
If you want to learn the rudiments of flute playing, it will help if you have the best Native American flute for beginners. It is a no-brainer that the first thing you will need to master the flute is to have the best Native American flute for beginners. The prices, of course, of this type of flutes vary. Moreover, there are myriads of manufacturers of this type of flute. Hence, choosing the best Native American flute quickly becomes confusing for beginners.
When I was just starting to play the flute, I was fond of the High Spirits Flutes. Yet, as I got better at playing the flute, I transitioned to flutes with more ergonomic sound holes. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that the High Spirits flutes are not great. However, as for beginners, it will be of help if you are cognizant of the essential factors to consider when selecting a Native American flute.
Buyer’s Guide: Factors to Consider When Buying a Native American Flute
The High Spirits Flutes, of course, sound decent, but you will surely enjoy playing better-sounding flutes like Southern Cross Flutes. These flutes, of course, come with ergonomic design and can be customized. Nevertheless, if you are desirous of getting the best Native American flutes for beginners like you, it will help if you know the following succinct factors to consider when choosing a Native American flute:
1) Size and Keys
As someone who wants to get started playing the flute, it will help if you consider the flute’s size and keys. Flutes come in various keys. The Love Flute, for example, comes in A or G keys. Nevertheless, you can also opt for flutes with lower keys like F#, F, or E.
The size should also factor well in your choice of beginner’s flute. It’ll be useful to note that the bigger your choice is, the more you stretch your fingers. Hence, it will be helpful to opt for a smaller flute when you start with the flute. Nevertheless, the bigger flutes sound more agreeable than smaller flutes.
2) Look for Good Wood Materials
Flutes come in various materials. So, if you are shopping around for the best flutes, you would often end up choosing among different wooden flute types. The cedar wood is the perfect wood for flute. It is lightweight; thus, it will be light on your hand. It also absorbs moisture.
Moreover, it provides a soft and mellow tone. If you want a clear and bright tone, however, you can go for the walnut. Your choices, of course, are myriads. So, depending on your choices, you can always opt for a soft-sounding flute or bright-sounding wood.
If you go for big flutes, you should go for lightweight wood so that you will not tire your hand while playing it. There are various tonewoods for creating wooden flutes.
High-density woods are more often used for making flutes. You can find flute made of African Blackwood, Boxwood, Amazon Rosewood, Mopane, Tulipwood, and many other wood types. Your choice, of course, should depend on your playing needs.
3) Consider Your Experience Level
Your playing skill may be at a beginner level, intermediate, level, or advanced level. When you are at the beginner level, you will often play the most basic pieces, and you are just developing foundational skills. So, at this level, you will need easier to handle flutes. You would not want big flutes that are hard to manipulate.
Once you want to transition to the intermediate level, you want to strengthen your foundational skills and expand your repertoire. Beginner levels usually last up to the third year of playing the flute. In contrast, the intermediate level is from the third year onwards until you achieve the advanced level. The advanced level, on the other hand, focuses more on definite and solid musical goals.
Most Recommended Native American Flutes for Beginners
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Knowing the succinct factors to consider when buying a Native American flute brings you a bit closer to finding the best flute for beginners. Yet, if you know the most recommended Native American flutes at hand, you would further facilitate the buying process for you:
1) Stellar Basic Flute Key of A
The Basic A is perfect for beginners because it is a small flute around 21 1/2″ long and a bore of around 7/8″. You will find the finger holes at least 1″ apart from each other. The first finger hole is roughly 9 3/4″ away from the mouth end. Its color may vary from how it looks online. Each Basic A flute is unique.
Yet, Basic A comes with the highest quality cedar. It is very much affordable, so you don’t need to break the bank to avail of one. It also comes with a sealed from the inside and outside design for preventing cracking due to moisture. A concert-quality of 440 tunings characterizes it.
2) Stellar Basic Flute Key of G
The most famous Native American Flute is the Basic G flute. It has a small size, allowing you to play it comfortably. It also has a low, soft sound that is soothing to the ears. It is an excellent choice if you are a beginner. However, even if you are an experienced musician, you will find this flute perfect for playing. It comes with excellent color and is made of high-quality red cedar. It is an unstained western red cedar that comes in warm brown color.
The fingering holes of the Stellar Basic are separated by a distance of 1 1/8″ from the center to center. Furthermore, the mouth end is around 10 1/8″ away from the first finger hole. It is also very affordable and comes sealed outside and inside with four varnish coatings (waterproof). It also has a carrying case with an instructional booklet.
3) Jonah Thompson’s Native American Flute Pack
If you want a flute made from authentic pine wood, you can always choose a Jonah Thompson Flute. It comes with an intricate eagle totem wind block design that is handcrafted. It is made by Jonah Thompson, a Navajo artist. It measures around 18 inches long and comes with six holes set in the A minor key.
Of course, this flute is an excellent choice for beginners who want to learn flute playing rudiments. It comes with well-placed finger holes that are not far from each other. Thus, this flute is an excellent choice for children, women, and those with small hands. It also comes with a woven bag and songbook.
Additional Tips for Newbie Native American Flute Players
If you are a first-time flute player, you will find playing the flute daunting. You may also feel fidgety as you try to position your fingers on the holes. Yet, this feeling is natural for beginners. Nevertheless, you can benefit from these basic tips for newbie Native American Flute Players:
1. One important tip when selecting a Native Flute is to choose the most comfortable for you to use. It should let you learn flute playing easily and smoothly. Moreover, it should be ergonomic in design to let you play the notes with ease.
2. Learning to play the Native Flute is easier compared to other melodic instruments. Besides, you don’t need prior music knowledge to learn its rudiments.
3. When choosing a flute, you need to listen to its sound. It will help if you choose the one that resonates well with you.
4. Once you get the hang of playing one of the Native Flutes, you can transition from one Native Flute to another with ease.
5. You can transition to flute playing if you know how to play another wind instrument.
6. The type of wood used for the flute colors the sound it produces. Cedar, for example, is the quintessence of wood flute. It creates a soft and mellow sound. Walnut, on the other hand, makes a clear and bright tone.
Conclusion
As one of the oldest musical instruments, the flute comes in various designs and materials. The Native American flute is one variety of flutes that you can buy in the market today. It is easy to play and quite melodic to listen to. As mentioned above, there are many factors to consider when selecting a Native Flute. Once you know these essential factors to consider and are cognizant of the most recommended Native Flutes, you are indeed not far from zeroing in on the best Native American flute.
When playing the Native American flute, you would usually hold it in front of you. It comes with two chambers for creating sound and for holding your breath. You usually breathe on one end of the flute; thus, this flute doesn’t need an embouchure. The Native American flute is also called by many names, depending on the American Indian tribe that uses it.
Lynnae McConaha says
I am looking for a beginner flute for my grandson. We’re wanting a more melodic flute made from cedar. We are wanting lower notes and I’m see the key of G is good. I wish we could hear the sounds before purchasing! Please guide us.
Poietes says
I have a Stellar G flute and highly recommend it to you.