How the Native American Flute is Tuned

If you are looking for a way to enjoy making your own music the Love flute is for you. It is a simple and accessible instrument. Thus it is ideal for the casual player. Here you can learn about the tuning of the Indian flute.

When I say tuning I am referring to bringing the various notes of a Love flute into a standardized relationship with each other. Tuning, as we now understand it was not an issue for the Native American maker/player. He was interested only in producing sounds that felt right to him. When he tuned his flute he did not measure the tonality of the instrument by any external standard. He was satisfied with what was pleasing to his own ear. It was literally a matter of anything goes as long as I like the sound of it. In the late twentieth century Native American flutes began to gain acceptance beyond the confines of the Native community. In the hands of Native and non-Native flute makers and players the Indian Love flute began a period of rather rapid development.

The most fundamental change was to bring the Indian flute into conformity with Western standards of tuning. Various makers adopted the mode one minor pentatonic scale. They felt that this rather melancholy scale was appropriate for what was being expressed through the Indian love flute. The resulting instrument had five tone holes and could play a five-note (pentatonic) scale plus the first note of the second octave (six notes total). When a sixth hole was introduced it became possible to easily produce two different pentatonic scales on the same flute - mode one and mode four. Love flute makers began to tune their flutes to the modern concert standard of 440Hz for the note of A above middle C on the piano.

The next challenge that Love flute makers took up was to craft a flute that could play a full chromatic scale. A chromatic scale divides the octave into twelve semi tones (notes) of one half step each. There is an equal interval between each note. There are twelve notes in a chromatic scale and only five in the pentatonic scale. In between those five notes are the other seven notes. You can think of them as hidden notes. You can see this illustrated in detail on my website www.atflutes.com on the Playing the Flute page. You can also see the pentatonic notes and hidden notes when you look at a piano keyboard. On the keyboard you have a sequence of twelve notes that repeat over and over. Five of the notes in the sequence are the black keys. Think of these five black keys as a pentatonic scale (which in fact they are). Now think of the white keys as the hidden notes between the pentatonic scale notes. These hidden notes can be played on some Native American style flutes using the techniques called cross fingering and half holing.

With a full chromatic (twelve note) range at a player's disposal it is possible to play music in diatonic (seven note) as well as pentatonic (five note) scales. You can also play music in major as well as minor keys.

To make playing a chromatic scale on the Indian flute possible the flute maker must tune the flute so that the hidden notes are playable and in tune. These notes must be tuned so that there are 100 cents between each adjacent note. This challenge has been met with the exception of the two notes that lie between the fundamental and the first open hole note. Half holing (rather than cross fingering) must be used to produce these two notes. It is not easy (or in my case possible) to sound both of these notes distinctly. So in practice we have an almost complete chromatic scale available on a modern, well-tuned, Native American style flute.

The Native American style flute has another limitation. It is standard practice for flute makers to tune their flutes at an ambient temperature of 72 degree Fahrenheit. A limitation of the Love flute is that once the flute is made it's tuning cannot be adjusted. If the flute is in tune at 72 degrees this means that it will be out of tune if the air temperature is higher or lower than 72. Warmer air temperatures will make the Indian flute play sharp. Cooler temperatures will make the flute play flat. A change in temperature of 10 degrees higher or lower than 72 will make a flute play about 15 cents out of tune one way or the other.

The length of the barrel of the Love flute determines the fundamental note of the flute. The longer the barrel of the flute the lower the tone. A shorter barrel raises the tone. As a matter of convenience we will say that the barrel length is measured from the splitting edge at the front of the true sound hole to the foot end of the flute. The standard metal concert flute has a telescoping slip joint on the barrel of the flute. This joint allows the musician to lengthen or shorten the overall length of the barrel. This changing barrel length allows the user to adjust the flute to compensate for differences in temperature. The Native American style flute does not have this capability. It is solid wood from one end to the other with no telescoping joint.

