Native American Style Cedar Flutes

 By Gray Fox

The Native American style flutes for sale online here are for any skill level player. Gray Fox crafts these from western cedar, they are hand made with care in a minor pentatonic scale. All finger holes, the sound hole, and air hole are burned to seal the wood as well as provide a smooth sound. "Woodland", in this case, refers to the manner in which the track is cut into the flute body itself. Flutes are hand tuned one finger hole at a time to insure good intonation. To finish, the flute is oiled inside and out to protect the wood from over drying and to bring out it's beauty. I price these flutes low in order to hopefully make them more available to anyone that would like one. Don't let the prices fool you, as I stand behind every flute I make. Your satisfaction is guaranteed or you can return it for an exchange. Wood grain and shade vary from one flute to another. Payment process is completely secure . Email any questions you may have.

Caring  For Your Gray Fox Flute.

To keep your flute sounding good, as well as to avoid drying to possibly crack, you will need to oil it inside as well as outside.  You can use a mineral, plant, or nut oil of your preference. I use sunflower oil as a base.  Oil the inside by holding the flute over the sink, or better yet outside, and slowly pouring  the oil into the holes and into the open foot end of the sound chamber. Hold the flute at an angle as you roll it over. Try to make sure you get oil on the entire inside surface.  You can then let it sit for a bit, or go ahead and pour the excess oil out. Next, prop the flute up someplace safe to allow any remaining oil to find it's way out before putting it up. I don't advise putting anything into the flute other than the oil itself. You can carefully oil the outside of a gray fox flute with a soft cloth. Otherwise, check to see if oiling the outside is necessary with the maker of your flute if you are unsure.

Oiling is a way of feeding your flute. Do it with love and care. It will sing it's appreciation and live a long life.

Playing a Gray Fox Flute...

There are a few things about playing a flute that may make your experience more enjoyable and easier.  First off, that
block (bird) tied to the top of the flute directs your breath through a track, into the cutting edge. Air hitting this
edge is what produces the sound. The position of the bird changes the flute’s sound greatly. Too far back makes a breathy
sound, while too far forward creates a thin sound and the flute won’t play correctly.
 If the block moves, adjust it by moving it slightly forward or back carefully while blowing in the mouthpiece to hear the
sweet spot that works for you.
Next is an occurrence called “wetting out”, which results in the flute's sound squeaking to silence. This is due to
moisture in the track from your breath condensing and blocking the airway. A forceful blow can clear this, and sometimes
removing the bird is necessary. To somewhat avoid this, hold your flute up while playing to keep the air chamber as dry as
possible. In humid conditions, this annoyance becomes even more likely. If you play, it will happen, so don’t be alarmed.
When playing, try to sit up straight, and breath into the flute rather than blow into it. Be mindful and breath your notes
into existence.
You will find a wealth of flute wisdom at  www.flutopedia.com. I highly recommend checking it out for breath/playing
exercises.

One thing every flute owner  is faced with is how to tie the bird on the flute. Below are animations showing how to tie two knots commonly used to do this.