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!
DIY bamboo flutes
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Re: DIY bamboo flutes
...possibly because it is?It feels almost easier to play on the higher octaves.
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!
“When a Cat adopts you there is nothing to be done about it except put up with it until the wind changes.” T.S. Elliot