After strong winds or storms, a lot of branches breaks and falls down. Unless otherwise noted, all content is Copyright © 2014-2020 Flutecraft.org and its respecitve authors. Learning some basics about this particular piece of the tree will save you a lot of troubles in flutemaking. To speed up the process of drying, you can build a simple “kiln” to dry the branches. We’ll finish the project with learning how to finish the flute with shellac and/or food grade oils. By starting with a green branch the finished flute can still radiate signs that the dryad , spirit, or life force of a tree is inhabiting it, though now the leaves of that branch be music. Refer to … The chambers as far as being round did not seam to make any difference. Partake in this traditional form of playing music while learning more about the endangered elderberry beetle and bush. The HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN BAMBOO FLUTE eBook is suitable for beginners as well as … May 20, 2018 - In this tutorial on making a Native American branch flute, you will learn how to create the main chambers of the instrument. To make your flute, you must use the right kind, shape, and structure of bamboo, use the right tools and be patient in perfecting your work. These days when we think about ecology, you may think about building some kind of solar dryer with a glass, allowing the Sun to dry the branches. Once the branch is dry enough, it is ready to be turned into a flute. As long as you do not live in a big city, branches are easy to find. Or, it can be cut off from a dead, and already dry tree, as well. sharing the beauty of native american flutes since 2014. 21-3/8" overall length of the flute. Just replace “branch” with any type of lumber you have that is already to proper dimensions. Be sure to learn the articles on flutemaking safety and prepare the basic tools to make a Native American style flutes. The bark may be loose but if it is still on, the wood is usually good. It takes patience if you can’t find a dry branch and you have to wait a couple of months, but it’s better to wait, than have to remake the flute if it splits on its own. This website contains links and references to products and services that may include affiliates, sponsorships, or other business relationships in which Flute Craft and its author may receive compensation from referrals or sales actions. Measure and mark with a pen the centre point of the branch 5 inches in length and 1/2 inch in diameter. Branch number 4 is pretty good :). We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Sep 29, 2016 - This branch that becomes a unique and beautiful branch flute. Some flute makers begin their flutes from a branch of a tree rather than from lumber that has been milled. Also, it’s simpler to make short flutes work than to make long flutes work. Crafting Flutes, How to Make Branch Flute April 7th, 2015. Don't forget to become a fan on Facebook and subscribe to new posts via RSS or via email. I decided I would create this little tutorial because about a year ago, I discovered a great set up to sand the bores of my branch flutes. Make 2-3 turn, then knot the end and trim the exceeding yarn. Read the book! Split the branch and carve the chambers – split the branch in two, and use chisels to carve the two inner chambers of the flute. 6 Steps to Make a Branch Flute. If it does, the breaks are small and can be filled with some artistic inlay, like with crushed minerals, that fill the breaks with help of epoxy glue. Make sure to angle the cut. Also, even if you split the branch, it may be very hard to carve through the knot, because it’s much harder part of the wood. First, use a kitchen weight to weight the branch. If you have a band saw, you can actually split any branch into two pieces. First, you can split it and carve the inside chambers, and glue it back toghether, then leave it to dry for a couple of weeks (or even months). The first step in the flute-crafting process is choosing the right wood and the marrow-like softness of an elderberry branch’s hollowed pith make it the material of choice. This method of making flute is typically used by makers who build highly individualized instruments and craft flutes one at a time. The next tutorial will cover the branches. This website uses cookies to improve your experience, gather stats and manage ads. In order to make a Native American style branch flute, you need to follow the steps: Grab a branch – find a proper branch and dry it, so that it’s perfect for your own flute. If you wonder, yes – this series of tutorials can be applied to lumber bought in a hardware store or lumber stock. You can hear the flute playing in the video and watch the transformation. Last week I was adding the four new branch flutes to the 'family tree' (below), and today's 'kid' is the one closest to the anaconda-size 'trunk' flute at the bottom. When I was starting out with my flute craft journey, I prefered branches because they already had the necessary round shape and since I had no lathe or other tools to round the wood, and I had problems with a wood itself, the branches easily available were an obvious choice. There is a whole wood hardness scale that you need to learn. sharing the beauty of native american flutes since 2014. The branches were simply lying there for months, up to one year, and that was enough to make them dry enough. Sanding the bore of a branch flute … Sometimes, you may see photos of branch flutes that were made from what I call bad branches – why is