Playing a custom composition on an Anasazi Style rim-blown flute while outdoors.

My goal with this project was to design, build, and learn to play a rim-blown flute based on the Anasazi flutes found in the American Southwest. The original idea sprung from a chance encounter with whistles made from elderberry wood which led down a rabbit hole into full blown flute making.

Finished flute against grass.

Four Anasazi Flutes from the Broken Flute Cave.

Hollowing out the elderberry branch was relatively simple as the center is a soft pith. However, before I could tune a rim-blown flute, I first needed to teach myself how to play one. I had played the viola for several years but had never played a wind instrument.

Elderberry branch prior to any processing.

Removing bark with a knife.

Cutting the end of the branch.

Removing the pith from the elderberry branch.

Sanding the outside of the flute.

Based on a small initial prototype, I found the higher notes easier to produce. So, I made several intermediate-sized prototypes as I experimented with hole placement and worked on developing my embouchure. After a swap in playing styles from vertical to oblique and many hours of practice, I managed to reliably produce the root note of the flute I wanted to make my final product. For the hole placement on the final flute, I used modified ratios of hole placement to flute length of the flutes found by archeologists in broken flute cave.

Tools used to prepare the elderberry branch prior to drilling finger holes.

Measuring and marking the finger hole positions.

Drilling the finger holes with a drill press.

Adjusting the finger holes with glue.

Adjusting the finger holes with a file.

After about 5-6 months of research, prototyping, and testing, I had a rim-blown flute that I could play reasonably well. And, while not perfectly in tune, it had recognizable intervals and a good sound. The following link is to a google photos album with more pictures of the process and footage of me playing the flute.