Another factor effecting the tuning of the Native American style flute is that the tone of the flute is sensitive to the breath pressure going into the flute. When the Love flute maker tunes a flute at a particular breath pressure it will be in tune only when played at that pressure. If the flute player uses a higher breath pressure the flute will play sharp (it will also be louder). When the player uses less breath pressure the flute will play flat. How sharp or flat depends on the amount of deviation in pressure from that at which the Indian flute was originally tuned.

Does it matter if the flute is sharp or flat? Not if you are playing solo. Remember the flute is in tune with itself. The different notes of the Love flute are in a harmonic relationship with each other. So if the flute is sharp all the notes are sharp to the same degree. If flat all the notes are equally flat. Because of this there is no dissonance between the individual notes. In any case, few amateur musicians are able to detect (much less be bothered by) minor deviations from 440 HZ.

The tuning of the Love flute is important when it is played ensemble with other instruments. If you are out of tune relative to your guitarist friend to the extent of 15 cents there will be a noticeable cacophony between the two instruments. A guitar can be tuned. Because the guitar can be tuned it can be tuned to your flute. This solves the problem on one level. Now you are both either sharp or flat to the same degree. The two instruments are in harmony with each other.

Self Portraits - How to Take Your Own Self Portrait

Although you might think it would be easy taking a self portrait, self portraits are actually one of the most challenging photos to take. Since you're not able to look through the lens and see yourself, it can be real tricky to get a good self photo. So, in order to make taking a self portrait a little easier, here are some tips you can use right away.

Delay Timers

These days just about every SLR camera now has a delay timer which can come in very handy when taking a self portrait. If you use a delay timer (which gives you about 5-10 seconds depending upon the camera), you can press the shutter and then jump into the area before the camera takes the picture. Although this isn't ideal, it will work if you have no other options.

Remote Shutter Release

A remote shutter release will let you activate your shutter release without having to actually press down the button. They come in many varieties (including wireless) and work with most newer cameras and are the best option for taking serious photographs of yourself. You can find them in prices ranges starting at $30 going to about $50 for wireless releases or you can always try building one yourself if you're handy.

Find a Friend

Unless you're at a level where you can measure the distance from your lens to a target and set your focus accordingly, you're going to need a stand-in to make sure your camera focuses in the right spot. A patient friend or family member will usually do the trick, or you can use any object that can sit at the correct height. One of the toughest part of self portraits is focusing, so you make need to take a few shots to get it right.

Don't Flatter Yourself

Be honest, the job of a photographer is to show an accurate representation, so be careful of trying to only show the images that put you in the very best possible light. This doesn't mean you can't take great pictures of yourself, it just means you need to take into account the technical aspects as well as if you look good. Your goal is to have the picture tell a story, so how you look is really of secondary importance.

Light it Up

It can be quite difficult to get perfect lighting on a self-portrait. If you have someone stand in for you, you still may need to make minor adjustments to account for different skin tone or height. The best thing you can do is set your camera to full manual mode; this will allow you to purposefully modify every photograph you take without being at the mercy of what the camera's internal sensors decide is right.

When choosing what kind of light to use, you can use just about anything such as floor lamps, desk lights, your camera's flash or even natural light. Don't be afraid to spend a couple of hours on your shoot; messing with the little details can be one of the most fun parts of self-portraiture.

Use Your Creativity

Just as in regular portraiture, creativity is key in creating visually striking self-portraits. Think of ways that you can present yourself that are outside the norm of "person in a picture," and try to have as much fun as possible in the process. Consider using props like costumers, dynamic lighting or interesting backgrounds so your self portrait will really stand out.

All in all, self-portraiture can be a fun break from the demands of working with subjects. Since you can set your own schedule and don't have any time deadlines, you can shoot for as long as you want. Since you don't have anyone else to deal with you can take your time and really get creative with your self portrait shoot.

