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Custom flutes
More and more frequently I am having people coming to me with very specific requests for a Custom flute to be made. Below are a few such, with their attendant stories....!
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I start with a client who had already become a good family friend through me making him flutes for recording and stage performance. His first request was relatively straightforward...could he have a high D flute in yew with ebony endcaps and an ebony bear claw block. The result is below.
His second request was more ...unusual....could he please have a bass flute with inlays and a totem block that was a carving of our pet Bearded Dragon's head (with whom he has a great rapport)!
The choice of wood here was English Lime - very pale and perfect for setting off bead inlays, and light and resonant enough to make a good C sharp bass flute. The result is shown below, and really got me into carving animal totem blocks.
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| The beaded inlays are actually set into grooves lathed in the flute barrel, and lie flush to the barrel for a cleaner effect; this also avoids them dislodging during transport and in concerts! |
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I recently had a client email me and ask if I could make a high B flute that would play in a gale on the North Yokshire Moors AND on a clifftop, AND at the same time be clear and crisp enough to play miked in his local folk club AND record with, AND have an interesting wood grain AND have a Heron head block! Yes, this one did take a little development, but the outcome was a great success
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English flame cherry high B with a Grey Heron head flat-based block for indoor playing, and a deep-chimneyed channel-base Purple Heron block for playing on a cliff in a gale>
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The next one here is a favourite, if only because I collect Green Men heads (Jack-in-the Green) and because the Crow family of birds (Corvidae, or 'Jacks') is much misunderstood here in Britain. A client who is a Storyteller asked me to make a 'Jacks' flute - a very English-spirited flute. After much discussion and inspiration, the result was an English Oak in E with a Magpie flat block for indoor playing and a Cornish Chough chimney and channel block for outdoors, and a Green Man image burned and painted at the barrel base. A gorgeous looking and sounding flute that took quite a while to make, but was worth every second! A special thanks to my Spirit Guides here.
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| The oak was cut across the heart and sapwood to reveal a lovely patterning to what could otherwise be a rather plain grained wood. |
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Having started carving animal blocks, the Universe has been sending me challenges ever since, like this one for a client who wanted a flute bearing their Spirit animal, a badger (click to enlarge the image).
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Hummingbirds have a huge part in Native American legend, often being seen as messengers between Worlds, so this Alaskan Yellow Cedar Healing flute in F# was a joy to do. It started as a request from a Reiki Master for a learner flute along the lines of the Hummingbird flute shown on the Sacred Spirit page, but with some "twigs and leaves up the flute"; after some careful positioning to make sure the vine artwork did not lie under her fingers, the end result shows that sometimes a stylised block is better than a carved and painted one for emphasizing the detailed artwork on the barrel (click to enlarge image). The other element in this flute is the inclusion in the upper chamber of Rose Quartz and Black Tourmaline crystals to enhance the Healing qualities of the flute’s beautiful voice. The customer's reaction is below.
“Just wanted to say that the flute has arrived safely, and that I am absolutely blown away by it, truly! It is stunning, that is the only word for it I think, truly stunning. To say I am delighted would be a complete understatement. The amount of loving care that has gone into the making of this flute is wonderful. It already feels like "mine" when I hold it... a great affinity with it. It is just so easy to pick up and play. The flute feels as though it is alive, has its own spirit - which of course it does.” Caroline Lawrence, Reiki Master, Holistic Therapist, Lymm , Cheshire.
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This flute (click to enlarge image) follows another customer's request (and it is a very popular one) for a flute that honours Corvids in its theme, with artwork of an English Crow at the foot of the flute, complemented by a life-carved Crow head block. The Corvidae are a much maligned family of birds in many Lands, but they are highly intelligent, very communicative, can make and use tools to get food, and can count.
In English legend, King Arthur was transformed into a Crow on his death. In Nordic mythology the Raven symbolizes wisdom; the God Odin had two Ravens called Hugin and Munin who flew around gathering news of happenings in the world, and sat on the God's shoulders telling him of what they had seen. The Crow was seen as a guardian of the Sacred Laws among the tribes of North America, a creature whose far-seeing eye saw past, present, and future all at once. For the Algonquin peoples, Crow was the bringer of grains and beans, and in their Ghost Dances, which are danced to solicit the help of their ancestors, Crow is a primary Spirit messenger.
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Next, a flute with great significance to it's owner; the hand-carved block was requested to honour a stag which she found hurt, possibly shot, but with enough strength left to struggle away into the forest. Not knowing what happened to the stag has haunted her ever since, and this seemed a good way to keep the animal's memory alive and present. The flute body is made from a log of English Beech, carefully spalted at Second Voice over a two year period and then dried for a further year. Such pieces of wood have incredibly beautiful patterning and colouring. Click the image for a close up look!
To enhance the flute's Energy, healing crystals were embedded in the upper (SAC) chamber. The Energy alignment, balancing and order ofthese crystals is vital. First the breath goes over Tourmalated Rose Quartz to remove all negative energies and stimulate clear thoughts and intentions, then over Turquoise to promote Spiritual attunement and strengthen the healing Energy fields, and finally over Fluorite to concentrate the mind, bring order to the Energies and open up powerful healing channels.
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Moving on, themed flutes are a common request. Everything about the flute below honours the Spirit of Water and all the Life that lives in it. The key of D is associated with the 2nd Sacral Chakra and the element Water. Alder is known as the Water tree; these trees were a major part of the ancient landscape in Britain, forming ‘carrs’ which were forests growing partially submerged in their natural habitat of water. Even today many waterways are lined with Alder. It is also considered in legend to be the wood of choice for pipes and flutes, due to its pitted ‘honeycombed’ nature which gives excellent resonance. The rippling of the grain in this stunning piece of wood from Dartmoor also gives the appearance of Water. The block pays homage to marine life with a stylized Southern Right Whale. The painted accent depicts Shamagim, the Garden of the Unicorn, which literally translated means “the place where the Water is”. The Unicorn itself has been a prominent part of many belief systems and religions since time immemorial; it is also associated with healing and protection. Click the image for a closer look.
As with the Stag flute above, this is a Healing Flute; the upper chamber crystals and wood have been carefully chosen for the right balance and level of Energy. The flute has been made and prepared beneath protective Hazel trees, aligned East-West to the rising Sun and Moon, and tied to Earth, Water, Fire and Air Energies with the protection of the crystal Tourmaline, which takes any negative Energies and converts them to positive. This alignment is vital for such a flute, as Healing Energy has to be balanced at all times. The order in which the crystals occur is also important; the breath goes over Black Tourmaline first to remove all negative energies and stimulate clear thoughts and intentions, then Rose Quartz to promote Healing Energies, then Turquoise to promote Spiritual attunement and strengthen the Healing Energy fields, and finally the Fluorite to concentrate the mind, bring order to the Energies and open up powerful Healing and inner peace.
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Please feel free to call or email if you would like any more details on the above flute range. And remember, this range can be customised to your own requirements. Prices for Custom flutes can start from £115 (inc. cloth case) plus shipping, and then escalate depending on how carried away you get!
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The Owlhouse • Milford • Surrey • UK • dc@secondvoiceflutes.co.uk
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© Second Voice Flutes 2005-2009
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