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Narrator: THE WOOD FLUTE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
EVERY CULTURE HAD A VERSION, BUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN ONE HAS
A PARTICULARLY SOULFUL SOUND AND A VERY ROMANTIC PAST.
FOR CENTURIES,
NATIVE MEN PLAYED THE FLUTE TO COURT THEIR BELOVED,
AND IT BECAME KNOWN AS THE COURTING FLUTE.
[ FLUTE PLAYING ]
TODAY, THE COURTING FLUTE COURTS A WIDER FOLLOWING.
ITS APPEAL REACHES BEYOND THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.
WITH TWO CHAMBERS INSTEAD OF ONE AND A BLOCK-WHISTLE MECHANISM,
THE NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE IS UNIQUE.
IT TAKES LESS SKILL AND EFFORT TO PLAY IT,
AND THE TRANQUIL TONES OFFER RELIEF
FROM THE DIN OF THE MODERN WORLD.
TO MAKE ONE, A NATIVE CRAFTSMAN
CLEANLY SPLITS A PIECE OF CEDAR WITH A TABLE SAW.
NO NEED TO CRAFT IT ENTIRELY BY HAND
WHEN THERE ARE NOW MECHANIZED WOODWORKING TOOLS.
WITH A ROUTER, HE CARVES A HOLLOW IN ONE END.
IT WILL BE HALF OF THE FLUTE'S SLOW AIR CHAMBER,
WHICH IS THE FIRST CHAMBER TO RECEIVE BREATH.
HE NOW SHAPES THE MUCH LONGER SOUND CHAMBER.
IT'S THE ONE THAT SETS THE PITCH OF THE NOTES.
AFTER ROUTERING CORRESPONDING HOLLOWS IN THE OTHER CEDAR HALF,
HE APPLIES GLUE AND SPREADS IT EVENLY.
A CONSISTENT APPLICATION IS CRUCIAL.
ANY GAPS AND THE FLUTE WON'T WORK.
ME MATCHES UP THE PIECES
AND CLAMPS THEM FOR A SOLID SEAL.
THE CLAMPS SQUEEZE OUT SOME GLUE,
SO HE WIPES IT AWAY QUICKLY BEFORE IT DRIES.
HE CLEANS UP THE INSIDE
WITH SANDPAPER WRAPPED AROUND THE END OF A SPINNING METAL ROD.
ONCE THE ASSEMBLY DRIES, HE BUILDS THE MOUTHPIECE,
USING A BRAND OF DARK AFRICAN WOOD FOR CONTRAST
AND THEN A THICK CHUNK OF MYRTLEWOOD.
MYRTLEWOOD IS FINELY-GRAINED AND HARD,
SO IT WILL HOLD UP TO HEAVY USE.
HE DRILLS INTO THE WOOD TO CARVE OUT THE MOUTHPIECE
AND BREAKS THROUGH TO THE SLOW AIR CHAMBER.
IT'S TIME FOR A SPIN IN THE LATHE.
THE CRAFTSMAN TURNS A WHEEL
TO MOVE A CHAIN-DRIVEN ROUTER ALONG THE SPINNING WOOD.
IT SHAVES THE WOOD A LITTLE WITH EACH PASS
TO TAKE IT FROM SQUARE TO ROUND.
HE MILLS THE FLUTE BETWEEN THE TWO CHAMBERS
TO CREATE THE NEST,
A FLAT AREA WITH HOLES UPON WHICH THE BLOCK WILL REST.
IT'S THROUGH THIS AREA
THAT AIR PASSES FROM ONE CHAMBER TO THE OTHER.
HE CUTS OFF SPLINTERS THAT COULD RUIN THE SOUND OF THE FLUTE.
HE BUILDS UP THE NEST AREA
WITH A PRECISELY-SHAPED FLAT PIECE OF WOOD.
HE BORES THROUGH IT INTO THE NEST HOLE
TO REOPEN IT AND GIVE IT ITS FINAL SHAPE.
HE CARVES A RAMP TO COMPRESS AND SPEED UP AIR
AS IT PASSES FROM THE FIRST CHAMBER TO THE SECOND.
HE DRILLS THE SMALLER SOUND HOLE.
AFTER HE FILES THE SOUND HOLE TO A RECTANGULAR SHAPE,
HE POSITIONS THE BLOCK OVER THE NEST.
IT'S THIS WOOD BLOCK THAT CREATES
THE CLEAR WHISTLE TONE OF THE FLUTE.
THE LENGTH OF THE TUBE
DETERMINES THE PITCH OF THE INSTRUMENT.
HE BLOWS INTO THE FLUTE
AND CHECKS THE DIAL OF THE DIGITAL TUNER.
THE KEY IS A BIT TOO LOW, SO HE CUTS THE END
TO TAKE IT UP TO "G" ON THE SCALE.
SATISFIED WITH THE PITCH, HE DRILLS SIX FINGER HOLES.
HE SPACES THEM IN A PRECISE CONFIGURATION.
THE SIZE OF THE HOLES VARY SLIGHTLY
TO HELP CREATE THE DESIRED NOTES.
HE FILES THE EDGES OF THE FINGER HOLES ON AN ANGLE
TO BRING THE NOTES INTO TUNE.
HE TESTS THE FLUTE AGAIN.
IT'S IN THE CORRECT RANGE -- NO TWEAKING NEEDED.
HE NOW TAPERS THE MOUTHPIECE USING A BELT SANDER.
HE USES A FAIRLY ROUGH GRIT
TO TRANSFORM THE CYLINDRICAL MOUTHPIECE
INTO A CONE SHAPE THAT'S EASIER ON THE LIPS.
HE SCRUTINIZES THE NEWLY-SCULPTED MOUTHPIECE
AND CONFIRMS THAT THE SHAPE IS RIGHT.
HE SIGNS AND NUMBERS IT WITH A WOOD-BURNING TOOL.
FINALLY, HE COATS THIS NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE
WITH PROTECTIVE ACRYLIC.
USING MODERN WOODWORKING TECHNIQUES,
A CENTURIES-OLD MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAS BEEN UPDATED
AND IT'S NOW READY TO ENTERTAIN.