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DIY bamboo flutes
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Author:  ma_headphone [ Fri Jan 03, 2014 4:51 pm ]
Post subject:  DIY bamboo flutes
Hi,

I hope I'm writing to the correct board. I found this forum by browsing on the internet and it seemed to have a nice and active community.
I don't have much experience with flutes other than the plastic recorder I had at school. However, I'm interested in music and musical instruments, and few days ago I decided to try build myself a transversal bamboo flute.
I've been reading a bit about the topic and I came to the conclusion that I would build something similar to the chinese "dizi".

I found these sites quite useful for calculating the right proportions:
http://11wall-west.com/~ph_kosel/flutomat.html
http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html

My flute is in the key of B, these are the details:

Units of measurement: cm
Inside Diameter 1.2 Wall Thickness 0.15

embouchure
diameter: 0.70
distance from end: 32.285000000000004

1st hole
frequency: 932.33 A#
size: 0.55
distance: 17.578

2nd hole
frequency: 830.61 G#
size: 0.55
distance: 15.378

3rd hole
frequency: 739.99 F# 5
size: 0.55
distance: 12.924

4th hole
frequency: 659.26 E 5
size: 0.45
distance: 9.988

5th hole
frequency: 622.25 D# 5
size: 0.55
distance: 8.591

6th hole
frequency: 554.37 C# 5
size: 0.55
distance: 5.203

end of flute
frequency: 493.88 B 4
distance: 0

I managed to build it (i had some problems smoothening out the inner nodes though), and I can play notes on it, even though I don't have experience with this kind of embrochure.

My problem is, I can play quite well the higher notes (A#5, G#5, F#5), but when I try to play the lower notes I have problems to get the sound right. It feels almost easier to play on the higher octaves.

I will try to make my blowing technique more precise in the next days, but I wonder, did build my flute in the wrong way? Would it help to make the inside part more smooth, of modify the embrochure?

Thanks in advance!
Author:  highwood [ Sat Jan 04, 2014 12:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY bamboo flutes
Quote:
It feels almost easier to play on the higher octaves.

...possibly because it is?
Which is probably because the ID of 1.2 cm is a bit on the small size for a B Flute - smaller id => weaker, or even nonexistent low notes, too big ID => hard or impossible to play high notes
Of course it could be something else!
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