in the street on the weekends, not to be confused with the Farmer's Market on Fairfax, which is mostly a mall now. I think he had some decent flutes at decent prices. It's been a few yeas since I checked them out.

 

The one below is a flute I bought in Sedona, AZ

 

The key isn't noted on it, which I think, means it's in "C" (though after checking the web page below, I think it may be "Am", because it sounds llike the "Am' sound sample.

 

It's made of cedar, which I think is a common native American flute material.

 

Don't get one of those $10 toys, they just don't have a good sound.

 

 

0512040776NavajoFlutefromSedonaAZ.jpg

 

 

p.s. This is a Jonah Thompson flute, they are not very expensive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

what kind (ethnomusical tradition) of music is she into?

 

She listens to some Indian classical and Bollywood music, DJ Cheb i Sabbah, stuff like that. She also really likes the New Agey world beat stuff that Suzanne Teng plays (Suzanne Teng is a superb flute player, and I've emailed her in the hopes that she can also suggest something). She is familiar with Nawang Kechog (sp?) and Carlos Nakai, although I don't know if that's what she is trying to do. I wish I knew more specifics about what she wants out of a wooden flute, but I'm not really sure. I don't know if she likes a shakuhachi, for instance.

 

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions! I can't listen to MP3s here at work, so I'll have to listen discreetly at home. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

hmm, yah that's a tough one given you don't really know where she wants to go

 

on the plus side...she may no either

 

given he description (and I assume she comes from a transverse flute background??) I'm going to second the Bansuri recommendation

 

I know lark-in-th-morning carries some, bu I've never purchased anything from them so I can't really comment beyond "hey have em"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Ken - It doesn't sound like she's into Native American flutes. Maybe what she wants is a wooden recorder.

 

300px-VariousRecorderFlutes.jpg

 

But anyway, thanks for bringing up the topic. My flute has been standing on end on my desk for a couple of years, and after getting into this topic, I found some Native American flute lessons on

and learned how to play it :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Good keys for Native American flutes are F# and G. Amon Olorin makes a PVC flute available from the Oregon Flute Store (link already posted) that sells for less than $100 and includes two barrels for the flute giving you both of the keys I mention. It's a pretty good sounding flute although mine sounds a bit squeeky with the G body. I'd recommend it since you mentioned the $ amount.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Now I'm actually able to listen to these MP3s and everything, and I'm pretty sure she would like a Native American flute after all, and not a bansuri. I'm listening to the Paul Lawler MySpace site in which he is playing a Jonah Thompson flute and the F# flute on the JT site, and it sounds a lot like what she wants out of a flute. At least by listening I'm able to figure out the sound she's going after.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...