Flute Magic : An Introduction to the Native Americ

ISBN 10: 0965911012 ISBN 13: 9780965911016

Inhaltsangabe

An excellent "source" book for any one with an interest in the Native American flute. It is suitable for classroom instruction, as well a self-tutoring. This text covers topics from history and designs to learning how to play the Native American flute. An explanation and description of the TABlature created by R. Carlos Nakai, an aid for the notation of music for the Native American flute, is also included, as well as student exercises. Music is also included ranging from simple beginning tunes to music for intermediate and advanced students. Additionally, contact information for approximately 50 Native American flute builders is listed.

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Tim "WindWalker" Crawford has performed on five albums of music of the Native American flute: Shadows (1992), Guardian Spirits (1993), Mystic Visions (1994), Hear My Heart (1995) and the latest release, his first solo album, on his own label (WindWalker), Voices, (1998). Tim is currently working a new solo album with an anticipated release date of spring 2000.

Crawford wrote a book on the Native American flute entitled Flute Magic: An Introduction to the Native American Flute, first published in January 1998. In September 1999, a 172-page second edition was published. Tim composes and arranges music, in TABlature, for the Native American flute. As of September 1999, Tim has copyrighted 34 original compositions for the four-, five-, and six-hole Native American flute, as well as arranging and transposing 12 traditional and indigenous songs.

Several of Tim's songs, as well as several articles written by Tim, have appeared in the Voice of the Wind which is the quarterly publication of the International Native American Flute Association. Most recently, Volume 4, 1999, contains an article titled "Song Writing: Getting Started" for the Native American Flute.

Tim's music has appeared or has been featured on a number of videos with the most recent being the video documentary Steinauer Nebraska (1997). In October 1999, Tim was commissioned by a Boston composer to record 10 tracks for use in the 1999 film Iditarod.

Live performance venues, both inside and out of doors, have included folk festivals, coffee houses, cafes, book stores, flute gatherings, dedications, ceremonies, and record stores. With one exception, Tim has hosted an annual workshop on the Native American flute at the Anchorage Folk Festival since 1994.

In 1994, 1995, and 1998, Tim attended a week-long workshop on theNative American flute hosted by the world-renowned teacher and recording artist R. Carlos Nakai. In 1996, Tim attended a Music Production Workshop at Berklee College of Music.

Tim "WindWalker" Crawford, 59, has resided in Anchorage, Alaska for 32 years. He is a member of the International Native American Flute Association, the Arizona, Northern California, Montana, Utah, and Oregon Flute Circles, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the Alaska Music Industry, an associate member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and is presently represented by ASCAP.

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The single greatest beauty and enduring quality of this lovely instrument is that an individual really does not need to know anything technical about music, nor does he or she require sheet music or lessons to learn to play the Native American flute-AND THAT IS THE MAGIC!

The earliest known written record of the Native American flute comes to us from the journals of Coronado, the Spanish explorer, who traversed the American Southwest in the 15401s. At Drummond's Island, MN, in 1826, upon hearing the notes of a Native American flute being played by an Ottawa (a local section of the Ojibwa), Thomas L. McKenney wrote:

"It rose - that changed mournful strain, Like some lone spirits, o'er the plain; 'Twas, musical but sadly sweet, such as when the winds and harp strings meet And take a long unmeasured tone."

McKenney continued by stating, "Nothing can be more mournful in its tones. It was night, and a calm rested on everything; It was moonlight, all which added to its effect. We saw the Indian who was playing it, sitting on a rock. We afterwards learned that this Indian was in love, and that he would sit there all night indulging in this sentimental method of softening the heart of his mistress, whose lodge he took care should be opposite his place of melody, and within reach of his monotonous but pensive strains." (Winchell)

Probably the most obvious and common decorative feature was the carving of the bird, block, or saddle into effigies of either animals or birds. Flutes with carved blocks represented 29 percent of the Native American flutes of the 97 studied in museums by Paula Conlon. In addition, about 80 percent of those with the carved blocks depicted the face of an animal or a bird effigy facing the player. Conlon speculates that the feature of the effigy facing the player may signify some type of communication with a spirit by the player (Conlon). Interestingly, of the contemporary flutes that I have with carved blocks by five different makers, only one maker has chosen to have the effigy facing the mount-end of the flute. "The custom of pointing towards the player may have been lost or considered unimportant to contemporary flute makers" (Conlon).

An important fact about playing the Native American flute is that a large volume of air is not required and will generally be counter productive to the quality and success of your initial efforts. I sometimes suggest to student who are apply to much air, causing an over-blow (a raising of the pitch), to cover all of the holes and then blow just a bit more air than they would use if blowing into a baby's ear. If that is not enough air velocity then increase the air speed gradually until the fundamental note is clear. I recommend to all beginning students that their initial sounds be with all of the holes covered and perhaps the first hole uncovered. Then, begin raising the fingers furthermost from the mouth, one at a time, while listening carefully to the sounds that are produced. This will aid in learning the appropriate volume of air required for the higher frequencies. Once all of the holes are uncovered, proceed slowly back down the scale, one finger at a time.

Final Advice: Please do not take any of this book too seriously. Playing the Native American Flute should be a purely pleasurable experience. When it gets to be a struggle, then stop. It is not necessary that you learn any of what you have read, or will read. As stated in the Introduction: the single greatest beauty and enduring quality of this lovely instrument is that you really do not need to know anything about music, nor do you need any sheet music or music lessons to play the flute. Be patient and practice at your own pace.

Details zur Ausgabe

• ISBN 10: 0965911012
• ISBN 13: 9780965911016
• Einband: Plastikspiralbindung
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar