Ambrosia Maple Eb Native American Style Flute. Click to see larger version
Learning to play the Native American style flute will change you. It’s not an instant change, but few things are. It’s a process.
You will be sharper, smarter, and more in-tune with your surroundings if you start to learn the Native American style flute.
With a little time and commitment on your part, you will have begun a rewarding relationship.
Lifehacker advocates taking 30 minutes a day to learn something new based on the half-hour theory. But I think you could learn to enjoy playing the flute in less than 30 minutes a day. Some days, I only play a flute for 10 minutes and it makes a difference.
Learning to play the Native American style flute will:
- Sharpen and improve your memory.
Bird made of Red Bud with Turquoise inlay
It’s general knowledge that,
“Regularly “exercising” the brain keeps it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills — especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument — and challenging your brain with puzzles and games, you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning.” (Wikihow)
- Cost you very little in money, and more in time and stress-free perspective.
Of course buying a flute could be a lot of money depending on where you shop. But a beautiful tone and accurate notes can be had for a reasonable cost. If you need a reasonably priced Native American style flute, contact me 2flutemaven [at] gmail [dot] com and tell me how reasonably priced you need the flute to be.
- Be something you can do at any time and anywhere.
Black flute with faux turquoise embedded
Why? Because Native American style flutes are portable. A trombone or cello, not so much. However, there is an intriguing story of the woman who learned to play the cellolater in life. The article addresses the potentially enormous sense of accomplishment in learning to play a musical instrument. At any age.
- Draw you closer to nature.
Play a woodNative American flute if you can. The wood comes from a tree of the earth. All wood has a personality. Examine the wood and its characteristics — the grain, the color, the weight. That specific wood, along with your breath, creates the unique tone and timbre of your flute.
- Increase your curiosity about which flute will pick you.
It’s true. A Native American style flute chooses the player. In the fiction of Harry Potter, you know that the “wand chooses the wizard“.But a flute choosing you is not fiction. It may be the kind of wood (I love my cherry flute — symbolism of trees), the key of the flute and even the tone, are ones that are for you. It may be you do not pick up a variety of flutes and try them. It may be you order a flute online. But there are elements — call it what you will God, Providence … — beyond your control that bring that flute to you. Aren’t you curious which flute will choose you?
- Become a healing experience.
The flutes are in different keys. These different keys (and hence vibration/sounds) speak to different parts of one’s body. Those who believe vibration can heal, believe different keys of flutes speak to or heal different parts of one’s body.
- Improve your breathing.
The deeper you can intake breath the longer you will be able to hold a note on the flute. At first this may only be a short while. But as you practice, you’ll notice your ability to hold long notes increasing.
- Surprise you because they are easy to play.
Native American style flute made from a Mulberry tree branch
Funnel your breath through the flute. Softly. Hard. The beauty of it is you don’t need to purse your lips. You don’t need an embouchure (specific mouth formation) to get a sound.
- Please you. No matter what you play, the Native American style flute always sounds good.
The pentatonic scale (of most Native American style flutes) has only 5 notes in its scale. It’s actually hard to hit a wrong note. It’s almost impossible to play something that doesn’t sound good. Play what you feel.
- You tell me.
I’m sure I’ve missed a reason.
Convinced? Try the “don’t break the chain” method. And if you’re a mobile person, you may prefer the “don’t break the chain” iPhone app.
Play a little every day and see how many days you can go (preferably 21 days) without forgetting to pick up your flute and play for at least 10 minutes. Write and tell me if you notice any changes.