it so? Basically, two strong lightbulbs heat the box filled wtih alluminium foil, and branches lie down above the lightbulbs, on a rack. Example of good and bad branches for a branch flute. For example, let’s say that the “W” is 10 grams each week – it means that each week the branch loses 10 grams. And the sound of branch flute is wonderful. Although Basswood is the traditional material for making Pan Flute frames, a flexible tree branch, of Willow or some other soft, pliable wood, can also be used for the front and back strips for those who want a very natural feel and look. All rights reserved. It’s normal – but after few branches, you will figure out how to make it sound good. Like on the branch number 2, the lower area below the offshot is good, it can be cut off and split into two. To make a flute that plays in the key of A, you'll need a 14 inch length of "pipe"... for the key of F, an 18 inch section... and for the key of D, a 21 inch piece. I used chisel to carve the inside of the pine’s branch. First, use a kitchen weight to weight the branch. In order to make a Native American style branch flute, you need to follow the steps: Generally, these are the main steps to turn a branch into a flute. When the branch is left to dry, water slowly evaporates, and two things happen: The shrinking is not very visible, those are very small changes in the branch’s size. A couple of branch flutes I made. That’s why it’s a better idea to dry a branch before making a flute out of it. It's available as e-book for Kindle on Amazon. I have made too many cane flute to remember. For now, I will teach you how to make split flutes, because building a machine to drill the branches is a lot more complex and requires more tools, time, money and space. Once carved, the branch will dry faster than without carving it first. I suggest to look for branches that have fallen down from a tree and are already dry in most past. In order to change the branch into a flute you need to carve the two inner chambers. I burned through the wood with my burning tool. What surprises happen in making branch flutes! A perfect branch for a flute, no offshots, no knots. You should be able to find all of these items from the hardware store. Normally, a branch is “wet”, that means it contains water within itself. You can’t make a flute out of something that can be carved with a teaspoon ;). They are covered with shellac which gives them this “yellowish” look. How to Make Branch Flute - Part 2. Unfortunatelly, I can’t just tell you “take a branch that is XX inches long and XX inches thick” and guide you through every single quarter of an inch – because in case of branches, it would not work. How to make a Native American Style Flute from a branch: Dry the branch. Well, basically what I call “great branch” is the branch best for beginners or for people with limited tools and workshop. It doesn’t require too many skills nor tools nor strength to create your first, basic flute that sounds great. Note nuances of shape. One of the most basics things you can do before becoming a flutemaker is to go to local library and read as many books on woodworking in general as possible. Finally repeat with the 3-tubes pan flute. "Calm Forest" is a Native American Flute songbook for beginners. Please read our privacy policy to learn how to completely disable cookies in your web browser, make a Native American style branch flute, How to Make Brach Flute – Part 8: Finishes, How to Build a Jig for Drilling Branch Flutes, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 7: Sound and Tuning, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 6: Sanding and Gluing, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 5: Creating the Sound Mechanism, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 4: Carving the Main Chambers, How to Use Native American Style Flute in Film Scoring, Beauty in Imperfection. Building and Playing Native American Style Flutes, and the Japanese Art of Wabi Sabi, Healing Stories of the White Man: What Northern Exposure Taught Me About Cinema, How to Produce Native American Flute Music at Home. In order to make a Native American style branch flute, you need to understand branches. Nov 1, 2016 - In this lesson on how to make a Native American style branch flute, you will learn how to prepare a workspace and split the branch in two. Building and Playing Native American Style Flutes, and the Japanese Art of Wabi Sabi, Healing Stories of the White Man: What Northern Exposure Taught Me About Cinema, How to Produce Native American Flute Music at Home. The branch should remain this way for a couple of months until it’s dry enough. A member of “The Flute Portal” recently asked about sanding the bore of a sunflower stalk flute he is working on. Learn how to recognize them by looking at them, their leafs or needles, or their bark etc. Use a chisel and a long screwdriver to carve out the centre of the branch, removing the pithy substance until the centre is hollow. The ring should be approximately 2 … Or, in simpler words: measure the weight of the branch as it dries – when it stops loosing weigth, it’s dry and ready :). Make them for pleasure, for sale – the sky’s the limit. Deeper tones require more experience. Crafting a flute out of a branch is a careful and true art of craft – it requires care, patience and enjoyment in what you do. It’s a good idea to do some test work. Instead, I will guide you now through phases of turning a branch into a flute explaining the math behind the flute, so