How To Learn To Play The Saxophone

When handling the saxophone for the first time, you might find it a bit awkward. It will help if you have the guidance of an expert sax player. Or you could enroll in a saxophone class. With saxophone lessons, you will find yourself proficient in no time at all.

Saxophone has been one of the most interesting and flexible instruments to play, but has also the most maddening sound when played by a beginner. The sound is louder since it is made of metal, and there are a variety of sounds produced.

For starters, there are things you need to know, and below are important points to bear in mind.

1. Work and practice with someone who is knowledgeable in this field and who can check the button and sound of your instrument. You might not be able to produce the sound properly if the sax you are using isn't blended properly.

2. Sometimes, beginners tend to play too soft with a reed instrument. Avoid soft playing at first. Try to play as hard as you can. You can start with a 1½ tone on a normal mouthpiece.

Naturally, what is vital will be for you to be constantly practicing. Don't stress yourself too much though. If you are passionate about playing, you can perfect the sound, and the music it produces will come out naturally.

If you have not decided what to practice on, then you should start instead with long tones. This doesn't mean you need to play long notes until you are bored to death. This kind of tone will help you develop control and strength in playing the sax.

It is also a way for you to know how this instrument works. Experiment with blowing and producing low, high, soft and loud notes. Blend them together well to produce the best sound that you get from it. Listen to the tone it creates until you can make the right shifting that makes the best sound.



Don't settle for just mediocre playing. Strive to make more tunes and blend more sound. Sax is difficult to perfect, so a lot of notes can become off-key if you don't know how to adjust well. That process will develop your tone in playing.

The next important things to learn are articulation and clean playing. This will define your sound and would make your tunes relaxing to listen to. Usually, people who play the saxophone tend to tongue too much.

To become proficient in tonguing, you need to know the difference with staccato and legato tonguing, as well as know when the tone needs to be slurred. Don't sound too choppy and broken because this won't have good results.

You can create many tones using the sax such as overtone, bending notes, altissimo, vibrato, growls, enharmonic fingerings, and so on. As a beginner you are advised to start with the very basic. You will first have to know how to make good tones and intonations. Only after that can you slowly expand your skills to play the saxophone.

How to Get the Best of Acoustic Guitar Lessons

Generally, there are two types of processes used in the guitars, which are electric and non electric. Presently, the popularity and usage of the electric guitars have increased considerably, but that doesn't mean that the importance of the non electric form of guitar has reduced. There are numerous enthusiasts that prefer learning the acoustic guitar lessons to get the basic understanding of playing the instrument. Acoustic guitars use non electric processes for projecting sound. With the strumming of the guitar strings, certain vibration is created, which ultimately produce the sound. These guitars might not be that much advanced, but provides the scope of learning the basic skills, which is very important. Now, how to get the best acoustic guitar lesson? Several alternatives of these guitar lessons can help you to learn the skills.

There is a misconception among many people that getting a private lesson by hiring an instructor is the only way to learn the guitar lessons. Definitely, there are several advantages of getting a private lesson such as person 'to 'person interaction with a specialist always helps. The expert instructor will be able to help you with various skills and also monitor your improvement.

Apart from the above mentioned choice of hiring a private instructor, you can also enroll into a class where basic guitar lessons are taught. When you get into a class, you will find many learners like you and get a friendly environment. You can interact with several people and engage into a healthy competition to practice better to get fast results.

You may find both the above mentioned options to be a bit expensive and look out for any other alternative. Finding acoustic guitar lessons online is a good choice as many of these courses can be availed for free. In addition to that, there are numerous such courses online, and you will definitely get the best of variety to compare and select the best available course. There is no hurry or pressure to learn within a time-bound environment as you can learn playing acoustic guitar at your own pace with the online courses.

You can find online acoustic guitar lessons in different formats, which are both video and textual format. Select your preference and start practicing.

