FluteFlights: Native American flute MP3 audio samples

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One of the many miracles of the Net is that we cannot only see the pages we access, but we can also hear the pages. And in some ways that's even more useful than seeing the page content. The best way to learn to play an instrument is to hear someone else play. The printed tablature of a music book, for example, will show you what to play, but not how to play. The audio samples posted here are samples included with the method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute. There is also a flute tune played by Chris Fuqua, musician, flute builder and author of the soon to be released book, The Native American Flute - Myth, History, Craft.

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Dick Claassen plays a few of the tunes from his NA flute instruction book

The Native American Flute Artistry of C.S. Fuqua

SIMPLY CLICK THE LINKS TO PLAY: Clicking each link should start the audio player in your browser so you can hear the tunes. The files are compressed MP3 files; although of pretty good quality for online listening, your own flute will no doubt sound clearer. Each tune is considerably longer than what you'll hear. They have been shortened so they won't take so long for your audio player to start playing.

-Dick Claassen plays a few of the tunes from his NA flute instruction book-

The book, Celebrate the Native American Flute, has 45 tabs. The first three are scales while the rest are complete tunes. Some tunes are well known while others are tunes Dick has composed to help you learn various techniques. The seven links below are somewhat representative of what's inside the book, but by no means is it a complete picture of its music content.

Auld Lange Sine: Everybody knows this one! Play it at the stroke of midnight when heading into the new year. Better yet, play it whenever you want to! It's a beautiful tune that never gets old. Especially when playing it on the Native American flute. I played this tune on an E bamboo flute made by Chris Fuqua. I love bamboo because you can ring real emotion from it.

Corn Grinding Song: This is a traditional Native American song played on the flute. It honors the women who sit over a grinding stone, grinding cord so all those in the village can eat.

Alien Encounter: Music for an alien from another planet! Dick loves aliens, so this tune is a tribute to them, wherever they may be. Listen to the thunder storm raging along with the tune. Imagine encountering a being like this as you experience lightning and thunder in the forest. As lightning streaks across the sky, there is just enough light to illuminate the hollow face of the big-eyed alien. Have you found it, or has it found you? Yikes! This tune is tabbed out in the flute method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute.

Amazing Grace: Probably the most familiar of all Christian hymns. If you ever play your flute for someone, chances are high you will be asked to play this hymn. This tune is tabbed out in the flute method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute.

Classical guitar study by Fernando Sor: My favorite classical guitar composer is Fernando Sor. A genius with melody, Sor's melodies set his guitar compositions apart from all the rest. Who says you can't play classical guitar on the Native American flute?!

Free Style: Playing the flute extemporaneously. Study this sound if you want to play the flute in the Native American style. This is a fun style. It's especially useful for meditation.

Shakura: A familiar Japanese folk tune most often played on the Shakuhachi, the traditional Japanese bamboo flute. The shakuhachi is an end-blown flute. Dick owns a shakuhachi, but has yet to get any decent tone out of it. It's a tough instrument to master. But you can get that shakuhachi sound from your Native American flute if you practice. <g> This tune is tabbed out in the flute method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute.

Shenandoah: A beautiful American folk tune. A tune like this sounds just gorgeous on the NA flute. There are many folk tunes, from all cultures, that sound especially beautiful on the NA flute. This tune is tabbed out in the flute method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute.

St. James Infirmary Blues: You wanna play the blues? Here's a good example of what you might accomplish. Most of the work is done on the simple Pentatonic scale. This makes the NA flute an especially powerful instrument for playing the blues. This tune is tabbed out in the flute method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute.

A Parting Glass: This is an old Irish drinking song. Although it's usually sung by a group of bar room singers, it sounds equally raucous on the flute.

Mbuti Pygmy Song: Pygmies of the Mbuti Rain Forest have developed a haunting kind of music. Rhythmically complex, it defies description. As you listen to this tune, picture a young Mbuti musician sitting in the grass with his flute, playing this jaunty but haunting melody. This tune is tabbed out in the flute method book, Celebrate the Native American Flute.

"Doctor, doctor, gimme the news!"

"You got a case of the N A flute blues..." :-)

We Are One: One of the many structured tunes Dick has composed to help you learn the flute. Playing structured tunes is a wonderful way to prepare yourself for the less structured free style of playing. NA flute player, Mary Youngblood, makes good use of the structured style. She plays like an angel within the confines of standard phrasing.

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-The Native American Flute Artistry of C.S. Fuqua-

Beyond: Chris loves to play in an extemporaneous way. He does some beautiful slur work on this particular piece.

Forest Murmurs: There are a couple of flute tracks on this one, along with crickets, the sighing wind through the trees. Night sounds. Murmurs of the forest.

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Most of the above tunes above were played on bamboo Native American flutes built by C.S. Fuqua.

You can visit Chris's website at Wind Poem Flutes