Is it possible to tape over some of the finger holes and convert the xaphoon into diatonic instrument, instead of a chromatic instrument with an insane fingering pattern for notes?

The Xaphoon has, at the best of times, a fairly loose association with the Western musical scale as it is generally recognised.

I'd have thought you'd do far better to just ignore the fingerings you really don't like and work on the assumption that those notes aren't in the instrument"s scale; I really can't imagine that taping some holes is going to make things any better ...

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Steve Mansfield
http://www.lesession.co.uk

Looking at the fingering chart on the manufacturer's web-site http://www.xaphoon.com/fingeringcharts.html it would seem a diatonic pattern is (almost) available in the key of C until you get up to B ... so not quite an octave, but may be worth considering if you already have an instrument. Personally I'd block the unused holes with beeswax, no chance of a leak and looks neater (traditional, even!)

If you're looking for something a little "different" and have yet to make a purchase I'd suggest a "chalumeau", basically a keyless clarinet, available economically from Hanson http://www.hansonclarinets.com/Hanson_C ... umeau.html or in wood from several other manufacturers at varying prices. I have a Hohner "Pocket Clarinet", much the same thing ... it's a lot of fun

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"I'm playing all the right notes—but not necessarily in the right order."