Some Simple Songs for Beginners to Play on the Guitar

Are you planning to take guitar lessons because you want to play your favorite songs on the instrument? Well, you might have to practice a lot because your favorite list might include some of the toughest songs to be played on guitar. However, that doesn't mean that you have to wait long and continue vigorous practice sessions to learn playing full songs on the instrument. There are several easy guitar songs for beginners that you can smoothly pick up after a few jamming sessions. These songs are good to brush up your skills as a beginner and greatly help you to learn some nuances with fun. Check out three easy guitar songs that are common to be taught in the beginner's courses.



Recommended easy guitar songs for beginners



Easy guitar songs for the beginners are the ones that can be played over a single strumming style, throughout the entire song. Take a look at some of the easiest songs that can be played on guitar by a beginner.



Wonderful Tonight - a wonderful track by Erick Clapton



The popular Erick Clapton number ' Wonderful Tonight, is one of the favorite songs that are given to the guitar learners at the early stages. Mostly, the usage of the notes is simple so that the beginners can easily pick up the song, but at the same time it is good fun also. The chords used to play this song are G D C E minor, which shows that it is one of the easy guitar songs for beginners.



You're Beautiful



Boys love to attract girls, isn't it? What could be the best way to drive your girl crazy by playing the popular romantic number "You're Beautiful "by James Blun on your guitar? Only C G F and A minor chords are used to play this song smoothly. It takes very little practice with the song, and you can show your skills on the instrument.



Try energetic 'Wonderwall'



If you think that you have had enough of playing the smooth beginner-special numbers and want to add a dash of "rock" to your skills, then you can begin with 'Wonderwall' by the popular band Oasis. It is definitely one of the easy guitar songs for beginners, but it also provides a skillful practice to brush up the ability to change chords and play the instrument. You have to keep your fingers on fret 3's E and B strings, while strumming 6 chords at the same time. There is no need to change chords while playing the song, which makes it easy to play on guitar by the beginners.

Top 10 Horror Movies

If you are a horror movie fan you already know how intense an experience these types of films can be. There are some horror movies that combine humor with the storyline as a way of letting the audience catch their breath. Other "scary movies" maintain the fright factor throughout the film. Which movies you like depends on your own personal tastes but here is a list of the top 10 horror movies of all time in no particular order. These are big screen events that every horror aficionado should see at least once.

1. The Blob
Who can forget this cool movie that dates back to the 1950s. This horror movie starred Steve McQueen as a young tough with a heart of gold who battled the fierce outer space blob of goo that was devouring everyone in its path. The remake of this horror classic was not nearly as good as the original version which became a drive in staple for a number of years. This was a movie that was created when people were less jaded and although the special effects are indeed laughable by today's standards at the time when this movie was released the audience let their imaginations provide them with the best scenes.

2. Jaws

This Steven Spielberg production still is one of the cinema greats and definitely deserves to be listed among the top 10 horror movies of all time. Who cares if no one really got to see a great deal of the marauding shark demon, this was another big screen flick that catered to imaginary fears and shocked audiences around the world with surprisingly little onscreen carnage being shown.


3. Friday the 13th

This modern day horror movie is still reeling in viewers and attracting new fans. Although an entire series of Friday the 13th films have been produced it is still the original that people remember best. Jason and that hockey mask are indelibly etched into the minds of all who have seen this "creeped out" thriller.



4. House on Haunted Hill

Is another early movie that still managed to latch onto those fears of the unknown and shock millions of frantic fans. This was a film that specialized in creating horror scenes that were more emotional than visual.

5. The Exorcist

During the 70s few films attracted the fervent publicity that this one did. When it was first released people stood in extraordinarily long lines for their chance to be part of the audience. Linda Blair shot to stardom as the young girl possessed by a demon and that scene showing her head spinning round like a top can still create chills for anyone who rents this movie. The fact that several people associated with this horror movie were injured or killed even led to conjecture that there was an "Exorcist" curse. Of course this type of gossip only made the movie more popular among the millions of horror fans around the world. The Catholic Church even had a few choice words to say against this film, but nothing was able to defeat this horror movie at the box office in its heyday.


