Hi Folks,
I’ve been looking at a few sites dealing with Native American flutes. Just wondering if anyone here plays one, any advice on what key to get, maker etc, etc.
Thanks in advance, Mac
I have three NA flutes.
A Raymond Redfeather bass C, and two Russ Venable, an F# and a dual chamber E.
The most common NA flute from what I hear is the G and F#.
Personally, my favorite is the Venable dual E.
Like whistles, it depends on what you want to do with it. Lots to consider.
What were your plans for it?
If you can get a Venable, do it. Simple, clean and probably among the best flutes produced today.
Mike
Hi,
Thanks for the reply. What do I want to do with it? I just fancied having a go on one, I don’t want to spend too much, kinda like getting a first whistle, something useable and maybe a tutor or tunebook of Native American music. I’d probably go for the most standard Key (if there’s such a thing, like a sop d whistle) I think as you say that would be g or f#. I did see starter sets somewhere but I think the tunes weren’t Native American.
Cheers, Mac
Hmmmm…hard to say what to do.
If I were in your place, I’d get a G.
If you can play by ear, you want to get music by Mary Youngblood. She is a Native American who, I believe I heard it right, was raised on Celtic music and later in life discovered her native heritage. There is definitely some Celtic influence in her original compositions.
Her songs are pretty easy to pick up and play. Unfortunately, she uses a WIDE variety of keys. So learn the tune in your head and transpose. Wasn’t too hard to do.
I think there are some books and CDs on how to play, but honest to goodness, it’s not hard at all. Most people play by improvising.
Other than recommending a Venable, I don’t know where to send you. The Internet is probably your best bet for information. Give Ebay a try. There is always something up for bid there.
For your first flute, figure about $100 USD for a nice flute.
One more thing to keep in mind. Even though you see six holes, doesn’t mean it plays like a whistle or Irish flute. Most all NA flutes are tuned to a pentatonic scale, not diatonic. Fingering is totally different.
That said, Russ Venable and many of the makers can produce a NA flute with a diatonic scale upon request. (My F# was $150 and made of cypress. Gorgeous instrument! Never needs oiling either.)
Good luck. Let me know if I can be of more help.
Mike
I have six NAF in various keys and I have discovered that the most expensive ones are not neccessarily the best. For example, I had a rather poor experience with Raymond Redfeather.
I ordered a 6 hole flute in F# with a loon fetish and received a 5 hole flute supposedly in G, but not even close, with a regular bird fetish. I managed to improve it a great deal with my good old Black & Decker hand drill. However, I would be reluctant to order another instrument from him.
Also, meaning no disrespect to the many fine native flutemakers, there is a tendency to go into a rapturous “spiritual message” mode on their internet site or on e-Bay. Their claims may well be true, but it doesn’t mean that the flute is a good one. Understandably enough, these instruments are often sales pitched to New Age people. The native made flutes also tend to be expensive, often hundreds or even thousands of dollars. No doubt some are worth it as there are real artists among them just as there are among the Irish flute makers.
However, don’t dismiss the non-native makers. IMHO one of the best can be found at the following web site: www.highspirits.com/. I have an A, an A drone and a bass D flute by this maker and they are attractive, very well in tune and, best of all, relatively inexpensive. These are sometimes offered very cheaply on e-Bay and are well worth the price.
Do a little web surfing for comparison purposes and you’ll soon get a good idea of what’s available.
The Native American flute is a lovely instrument, very condusive to quiet reflection. It deserves to be better known.
Speaking of Mary Youngblood, I had a very nice e-mail exchange with her some time ago.
In keeping with the native custom, before learning songs from her first CD “The Offering” I asked her permission to play them. She responded by saying she was honoured and wished me good luck on my flute journey.
Great lady and a marvellous flute player.
P.S. Her songs on this album have now been published and are available. Check her web site.
I have seen the flutes made by High Spirits at different stores and events.
I tried a few and found them to be very well made and sound good too. For the money they charge, these intruments are a great deal.
And since someone else said it first, I was not very happy with the Redfeather flute I purchased either. Paid a lot of money for it too.
I think it’s great that someone from Ireland is asking about a Native American flute.
Good luck.
I have several flutes by different makers; as noted earlier, more expensive is not necessarily better.
Among the best I have are those by Butch Hall (do a Google search on “Buth Hall Flutes”, and that should get you his website). They are inexpensive, well in-tune, and played by a number of pro players. Their fingering is slightly different on one or two notes than the fingering on some other NA flutes, but I find their fingering system better suited to fast passages, personally.
For an even cheaper option, Amon Olorin flutes offer a plastic version, with tubes for both G minor and F# minor. I have one; it fingers similarly to the Hall flutes, and sounds better than many wooden flutes I’ve tried. R. Carlos Nakai sometimes uses the plastic flute for his recordings, I hear. A pretty good deal for very little money. (Try a search for “Amon Olorin” or “Ken Light Flutes”, and you should find one of these).
Good luck. It’s a very easy instrument to play, but hauntingly beautiful when played well.
–Aaron
Hi Folks,
appreciate the replies, I could probably pick up a tune easier by ear as I don’t read music. I might as well just get a CD, and a flute in either G or F# and something to show me what the fingering is. I’ll have a look around the net and see what comes up. One more thing, I noticed that some were 5 hole and some 6, anyone care to recommend which would be the best for a beginner?
Cheers, Mac
All three of my flutes are six hole. I never use them that way. I have always used them as a five hole, which is the original NA design, I suppose.
Go with the five hole.
Mike 
Five hole flutes are, not surprisingly, a bit simpler to handle. However, the six hole flutes give you a bit more flexability. A very good idea is to buy a six hole flute and cover the third hole from the mouthpiece which, in effect, makes it a 5 hole flute. When you feel confident, you can convert it back again. In fact, High Spirits currently supply their flutes with hole 3 covered with a deerskin wrapping.
One style of flute is really not more preferable than the other. The difference in the number of holes has more to do with the native bands that used them. Typically, the 5 hole flute was used by Plains Indians, while the 6 hole was used by the eastern woods natives.
R. Carlos Nakai has a fine book available which includes his rather clever fingering system which allows you to play any song with a flute in any key. However, it will force you to to learn at least the time values in regular music notation. Don’t panic. Thousands have done it. 
Dave