How To Improvise Native American Flute Music
American Indian Flute Scales and Easy Tips Help Make Original Songs
Nov 2, 2008
“Most Native American flute music is improvisational,” comments John Stillwell who specializes in Native American flute making. “Each person seems to have their own particular flavor of song.” Musicians can begin discovering that “flavor” during their first experience with the instrument.
Playing original Native American flute songs can be freeing. Novices don’t have to decipher sheet music. And, musicians who balk at playing by ear can relax, because all the notes of the pentatonic scale blend pleasantly. Here are some pointers for beginning the exciting experience of improvising.
The Voice of Native American Flute Songs
The vibrations creating the hauntingly beautiful voice of the Native American flute start beneath the “bird,” or wooden device strapped to the top of the flute. Under this device are two holes, one from which air leaves the first chamber, and another over which the air is channeled to create those vibrations in the second chamber.
The “bird” should be secured so no air escapes except the stream focused over the second hole. Also, the bird should be centered over that sound hole. Musicians can experiment to find the optimum amount of sound hole to leave uncovered. The more they uncover, the louder their instrument.
Improvising Native American Flute Music
To improvise a melody, musicians need a framework for their tune. This framework is called a scale.
The Native American flute is capable of producing the diatonic scale, or “Do-ra-me-fa-so-la-ti-do,” but it’s tuned to provide easiest fingering for pentatonic scales. Pentatonic scales are popular not only in the Orient, but all over the world. They consist of only five notes.
To finger a mode 1 pentatonic scale, musicians can begin with every hole covered on their flute. The pads of their left pointer, middle, and ring fingers should be over the top three holes, and the pads of their right pointer, middle, and ring fingers should be covering the lower three. Musicians can blow gently to hear their flute’s lowest tone. This note is called the "fundamental". If the tone doesn’t sound right, possibly one finger hole is slightly uncovered. Musicians can readjust their fingertips and try again.
To hear a mode 1 pentatonic scale, musicians can begin with that fundamental note, then uncover the holes one-by-one starting with the lowest. The only trick is that their left ring finger stays in place for this scale.
So, musicians begin with six holes covered for the first note of the mode 1 pentatonic scale, remove their right ring finger for the second, their right middle finger for the third, their right pointer finger for the fourth, their left middle finger for the fifth, and their left pointer finger for the fundamental note in a higher pitch. For the higher fundamental note, their left ring finger is the only one covering a hole.
Once musicians have played with the mode 1 pentatonic scale, they can try a mode 4 pentatonic scale. This scale also begins with all six holes covered. As before, the holes are uncovered one-by-one starting from the bottom, but this time, it is the right pointer finger which remains in place.
So, musicians begin with six holes covered for the first note of the mode 4 pentatonic scale, remove their right ring finger for the second, their right middle finger for the third, their left ring finger for the fourth, their left middle finger for the fifth, and their left pointer finger for the fundamental note in a higher pitch. For the higher fundamental note, their right pointer finger is the only one covering a hole.
Turning Native American Flute Scales into Song
Native American flute Songs are simply the notes of a scale composed in different patterns. To start a tune, musicians can begin by climbing the scale. When they feel inspired, they can break away by skipping a note or two. They can climb three notes and head back down. As they mix in variations, unique snatches of music will catch their ear. These snatches will grow and blend to create an improvisation.
Musicians can tap their feet to find their tempo. To diverge from their scale, they can vary the lengths of notes by drawing some out for two or more taps or playing two or more notes in the space of one tap.
Typically, a song grows louder as it ascends the scale and quieter as it descends. Musicians can add spice to their song by blowing harder or softer to change the volume.
Musicians can vary their articulation by changing the way they blow. For the softest notes, they can blow as if saying “who” into the flute, for more emphasis, they can try “Ku,” and for a percussive effect, they can try a loud “Tu.”
Trills and glissandos bring personality to a tune. A trill is accomplished by covering and uncovering a hole quickly. A glissando is a quick run up or down the scale as musicians play a note, and cover or uncover the holes on the way to their next note.
Musicians can slide up to a note to add flavor to a song. To do this, they will slide their finger slowly over a hole rather than covering it all at once.
Vibrato is another technique flute players use to transform notes into song. Vibrato sounds like vibrate, and that’s what the pitch of a note played with vibrato will do. To achieve this fluctuating pitch, musicians use their diaphragms to vary the intensity of their breath.
Native American flutes can open the door to improvisation . Their unique pentatonic scales enable many to leave behind their preconceived patterns for songs and branch out into an exciting musical experience. As John Stillwell writes, “The fingers develop the connection between the heart and the sound. They find how to do this on their own. Just let them play over the holes. Don't expect, demand or be critical. Play and enjoy. Let it go where it will.”
Quotes were obtained via conversations with John Stillwell and also his blog.