6. Jeepers Creepers

This is a movie that was created along the lines of Friday the 13th. You have two young people who are drawn into an underworld of murder, horror and nightmarish fears as well as a hulking, maniacal killer who is set on wreaking carnage and destruction on anyone in his path. This movie formula has been the basis for a number of great horror movies and Jeepers Creepers found box office gold among an audience consisting mostly of teens and young adults.



7. Candyman

This was a 1992 release based on a story written by horror master Clive Barker. You have to love a horror movie that captures the supernatural effects of pure horror and blends them with those "oh, so believable" urban legends. By the time this movie is ending everyone in the audience is convinced that there is a "Candyman" lurking somewhere in their neighborhood.


8. The Sixth Sense
Paranormal activity has always been a staple for many horror flicks but this movie elevates extra sensory perceptions to a brand new level. The young boy who is the central character can really see and speak to departed souls. For him this is a traumatic fact because some of these lingering spirits are truly "horrific" to look at since most of them have suffered a violent death. The twist for this movie is that the psychologist who is helping the young "medium" deal with his fears is also one of these departed spirits but the kind hearted psychologist does not yet realize that he has died. This movie qualifies as a "tearjerker" as well as being one of the best horror movies of all times.


9. The Blair Witch Project

This horror movie was released in 1999 and it was created with a shoestring budget. It became a runaway hit even though there was very little to see in the way of true horror or special effects. This was a psychologically powerful movie that catered to people's superstitious beliefs and it raked in millions at the box office. College students, a New England town, witches and a video camera are the main components of this film. The plot is a bit disoriented and it is difficult to keep track of what is taking place on screen but the fear factor for this movie flew off the chart. Even today you have people who are convinced that this really was a project undertaken by a few intrepid college students who became victims of the curse of the Blair Witch.


10. Night of the Living Dead

This is another 60's black and white horror film that continues to be popular with audiences. The story begins in a graveyard where zombie-like creatures are walking about. These are dead people who have come back to life and are out to literally devour any humans they find. A small group of individuals hide in a house and attempt to fend off these monsters. The living dead are not easy to kill and resourcefulness is the key to survival. This is one of those horror movies that lets the audience use their imagination which is one of the reasons that it has become such a classic favorite.



There are many other great horror movies for people to watch and enjoy. Some of the newer movies are using explosive special effects and makeup to create intense scenes but true horror buffs realize that what you don't see can often be even more terrifying than what is recorded on camera. The best horror movies captivate your imagination early in the movie and allow you to become part of the action. Thanks to new technology it is easy for horror fans to choose to watch either older films or new releases. This means you have the best of both "fright filled" worlds at your fingertips.

Celtic Tattoos - A Truly Unique Tattoo Design!

Tattoos seem to be everywhere these days! There appears to be no limit to the variation of colorful & unique tattoo designs being displayed by people from all walks of life. Musicians, movie stars, lawyers, the girl next door - everyone seems to have discovered the ancient practice of adorning yourself with body art.

People will get a tattoo for varying reasons. For some, it is a tribal custom which dates back hundreds or even thousands of years. For others, it is a message to send to the world about something or someone. And for others still, it is merely a decorative addition to their physical self - an enhancement to the image they wish to project to the world around them.

Of all the tattoo categories, none stands out more in impact & intricacy than the Celtic tattoo! Said with a hard 'c' (as in 'Keltic'), these tattoos can be described as the 'tapestries' of the tattoo world. No other tattoo ideas can rival it in beauty or complexity, and when viewed by other people they become an instant conversation topic as they marvel at the flowing lines and subtle weavings of this tattoo design.

The term 'Celts' is given to a proud and fearsome collection of tribal people who occupied areas of Europe and the British isles around Roman times. They fought battles early on with the Romans themselves, and later with other powers including the early English. Their fervor in armed conflict was the stuff of legends, and their tradition of fighting battles whilst displaying intimidating body art instilled fear into the hearts of their enemies.

