Does your Native American Flute over blow Too Easily? Fine tuning your Singingtree flute

This tool is key and an easy way to make subtle changes in tone to your flute. This isn’t to change the pitch of your flute( make it more sharp or flat), but is an essential tool to fine tuning for clarity and adjusting the overblown on the bottom note.
I recommend this on Singingtree flutes only as other makers might have different properties that might have a different result from filing like this..

[@DanielCopelandMD]

Thank you so very much. I am making a gift for my daughter and anything but the softest breath would immediately overblow to the third resonant frequency. You video helped me solve the issue and restore my sanity.

[@thomaswilleborts6771]

Thank you for solving the problem with overtones 😊❤

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

My pleasure 😊

[@marffvmarffv5438]

Bonjour. Very kind from you to share your knoledge here. This is the only video I found that give real answer to my issue. I made it on my home made branch flute and it works well. Merci beaucoup

[@guyalexander7325]

Thanks so much worked like a charm.i have had an f# for a while thought the problem was me. But your advise. Cleared up the overblow. Thanks again

[@ronbauer4550]

Good thing to know. Thanks, I have a flute that overblows too easily will try your advise!

[@POVMTB1]

as a beginner with 10 successful made flute, i found this video super helpfull

[@kristopherdetar4346]

Great information. I just brought 2 flutes of mine back online from being just decoration. Thank you Miguel !

[@garrettpeterson9816]

I just bought a flute online from someone who did not build it. And it has that hissy sound in the notes. I'm trying to fix it but I don't know where to start. The totem placement doesn't do it. I'll try and file that area flat like you said but is there anything else I could do?

[@liesbetleroy]

Great tip, Miguel! Love your new website!

[@TheCreedBratton]

Thanks Miguel. Great tip!

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

My pleasure!

[@BarryGrueter]

Very cool thanks for sharing 👍

[@BDWoodruffmusic]

Thanks so much for this video. Can't wait to try it on a couple flutes I have.

[@microyetigus]

I used Emory boards cut to the proper width for fine finishing the airway. I could have bought a dozen files for the $ I dumped into those stupid nail sanders ...Good vid

[@PotatoGunCamper]

I bought a NAF from a fairly respected flute maker, and it seems to suffer a ton from overblow. I go from a rich lower note to it bouncing an octave higher. Sometimes producing a sound, I haven't heard since elementary school band from the newbie clarinet players. I'm a fairly experienced woodwind player so this overblow issues has me questioning my newness to the instrument or if I need to fine tune the sound like you have in this video.

[@WiseWaters]

I’m here in the UK, been looking for a contrabass flute, can you make them custom and ship? If so I would very much like to chat

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

Yes! Please email me at [e-mail]

[@randycarter5410]

Good info, thanks for sharing 😁

[@idontlikeit.7822]

Very helpful

[@dougmills6345]

Miguel, First off, very beautiful flutes with amazing sound. You are a true artist and craftsman. I have recently tried to make a few NAF’s with some bamboo I have (F# and G fundamental, 7/8” interior diameter) following a few instruction videos on KZbin and am having a problem of the fundamental note overblowing to the second octave with very little breath pressure. I have both angled the fetish block face as well as put a slight chamfer on at the end of the air track as you have shown in this video with little improvement. I am currently putting the air track in the flute body in lieu of the bottom of the fetish block. Would switching to the fetish block bottom improve the issue? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

Email me, perhaps I can help

[@bariawan1]

hello nice to see your video. I want to ask, is there a way to make the flute not salivate easily when played, so that the sound of the flute remains good?. thank you so much

[@annaanisa7388]

Thank you for this tip. I have flutes from 2 different makers, and one of the makers flutes I can play with absolute ease … no overblowing that bottom note. But the one I have from a different maker, I have discovered the bottom note overblows WAY too easily and it has become very frustrating to play. I will be using the tip you provided here to see if it helps. Thanks!!!

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lhernandez6753]

Would you recommend this a contrabass flute? I'm having overblow on the bottom two holes and heard it takes very little air cause the flute is so big. I can get the note with very little air but no volume. Thx

[@RucoMedia]

Hi. What is the purpose of filing the bevel, sharpening the tip, or lowering the angle degrees?

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

First, you're making sure that any finish that might be on the bevel gets gently removed. Try to stick with the angle that the bevel already has. You're filing at about 45 degrees. ~Sarah

[@injusticeinoklahomaexposed5261]

I bought a native American flute a couple of years ago and every time I go to start learning, I get no sound. I finally figured out, I don't think it's me. I think it's the flute. Do you have any trouble-shooting tips for me? Mine is a 6 hole and looks a lot like yours. Any advice would be great! Thank you!

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

You should email me or shoot over a video.. I bet it’s sound block placement

[@kerrydorey6045]

Thank so much for this tip. Question ? What if the back edge doesn’t have the bevel ? It seems to be at a right angle? Thanks for your thoughts.

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

I'm not sure I understand the question.. Putting the bevel on the back edge may help. Really I can only speak for how Singingtree flutes work

[@bobbyb7127]

I have got to try this. I have 2 flutes I've tried almost everything on and they just over blow on the fundumental too easy.

[@bobbyb7127]

Miguel, I tried your solution and it worked!!! Thanks so much!!!

[@endranathaguptha]

Saya punya suling native Amerika suaranya atau nadanya rendah sekali bahkan suaranya kecil dan lemah. bagaimna caranya biar suaranya bagus?

[@rickfoddrill3060]

I am making my first flute. I can't seem to get it to not be tinny sounding. I haven't even drilled the first finger holes yet. I went big 1" inside and 32" long. Down in the 230s hz range. Thinking maybe my bore is too small causing the easy blowiver but not understanding the tin sound. Any suggestions?

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

Yes, cut the flute to about 26” long and see if it clears up. From fipple edge, a 1” bore will sound best at 17-19” ( not from mouth piece, from front edge of square hole) this will make a low e to low d.. you can also put tuning holes at around 18” from fipple if you don’t want to cut the flute

[@rickfoddrill3060]

@@SingingTreeFlutes Thank you so much! My first flute tuned to D4 turned out amazingly well! I still have much to learn in the process. I made it out of the center of a pallet. Polished up, stained, and working on carving a better Fipple/Block now. I will post a video once its all ready. But it sounds friggin amazing! Thank you again! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@dosplumassiyothankas]

Hello Miguel, Do you speak spanish? I'm from México. I don't speak english Y no entiendo nada de lo que dices pero me gustaría, masomenos sé de qué hablas pero creo hay detalles importantes para la mejora del sonido. Estoy haciendo flautas pero en algunas el sonido no es tan bueno y no logro decifrar por qué.

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

Lo Siento, no hablo Espanol

[@dosplumassiyothankas]

@@SingingTreeFlutes Teahui (Adelante, vamos, Lets go. Náhuatl lenguaje) Gracias!!! I Will speak english Sorry my english jajaja

[@apollinairekokonzoni2878]

How may I get this flute? Do you sell them?

[@SingingTreeFlutes]

Yes! Please visit my website: singingtreeflutes.com/