Bamboo Flute Fingering Chart
The bamboo flute is an instrument that is almost as old as time! The first flutes (chi-ie) are believed to have been made as early as 900BC in ancient China. They were made from the bones of small animals and birds. These early style flutes were held vertically when you play them verses horizontally (or transverse) like the classical instrument you will find in a symphony orchestra.
Playing the flute
Playing a vertical flute is much easier than a horizontal one because you blow directly into the instrument instead of across it. To simulate what it’s like to play a horizontal flute, try blowing across the top of a glass bottle to make a sound. It’s harder than you think! No matter what type of flute you play, the most important thing is air, air, air! You have to take in a deep breath and let it out smoothly and steadily in order to create a pleasing sound.
The Scale
In music, a scale is a series of notes that are played in a specific order. Think of steps or a ladder. Each step (note) is a little bit higher than the one that came before it. You can even see this step-like pattern on the fingering chart.There are many different types of scales (major, minor, chromatic, pentatonic) but we’ll show you how to play the most familiar to our American ears-the diatonic.