As the Celts were conquered, and often to appease their increasingly Christian masters, elaborate crosses began to appear in their tattoo designs, and this now persists to modern times. Celtic tattoos often contain crosses as a central element, although there are often other themes such as knots, triangles and almost-floral murals, with the image seeming to flow within itself. They are a truly unique tattoo, and they require a skilled professional to apply them properly!

People who decide to get this type of tattoo will often follow the old Celtic example, starting with something relatively small. This small image is then added to with further tattoos over time, with the resulting ultimate masterpiece covering quite large areas of the body and having taken a few years to assemble. It is one of the few tattoos which is commonly worn on the neck, and is also worn commonly on the upper arm or shoulder, lower leg or foot, as well as larger artwork on the chest or back.

As previously mentioned, these incredible tattoos are complex and intricate in nature, and require the talents of a skilled artist to apply properly. Celtic tattoos also mature extremely well, and look just as good on someone in their sxties as on someone in their twenties. However, they are somewhat rarer than most traditional tattoos, mainly because of the difficulty in finding someone who can apply them, and also the expense that is associated with this. Nevertheless, a well-inscribed Celtic tattoo is an fascinating addition to your persona, and will delight and intrigue those who see them for as long as you live!

Finding the perfect Celtic tattoo could be a long process! One of the best methods is to become a member of an online tattoo site, which offers thousands of designs and tools where the images can be blended together for a truly unique tattoo design! Furthermore, support is offered through forums detailing the experiences of other, as well as directories of reputable parlors & artists with the required skills to apply this beautiful tattoo.

Guitar Chord Lessons - Why Bother To Learn Them?

Guitar chord lessons are the basics of learning to play the guitar. Owning a guitar can be a fun interest, if you know how to play it properly. Many will fool around with the instrument but never fully master the skill. However, what is the point of having a guitar if you are not going to be able to play it the right way? Proper education of the guitar starts with the fundamentals. Guitar chord lessons are available to help you learn where to place your fingers in order to make certain sounds. It is vital to learn these if you plan to play full songs later.
Before you begin to learn the chords that can be played on a guitar, it is vital that you know how to play the individual notes. Chords are comprised of several notes played together, which is why the basic understanding of the strings and finger positions are necessary. Note charts and wheels can help you to gain the knowledge needed to begin playing a guitar. Become well acquainted with the notes before moving on to learn the chords.

Once you have familiarized yourself with the notes and finger positions for a guitar, it is time to do some guitar chord lessons. Download or purchase a chord chart for this step. Being able to see a picture of the chords would greatly assist your ability to learn the chords. Some may find it difficult to read and comprehend a chord chart, which is where instruction beyond teaching yourself would be necessary. Looking for an online or DVD program that provides you step by step instructions in the guitar chord lessons would help you learn the chords.

Memorizing the chord chart would help you play guitar at ease without having to refer to it all the time. This would help your ability in reading musical notes and playing any song. You may find your fingers feeling uncomfortable when you start to learn the chords. It will take a great deal of practice to learn where your finger should be placed, as well as applying enough pressure to the strings to make the correct sound. Eventually, you will be able to hear the chords and know if they are being correctly produced.




Make sure you do not try to learn all the chords in one go at your guitar chord lessons. Playing a guitar requires lots of memorization and practice. It is unlikely to be able to remember all the chords in one day. It can take a while to teach yourself to play guitar. However, with the correct guitar program, you will be able to enhance your learning process. Just do not become discouraged and put down the instrument because you cannot learn how to play it within a week.

When you learn to play the guitar, guitar chord lessons are one of the first things you will need. Chords are one of the fundamental elements of playing a song. With proper knowledge of finger placement and sounds, you will not be able to play the guitar well. An online program can help you to learn these and other lessons concerning the guitar, if you choose to teach yourself in the comfort of your own home.