flute information

These Native American style Love Flutes are an inspired fusion of
modern and ancient techniques and idea's about what music originally
was in our human evolution. This particular wood wind instrument is
indigenous to North America. They evolved here on what many Native
American’s call "Turtle Island". There are no related flutes anywhere in
the world nor have they been transplanted to other shores until recent
times. It is my belief that the modern recorder is an adaptation of the
Native American love Flute due to it's similar construction. The Euro-
recorder was invented (?) about 1640. This was after contact with the
true original America's. Being that Native American Instruments were
"Taboo" due to the religious dogma of the time, the Native American
Flute was banned as were other Native American musical
instrument/languages/spirtualities and their ceremonies. I feel their
beautiful sound could not be ignored so someone redesigned our flutes
abit and called it a new invention there-by slipping them into religiously
biased society, as a new musical instrument. If my theory is correct, the
Euro-recorder is a sad representation. It simply lacks any of the original
simple design or quality of sound found in the Native American Flute.

"Goose In Flight" Rosewood and Black Walnut with Peyote bead stitch pattern
"Peyote water bird and spirit eye". Horse hair and Brass cone saddle tie.
T. C. Coffren1995

The Native American flute's construction utilizes various woods and other
natural materials. Lightening struck aromatic cedar seems to be the
sacred wood used for spiritually destined flutes. Other woods are chosen
for their aesthetic beauty. Love Flutes are two chambered “block” flutes
with a “mellowing chamber” near the mouth piece or “head” and a
“variable Chamber” at the opposite end known as the “foot“. These two
chambers are separated by a block of wood. The tiny carving you see
tied onto the flutes body serves both function and beauty. This piece is
known as the “Bird” or “Saddle”. It is tied onto the flute traditionally with
leather and is often adorned with feathers or the hair of a horse, elk or
some other large four footed animal. These choices of adornment are
due mostly to the traditional origin story’s about where the first flute came
from. It is an honoring of sorts. Over the years many carvers have added
their own creative idea’s to the flutes adornment and construction thus
this instruments evolution is never static but constantly evolving though
keeping withing some of it's original mechanic's. The Birds function is to
compress the players air as it leaves the mellowing chamber through a
small channel in the "roost" carved into the flutes body or a "nest" board.
From this channel the air is propelled toward the reed where the air
begins to oscillate due to complexities of the variable chamber. The reed
is not vibrating as it does in a saxophone, instead the air in the flute is
actually moving in and out of the flutes body at a high rate of speed due
to complex alternating vacuum and pressurisation created by the players
breath and the pressures of the atmosphere of the Earth Mother. At this
stage the flute is said to “wake up”. Few flutes on earth sound as
soothing or as beautiful as the Love Flute which is why it became popular
as an aid in attracting a mate or to heal illnesses, hence the name "Love"
or "Healing" flute …

I have heard many flute modern flute carvers say that a traditional flute is
carved according to three anatomical measurements taken from the
carver or recipients body. My grandfather said it was actually many more
anatomical measurements taken from the flute carver’s body. The three
common measurements are already well known but the others are
secrets held by perhaps very few traditional carvers of the old school still
alive, such as myself and i have never met or known another since my
Grandfather Joseph was alive. Many important subjects died with him
though he tried to teach me as much as he could before his journey
along the corn silk road. To preserve the sacredness of this instrument
from the fate of mass production by reverse engineering I choose not to
share these measurements and many other secrets of the flute because
some things are not meant to be shared with the general public. These
things are only shared between a teacher and
his student and only after a bond has formed,
sometimes for many years as it was with my
Grandfather and I many decades ago.

Typically no math is used in the creation of these
flutes. Incredibly the tuning that a carver arrives
at is a near Pentatonic tuning which is a universal
tuning found all over the world in other indigenous or
ancient instruments. Anyone can learn to play
the Native American Love Flute. Unlike classical
instruments which use complex formula’s to arrive
at their unique tunings and complex notation to learn a song which may
take years to master...

Most of my flutes are traditionally hand carved
in the forest using simple tools and
mostly recycled wood. I make them one at a
time after careful preparation and ceremony
to insure their creation is done in the right spirit
of mind. T.C.Coffren

SOFT WINDS!