Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Well, no 1.8s are the same, so, no 2.4s are the same. Every piece of bamboo has a different place where the walls thicken and tighten, so you just have to figure out an average. I'd say that a 2.4 could have a longer "bell" than a 1.8, but I could be wrong; again, it would depend, I think, on the piece.

So, since you have flexibility, just make it wherever you want. You can kind of average it out. I'm sure someone else will have something better to say.

Bore width doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the length of the flute; my 1.8 has a slightly bigger bore than my 2.1. It's also just slightly thinner than my 1.8 Yuu, and the exact same length, but pitched exactly the same. I've seen wider bore big flutes, and smaller bore: I think it's all a matter of taste when it comes to making your own out of wood. Some people like the bigger bores, some don't. I like them bigger, but not TOO big.

If you can, why don't you play around and see what you like, and what's easiest for ya?

Good luck!

-Eddie

Yeah, and you also have to watch out for making the mouthpiece TOO wide, so that your chin can't cover it properly. With a bamboo flute, you have the option of leaving a little bit of the node in at the mouth piece, so that it acts as a breath return. Otherwise, you don't get quite the sound you want. So, take that into consideration.

And yes, Brian and Ken are probably about the two biggest propnents of wider flutes around here...I love them, but haven't had the opportunity to play many, except a crappy one I made awhile back. I plan on either making one, or getting one of Ken's in the near future...there's just no sound like it.

-E

Mujitsu wrote:

... some longer flutes can actually have smaller bores than some shorter flutes and still play well. (Does this make sense?) ...

The same principles seem to apply to the design of Kena and Kenacho.  These are Andean end-blown flutes similar to the Shakuhachi.

I have a Kenacho (the lower instrument, in D, similar to a 1.8 shakuhachi, but with a major scale tuning) and a Kena (same thing, but shorter, in G) by the same maker.  The Kena has very thick walls, and is actually wider than the Kenacho.  This isn't usually the case - Kenacho are usually larger-bored, like a shakuhachi, and the fingering is usually devilishly hard.  My narrow Kenacho is easily fingered and is a fairly quiet, sweet instrument.  The smaller bore seems to result in tone holes that are closer together.  By contrast, my Kena is a very loud, aggressive instrument - it is hard to play the second octave without starting every dog in the neighbourhood barking!

Anyway, this supports the idea that you can make different length flutes with some variety in the bore size.  It also suggests that (a) you have to modify the hole size and placement to reflect both the length and bore, and (b) there are some tonal qualities that reflect the particular combination of length and bore chosen by the maker.