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Many years ago on a trip to Peru
I was sitting on a huge stone carved by the Inca Empire
listening to one of the locals playing a straight end-blown
bamboo flute called a Quena. It was so beautiful and
much more restful than Pan Pipes. As I listened a hummingbird
buzzed in to feed at the flowers of a fuschia. It was
the first time I had heard a bamboo flute and the first
hummingbird I had ever seen. I bought a flute in Cusco
which cracked when I came back to the UK so I determined
to learn how to make them. Hummingbird Flutes was born.
I have developed methods to make side blown flutes and
Native American two chambered flutes.
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I have also solved the cracking
problem and can guarantee my flutes for life against
cracking in normal use. I heat cure them which changes
the structure of the wood making it a lot more durable.
I make every flute myself from harvesting to the finished
instrument. I carry out every process myself. Consequently
I can only make 1 or 2 a week. This is not mass production.
I always have a few flutes for sale which are in various
keys but always the pentatonic scale. These are sold
on a first come first serve basis. |
| My
main focus is custom flutes specially made to your specification.
You decide the kind of flute you want, the scale and the
key note, whether you would like Bamboo from the root
section, what finish you want and if needed I can totally
customise the sound hole positions to match your finger
spread. This allows a much longer and deeper flute to
be played more comfortably than would otherwise be possible.
On receiving your instruction I go to the bamboo grove
and select 2 or 3 culms which appear to have the characteristics
needed to produce the flute you want. I then proceed making
at least 2 flutes together to match your requirements.
This allows for one flute to be used for experiment where
if mistakes are made they can be corrected on the other.
It's a long process particularly for Native American system
flutes. All the left over bamboo from these projects I
turn into 5 hole flutes of the kind and key note best
suited to the individual piece of bamboo. These are my
stock flutes. |
| I
am a trained craftsman and not a concert flautist. I love
to make things from natural materials and bamboo flutes
really are a satisfying thing to make. To turn a natural
material into something that looks good, sounds good and
can really help you relax is very exciting. I focus mainly
on 5 hole flutes because they are naturally melodic and
very easy to improvise with. Just playing each note up
and down the scale even sounds great. It is also a very common
scale for the Native American flute. It allows me to feel
and sound like an accomplished musician. Early success
is great for fuelling enthusiasm and the 5 hole scale
gives you that. However I can make flutes in any scale
you like. I always use an electronic tuner when making
flutes so they all sound great. |
| If
you have always wanted a custom made musical instument
this is the place to get it. Remember I really do make
them all myself so next day delivery for a commissioned
flute is not an option. You will have to be patient or
take one of my stock flutes, still entirely hand made
and beautiful but not tailored specifically to you.
If you want to see how they are
made check out the 'Making Flutes' section.
Thanks, Ian |
