Water flutes have two balls with one fingerhole each and a tube in between; a perpendicular section contains the mouthpiece, either end-blown,
shakuhachi-style or airducted, recorder-style. Water inside the hollow tube and balls runs from side to side as the player rocks back and forth,
altering the tone in ways not fully controllable. With the rocking motion, a performance becomes almost a dance. Wonderful interactions occur
between the flute sounds as shaped by the water, the water sounds themselves, air pressure changes, and added vocal sounds.
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Tubular flutes & pipes: single, double & triple pipes; hooded pipes; pipes & flutes with diatonic, Pre-Hispanic or other alternate tunings.
They range in size from small space flutes to very long folded up harmonic flutes with deep, rich sounds.
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flute rack
Listen to hooded pipe sample
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Hooded pipes have a hood over the aperture, which deflects the air stream back into itself, causing a wonderfully reedy to rough timbre. Depending
on the instrument, this timbre can be manipulated by air pressure. The more the hood covers the aperture, the less likely it is that this pipe will
play into the second octave.
Multiple pipes and ocarinas: Ocarinas are round vessel flutes; pipes are tubular. Multiples have airducted or recorder-style mouthpieces. Complex
to make and play, they can have a variety of tunings. With multiple instruments, melodies and chords can be played simultaneously. (Listen to a
triple pipe in the performance section.)
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sculptural folded up harmonic flute
Listen to red harmonic sample
Listen to big harmonic sample
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BIG harmonic flutes are sculpted and sometimes folded forms, usually with one palm hole. They produce a wide and lovely range of deep sounds and
harmonic overtones through air pressure variations.
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double space flutes
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Space flutes and whistles are constructed in a variety of forms to produce combination tones. Combination tones are produced inside the ear through
the interaction of two generating tones. Most participants' experiences of these sounds include: a sense that sound is physically moving the ear
drum, an impression that the sounds are moving through the head from ear to ear, and a feeling that the sounds are generated inside their own head.
They are only for the strong-hearted.
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Space whistle sets or combination tone whistle sets are designed to have at least one pitch in common. Each whistle has one fingerhole. Sets of
single, double or triple space whistles are available, for play by small groups of people. When a group plays these potent combination tones
together, the effect can be remarkable. In addition to the above sensations, participants usually can't tell who is playing which sound, themselves
or another, thus perceptually erasing the barriers between people.
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double space flutes
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Double space flutes have piercing high tones which are painstakingly tuned so that with air pressure control, a range of perfect and dissonant
intervals can be produced, with all of the effects discussed above. Their tones interact to create some of the most bizarre, physically potent
sounds you will ever hear--they'll just about lift you out of your seat. They have two tubes, one usually with four holes and the other three.
Two double space flutes are sometimes tuned to play together.
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chamberduct howler flutes
Listen to howler sample
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Howlers or chamberduct flutes were uniquely produced by the prehispanic instrument builders and have two to four acoustically coupled consecutive
chambers. The chambers interact as a complex unit to produce sounds like raspy air noises, throat gurgles, wrenching cries or raucous sounds, as
well as plaintive oboe-like tones, depending on construction and performance practices. They can sound like babies crying or like howler monkeys.
Chamberduct flutes come in a variety of forms, from flute-like to sculptural.
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Trumpets:
Primitive ceramic trumpets make a powerful sound with a limited range of pitches. By adding merlitons or membranes made from fish skin, bamboo paper,
or thin plastic, the result is the 'trumpet kazoo', loud, vocal and buzzy. Additional interesting interactions happen by adding singing and talking.
Trumpets are a limited production design and can be cylindrical or conical and with or without fingerholes. They usually have a glazed mouthpiece and
fired on underglaze and engobe colors.
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poly-globular trumpet
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Polyglobular trumpets are deep, breathy and very powerful; played using didjeridu technique to pull out different harmonics, vocal sounds can also be
added. Their form is inspired by an Amazonian design, with large chambers connected by short tubes, a trombone type mouthpiece and a bell.
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Susan playing clay-doo
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Clay-doos are ceramic didjeridus with two fingerholes. Tubular pieces are usually connected with balls of clays, and are folded into complex almost
sculptural forms. Each one has a unique sound.
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Percussion instruments:
Musical bowls are played with mallets; each produces an individual and delightful sound. They come in a wide range of sizes and therefore fundamental
pitches. Individual musical bowls cannot be tuned; however, if desired, by selecting among a sufficient number of bowls, lovely sets can be formed.
By adding water to a glazed bowl, tuning can be refined. Firing them close to vitrification makes the clay harder and increases the sustain of their
sound.
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Tubular ceramic xylophones have a wonderfully crisp and melodic quality. As with the bowls, each tube can be tuned only by selecting among a grouping
of them. One tube can be easily changed for another to vary the scale.
Flute-like acoustic systems are incorporated into larger ceramic sound sculptures, sometimes for multiple players. The sounding elements might be
space whistles, howlers, large harmonic flutes or clay-doos. Each of these flutes is unique visually and sonically. Contact me for additional details
if interested.
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