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The Native American-style flute is a musical instrument that embodies elegant simplicity. Due to its simplicity, it is easy to play, making it ideal for casual players. However, simplicity also comes with certain limitations.
When we talk about tuning, we refer to the process of aligning the notes of the flute to a standardized relationship with each other. For Native American players, tuning the flute was not a technical matter. They focused on creating sounds that felt right to them, without measuring the tonality against any external standard. Their satisfaction came from what sounded pleasing to their own ears. It was a matter of personal preference. In the late twentieth century, Native American flutes began to gain acceptance beyond the Native community. Native and non-Native flute makers and players began a period of rapid development for the Indian-style flute.
The most basic change was to bring the Indian flute into conformity with Western tuning standards. Many makers adopted the Mode 1 minor pentatonic scale, which was deemed appropriate for expressing the Indian love flute’s somewhat melancholic nature. The resulting instrument had five tone holes and could play a five-note (pentatonic) scale, as well as the first note of the second octave (six notes in total). When a sixth hole was introduced, it became possible to play two different pentatonic scales on the same flute—Mode 1 and Mode 4. Love flute makers also started tuning their instruments to the modern concert standard of 440Hz for the A above middle C on the piano.
The next challenge that Love flute makers took on was crafting a flute capable of playing a full chromatic scale. A chromatic scale divides the octave into twelve semitones (notes) of one half step each, with equal intervals between each note. A pentatonic scale uses only five of these twelve notes, leaving out the other seven, which can be thought of as hidden notes. These hidden notes can be played on some Native American-style flutes using techniques such as cross-fingering and half-holing.
With a fully chromatic (twelve-note) range, players can perform music in diatonic (seven-note) and pentatonic (five-note) scales, as well as in major and minor keys. To make playing a chromatic scale possible on the Indian flute, the flute must be tuned so that the hidden notes are playable and in tune, with a 100-cent interval between each adjacent note. This challenge has been mostly met, except for the two notes that lie between the fundamental and the first open-hole note. These two notes require half-holing rather than cross-fingering, but it is not easy (or sometimes even possible) to produce these notes distinctly. Therefore, in practice, a contemporary, well-tuned Native American-style flute offers an almost complete chromatic scale.
The Native American-style flute has another limitation. It is customary for flute makers to tune their flutes at an ambient temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. However, once the flute is tuned, its tuning cannot be adjusted. If the flute is in tune at 72 degrees, it will be out of tune if the air temperature is higher or lower. Warmer air temperatures can make the flute play sharp, while cooler temperatures can make it play flat. A temperature change of 10 degrees above or below 72 can result in the flute being about 15 cents out of tune one way or the other.
The length of the barrel of the Love flute determines the fundamental note of the instrument. A longer barrel produces a lower tone, while a shorter barrel raises the pitch. For simplicity, we can measure the barrel length from the splitting edge at the front of the true sound hole to the foot end of the flute. Unlike the standard metal concert flute, the Indian Love flute does not have a telescoping slip joint on the barrel, which would allow the musician to lengthen or shorten the total length of the barrel. This adjustability compensates for variations in temperature. The Indian Love flute, being a solid piece of wood from one end to the other, does not possess this capability.
Another factor that affects the tuning of the Native American-style flute is the breath pressure exerted by the player. When a Love flute is tuned by a flute maker at a specific breath pressure, it is in tune only when played at that pressure. If the player uses a higher breath pressure, the flute may play sharp (and louder). Conversely, using less breath pressure can result in a flat sound. The degree of sharpness or flatness depends on the deviation in pressure from the initial tuning of the Indian flute.
Does it matter if the flute is sharp or flat? Not when playing solo. It’s important to remember that the flute is in tune with itself. The different notes of the Love flute are in a harmonic relationship with each other. So, if the flute is sharp, all the notes are sharp to the same degree. If it’s flat, all the notes are equally flat. Consequently, there is no dissonance among the individual notes. Few recreational musicians are able to discern minor variations from 440 Hz.
The tuning of the Love flute becomes significant when playing in an ensemble with other instruments. If you are out of tune relative to your guitarist friend by 15 cents, there will be a noticeable dissonance between the two instruments. A guitar is typically tuned, and it can be adjusted to match the tuning of your flute. This resolves the issue at one level, ensuring that both instruments are equally sharp or flat. In this way, the two instruments can harmonize with each other.
Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME
