What We Look for in a Native American Flute
~ quoted in an article compiled by Dr. Kathleen Joyce-Grendahl, Voice of the Wind, Volume 4, 2010 ~
Linda Doughty, Arizona: As a smaller woman, at least as far as my hands are concerned....I look for an instrument that I can comfortably hold, first and foremost. Due to repeated use over the years, I have tendon and arthritis issues to deal with now, and it is very important that the instrument fit my body size. Spacing of the finger holes becomes an important consideration, especially in the right hand. Too much stretch can really exacerbate my condition! After I ascertain that the instrument will not cause me discomfort, the next most important consideration for me is the tonal quality. Intonation I am actually not so concerned with, though if I plan to play with European style instruments at the very least I want to make sure that the fundamental note is accurately tuned using Western standards. While intonation itself is not my foremost concern (I worry about that enough in classical performance! I enjoy the refreshing atmosphere of the arbitrarily tuned world and don't feel motivated to destroy that by overly concerning myself with intonation.), I must admit, I'd like enough flexibility within the instrument itself so that I can adapt the pitch during performance. Having said this, I prefer an instrument that the maker has worked with very carefully in regards to intonation and scale. That old "tuned at the factory" cliche, so I don't have to work so hard to make the flute sound palatable to the western ear. So I guess what I am trying to say here is that, as a classically trained musician, I can't worry too much about intonation or it would make me crazy, because the native flute simply is not going to have the same qualities as a silver flute, but I want it to have a well-tuned fundamental and a carefully thought-out authentic scale.
As far as sound quality, I prefer a flute with a large sound that is consistent throughout the range of the instrument. The quality of this sound can vary between makers and instruments, but I like it to be stable throughout the range of any particular instrument. I look for a flute that won't water up too quickly and that isn't so sensitive to the placement of the block that finding the "sweet spot" becomes more of an annoyance than a joy.
Attention to detail is much more important to me than decoration, though as far as I am concerned, quality of workmanship in any context adds to the overall aesthetic of an instrument. I don't care about slapped on design, but well-done decoration will certainly catch my interest on a well-designed instrument. I also tend to want to support makers that, as well as providing a quality product, are interested in making the flute accessible to the widest spectrum of people, and to me this means having products, all of good quality, at varying and reasonable prices.
In referring someone looking to buy a flute who has no previous experience, I suggest instruments I know to be dependable and playable within a moderate price range. I also consider the size of the performer. If a flute is not easily manageable size-wise a player will be less likely to want to play it. Once they are hooked, they'll be more likely to want to spend money on the higher priced instruments, but I really like to see them get started and stay playing because of the sound and essential character of the instrument, not because it has a pretty wolf block or an intricately painted design. I hate to lose potential flute players to "wall hangers!"
Linda Doughty, Arizona: As a smaller woman, at least as far as my hands are concerned....I look for an instrument that I can comfortably hold, first and foremost. Due to repeated use over the years, I have tendon and arthritis issues to deal with now, and it is very important that the instrument fit my body size. Spacing of the finger holes becomes an important consideration, especially in the right hand. Too much stretch can really exacerbate my condition! After I ascertain that the instrument will not cause me discomfort, the next most important consideration for me is the tonal quality. Intonation I am actually not so concerned with, though if I plan to play with European style instruments at the very least I want to make sure that the fundamental note is accurately tuned using Western standards. While intonation itself is not my foremost concern (I worry about that enough in classical performance! I enjoy the refreshing atmosphere of the arbitrarily tuned world and don't feel motivated to destroy that by overly concerning myself with intonation.), I must admit, I'd like enough flexibility within the instrument itself so that I can adapt the pitch during performance. Having said this, I prefer an instrument that the maker has worked with very carefully in regards to intonation and scale. That old "tuned at the factory" cliche, so I don't have to work so hard to make the flute sound palatable to the western ear. So I guess what I am trying to say here is that, as a classically trained musician, I can't worry too much about intonation or it would make me crazy, because the native flute simply is not going to have the same qualities as a silver flute, but I want it to have a well-tuned fundamental and a carefully thought-out authentic scale.
As far as sound quality, I prefer a flute with a large sound that is consistent throughout the range of the instrument. The quality of this sound can vary between makers and instruments, but I like it to be stable throughout the range of any particular instrument. I look for a flute that won't water up too quickly and that isn't so sensitive to the placement of the block that finding the "sweet spot" becomes more of an annoyance than a joy.
Attention to detail is much more important to me than decoration, though as far as I am concerned, quality of workmanship in any context adds to the overall aesthetic of an instrument. I don't care about slapped on design, but well-done decoration will certainly catch my interest on a well-designed instrument. I also tend to want to support makers that, as well as providing a quality product, are interested in making the flute accessible to the widest spectrum of people, and to me this means having products, all of good quality, at varying and reasonable prices.
In referring someone looking to buy a flute who has no previous experience, I suggest instruments I know to be dependable and playable within a moderate price range. I also consider the size of the performer. If a flute is not easily manageable size-wise a player will be less likely to want to play it. Once they are hooked, they'll be more likely to want to spend money on the higher priced instruments, but I really like to see them get started and stay playing because of the sound and essential character of the instrument, not because it has a pretty wolf block or an intricately painted design. I hate to lose potential flute players to "wall hangers!"
My Name is Plastic Doorknob
Years ago, a Tohono O'odam friend of mine, and I think he was already some kind of chief in his 20's, because so many of his older relatives had died due to various and tragic reasons, told me he had had a dream about me. In his dream, I had an egg in a shoebox that I took care of. Some people took it away from me. I knocked on a door and asked them to give it back. They gave it back, but instead of an egg, there was a plastic door knob.
I asked him what this meant, and he said he didn't know, this was just his dream. He always called me Plastic Doorknob after that. He said it was my name.
I thought maybe I'd get lucky and someone would tell me I was Beautiful Running Water or Enlightened Shewolf, but no. I guess it makes sense that a white woman like me would get a native name like this. It comes from my culture.
I asked him what this meant, and he said he didn't know, this was just his dream. He always called me Plastic Doorknob after that. He said it was my name.
I thought maybe I'd get lucky and someone would tell me I was Beautiful Running Water or Enlightened Shewolf, but no. I guess it makes sense that a white woman like me would get a native name like this. It comes from my culture.