So you just got your new flute. Now what? This page has steps for getting started, learning to play and instructions for flute care!
Getting Started in 1, 2, 3
1. Let it Acclimate
Let it acclimate to your new climate! Its important that a cold flute has time to warm up before breathing warm air into it. Give it two weeks to fully acclimate to your climate, temperature and humidity. During this time, play your flute 10 ish minutes at a time as it gets accustomed to its new environment.
2. Place your Fetish
The fetish or soundblock placement is key to being able to play our flutes! If your flute is sounding off, check your fetish location. It should rest tight, less than 1/6th of an inch above the sound opening at the top of the flute. We never knot our leather, but just cross it in the back and pull tight. See video below for more details.
3. Start Playing
Miguel explains how to start playing the Native American Flute in 3 easy steps in the video linked below.
1. Cover all the finger holes sealing each hole tightly with your finger pads - blow softly!
2. Lift your fingers from the bottom to the top to produce different notes.
3. If its a Native style tuning keep your third finger from the top DOWN always.
Caring For Your Flute
Taking care of your Singing Tree Flutes is easy! You don't need to do a lot to keep them happy and healthy.
The varnish we put on our flutes protects the wood, so there is not a regular need to oil your flutes. If you think your flute is drying out, you can oil it with a nut oil like walnut oil, avoid olive oil as it can go rancid!
If you find yourself playing for extended periods of time (30 minutes or more), you might experience "wet out". This is when condensation builds up in the sound chamber and affects the sound. Simply remove the fetish, turn your flute upside down and let it dry out before playing again.
Flute needs an extra coat of varnish? Some repairs? Send us a message and we will do our best to repair it!
Learning to Play
Learn to play the basics with Miguel in this easy video. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos and tips! If you want further instruction, scroll down to purchase a fantastic instructional book. Tommy Graven is a wonderful teacher offering private and group lessons & Jonny Lipford is also an excellent resource for NAF lessons and workshops.
We show you how to play all our different flute types and scales on our Youtube Channel
