Bamboo for Bansuri flute making

[Skipper]

Like many, my quest for perfect bamboo kind for making Bansuri flute making still continues. I am yet to come across the kind of bamboo that Harsh Wardhan uses here in Texas. The bamboo that has long inter nodal length (over 20"), thin walled, that grows quite straight. I have experimented with various bamboos making flutes of various kinds. But I must confess, none matches to that of the kind that Harsh Wardhan uses. I am at the moment experimenting making some bass flutes from the variety that grows well here in Texas. I am quite excited about this, not sure how these are going to sound and at the moment these bamboo cuttings are being cured. If anybody has had luck in identifying the kind that matches to that of Harsh Wardhan's, please share your wisdom. I have 4 of Harsh Wardhan's flutes myself and they are awesome. My goal is to make flutes like these. I have one of Jeff Whittier's too. Although it is good, but doesn't come close to that of Harsh Wardhan's.

[Bamboozle]

Hi Skipper,

I'm Dale and I've just started making flutes in Jan. A month ago I started harvesting Bamboo locally about 70 mi East of the LA/Tex border at the North end of the State.

Because I'm impatient and new to the game I made some flutes with green material. They sound quality ranges from alright to pretty good. The thin walls sound best and I understand that as the Bamboo cures the walls shrink, so the sound should improve. I'll be happy if they don't split in room temperature. I just learned that if the flaking wax is melted over a soft flame it makes the material crack. From this point I'll remove the flaking wax with Scotch Brite.

How long do you let your material cure and have you ever tried to rush the process? At first I flame treated the Bamboo, but not any more because I read that it ruins the sound properties if the water inside boils. Maybe less heat would work if it was held at a constant temp inside a closely controlled kiln rather than treating with a flame.

The flutes you mentioned sound interesting. How would you characterize the differences between Harsh's flutes and Jeff's.

Tell me a little about Bansuri flutes if you don't mind. To what scale are they tuned? I think it might be a pentatonic scale? What diameter and wall thickness do you like to use for them?

I'm in the process of learning to make flutes. Maybe I should say recorders and whistles. I've been using the tuning of Native American flutes and within the last week I've developed an interest in making Arabian flutes as well as the Gypsy tuning. I don't quite have the procedure right yet for making authentically style Native American flutes, but I think I'll eventually get there.

You mentioned making bass flutes. I made one in the key of C3 and one in the key of Db4. The i.d. was about 1-1/4" and they were about 3 ft or less long. The finger stretch is MUCH less than the same keys using 1/2" or 3/4" PVC.

[Skipper]

Hello Dale,
Age old wisdom I learned is "Never make flutes from Green bamboo". I can see why. As the bamboo dries it shirnks like you mentioned. Different bamboo shrink differently that will change the tuning. Even though you may tuned it well when they are green, by the time they are dry tuning would have changed. Although it may change proportionally, still you'll have lost the original tuning. You may have uned the flute to D when you made them but you could end up with D# by the time they are dry or some micro tone in between. This effect is totally undesirable when making professional flutes.

Secondly, once they are dry, heat treatment is necessary to prevent cracking while playing. Heating the boo makes it hard, it enables it not crack after it is made is unless the flute is subject to sudden extreme temperature changes. When I made the first few flutes I didn't heat treat them. When I was playing one of the flutes (as it was so good), two loud crackes happened. They were loud. Then I understood the importance of heat treating the flutes. After I heat treated them they didn't crack any more. You can't heat treat them when they are green.

How long do I cure the boos? That depends of the time of the year. Typically in Spring and Summer, at least 6 weeks typically 8 weeks. In the Winter, it takes several months for the boos to dry out. Some people leave them for 6 months even in the summber. I don't have that much patience.

Harsh's flutes are just awesome, nice soft melow tone. They are a breeze to play and they are perfectly tuned. All the professional Indian musicians use his flutes. They are very well crafted flutes. Jeff's flutes are good but they don't come any where near Harsh's. Material used are very different. I am ordering another flute from Harsh. They are pricey. But if you love playing bamboo flutes, they are damn worth the price. Someday I want to make flutes that are as good as his. But I am still in search of that kind a bamboo he uses.

I am excited about the boos that are being cured now. I will have some incredible bass flutes, I hope. If you want to talk more send me an email. We can exchange information.

[Henry Lee]

Phyllostachys rubromarginata has internode of longer than 22 inches. Maybe this is what you are looking for.

http://www.lewisbamboo.com/rubromar.html

Hope this help.

[Skipper]

Thanks for the info. I have one growing in a pot now. For one it is a runner. The ones that I have seen in my friend's land is more like what it is showing in the first picture (not at all long internodes or rather quite short internodes). Not sure what this means, may be what it grows here in Texas is like that or may be it needs good bit of shade? Anyway I am going to try putting mine in the ground next year and see what they'll size up to be. Thanks again for your info.

Skipper