Native American Flutes - Top 9 Facts
Posted: Monday, July 06, 2009
by Craig Chambers - Mission Del Rey
Mission Del Rey
Native American flutes are somehow magical in the way they make us feel. Music played on Native six hole flutes is spellbinding. They can calm our spirit.
If you are familiar with flute music you must appreciate it too. If you are new to flutes, or searching for a flute for yourself or as a gift for someone special, I hope the following facts and tips will help you if you choose to buy a Native American flute online.
2. A Native American flute can be made using exotic woods or something very common like cane or bamboo. One of the most common flutes is made from pine. The most popular has to be a cedar flute. The most important thing is the attention to quality and detail. If you are thinking about purchasing a flute for as a gift or for yourself, you will be very happy with the sound quality of both of these types of handcrafted flutes.
3. Native American flutes are used in a lot of different cultures around the world. You too will appreciate Native flute music for its beautiful soft tone. You can use a flute to bring a peaceful calm to the ambiance anywhere it is played. If you are still learning, be sure to get a lesson book and CD to play in your home. Always make sure the flute you are considering is tuned. The keys of A minor and F sharp are very good for beginners.
4. Flute music revives the hearer. If you look into the background of Indian instruments, you will find that flutes were important just like the drum. The flute has an important role in their daily lives. The flute affects the festivals and traditions of many Indigenous Tribes. Native American flute music can be used for prayer, spirituality and meditation.
5. Flutes in one form or another have existed for centuries and have been part of many Tribes around the world. As we look into the the culture of flutes we see that they were used in ancient Tribes. The birth place of the first Native American flute is not very easy to set. The reason is that the North American Tribes didn't have a written language to keep record. However, when European explorers documented their expeditions, they reported seeing the Native American flute.
6. You really appreciate the great value of Native flute music when you realize that we almost lost it. The twentieth century brought tough assimilation rules for Native Americans and nearly crushed their culture. It wasn't until the mid-1900's that assimilation laws changed and Native people began to publicly exercise their customs again.
7. The popularity of the Native American flute boomed to the point that flute makers began making these instruments in large numbers to sell. The materials they used to make flutes changed from rustic to intricate. The advent of modern electric tools and more availability of different types of woods, plastics and metals caused a great difference. Now you can find various options available when choosing a Native style flute.
8. There are a few guidelines you should keep in mind though when buying a Native style flute. There are many different types of flutes. But, they all fit into a couple of categories. The sound depends on whether it is a Plains style or a Woodlands style. A Plains style flute sounds like it has a buzzing type of sound. The Woodlands style flute produces more of a bell tone. Native American flutes are also fashioned from a variety of woods including inexpensive pine, mellow cedar or expensive exotic woods.
9. Given the widespread appeal of flute music, you can easily buy Native American flutes online. You can also check out different music centers, or specialty stores. Many stores that sell American Indian artifacts and southwestern home decorating accessories also carry them.
If you would like to find an easy instrument to learn to play, try a flute. Or, if you want an authentic musical instrument that would be good for use in Native ceremonies, the flute would be perfect. Whatever your reason is, you can keep the rich heritage and music of Indigenous people alive with Native American flutes.
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Craig Chambers is the founder of Mission Del Rey Southwest, offering information on the unique hand crafted Native American flute. Visit his website and get his popular free ebook. http://www.missiondelrey.com
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