that you can apply it to any branch you find. At first, you may make a lot of mistakes, like me when I was just starting out. Mark three other points beginning an inch from the centre point and ascending up the branch an inch apart. Jul 3, 2020 - In this lesson on how to make a Native American style branch flute, you will learn how to prepare a workspace and split the branch in two. And it loses volume, meaning: it shrinks. Step 4 Cut a ring around the branch with the tip of your knife. And all of this will be supported with many photos and illustrations. The ring should be approximately 2 inches behind the wedge cut. Then I will explain how to carve the inner chambers, how to create the nest and sound mechanism, and finally how to tune the branch flute to pentatonic scale. You do not need a lathe to round the branch – branch is already round. It's great for beginners, no need to read staff music - it uses simplified fingering notation. Try to cut out some pieces of the surface. Cut the willow branch to about 8 inches. This website contains links and references to products and services that may include affiliates, sponsorships, or other business relationships in which Flute Craft and its author may receive compensation from referrals or sales actions. They’re “dead”, so their drying time will be shorter than a drying time of a branch that has been just cut from the tree. September 2020. Along with the dryer…. None of mine are perfect round by any means and some are very oval. Simple Flutes A Guide to Flute Making and Playing First, you need a branch – it can be collected in a local forest, or in your garden if you have proper trees growing there. Please read our privacy policy to learn how to completely disable cookies in your web browser, basic tools to make a Native American style flutes, How to Make Brach Flute – Part 8: Finishes, How to Build a Jig for Drilling Branch Flutes, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 7: Sound and Tuning, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 6: Sanding and Gluing, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 5: Creating the Sound Mechanism, How to Make Branch Flute – Part 4: Carving the Main Chambers, How to Use Native American Style Flute in Film Scoring, Beauty in Imperfection. Remember that this type of tool will use a lot of electricity, so please watch out for high bills. The branch should be 9 to 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. A branch flute can be big or small, thick or thin and can have so many different colors. A quick, non-branch related tip for amateur woodworkers. There is a different approach to drying a branch. The branch used to make this flute was harvested from a Rocky Mountain Maple tree. When stored inside, the branch should be seasoned for half a year or even a year, at minimum. Besides, if you don’t have to, don’t harm the tree. Branch numer 1 is perfect for a flute no matter how simple workshop you have. I let the shape of the branch decide this for me. Pick up some branch and cut it with a saw. This way, with a lot of test branches and lumber in general, you can learn both the tools and the material before even getting to make a flute. Learn how to build Native American style flutes made of branches (but don't worry, the skills and knowledge applies to NAFs made of other wood, too). Be sure to check my Native American Flute songbook, Calm Forest, available for Kindle and as Paperback. As the branch dries, it loses weight. Go to the Hill at the top of the map and grab the stick from the bottom left corner of the screen. Carving recorders from wood makes a great hobby, and with a little patience and some basic knowledge, you can make your own recorders to play, collect or even sell. Photo: Mike Oitzman, September 30, 2008. But the reality is – let’s start with something small. Be sure to check my Native American Flute songbook, Calm Forest, available for Kindle and as Paperback. Trust me – sometimes the flute doesn’t want to come to life. Making a branch flute is simple and fun, BUT: only if you remember about safety rules, and you’re patient, and only if you know that mistakes at first are lessons to be learned and not the final failures. How to Make Branch Flute - Part 5. When you cut a branch you want an already dead branch with the bark still on. Not only are recorders fun and relaxing to play, a hand-crafted recorder makes a beautiful decorative piece. And, the air in there was very dry. Oh, and be careful not to focus the Sun’s rays – or your branches will turn to ash. Flauta Nativa Americana Banyo Instrumentos Cómo Hacer Manualidades Flauta. For example, if the “W” was 10 grams per week, and for few weeks in the row you notice the branch loses only nore more than 3.5 grams per week, then in simple words it means that the humility of the branch is lower than 20%, and now the branch is ready to be turned into a flute. I remove the bark and let it sit in a protected place. When I was just starting out, I had a room in my place that was unoccupied, and it was very sunny at the same time. Also, use the Internet. Make your first mark about 1 1/2 inches from the "head" of the flute. Just remember to put some alluminium foil to reflect the heat; place the branches on a rack, for example made of wooden or metal dowels so the heat can surround the branches, and make sure you make holes in the dryer, so the air can flow through – this way, mold should not develop inside the solar dryer. 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