How to Make a Wooden Quena - South American Native American Flute

The quena is the traditional flute of the Andes. Traditionally made of cane or wood, (and sometimes a leg bone) it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole, and is open on both ends. To produce sound, the player closes the top end of the pipe with the flesh between the chin and lower lip, and blows a stream of air across a notch cut into the end (or mouthpiece), similar to the way one would produce sound by blowing into a drink bottle. It is normally in the key of G, with G4 being the lowest note (all holes covered).
In this video, you will learn one of the ways to make a traditional quena using modern tools. Caution is advised whenever heavy or dangerous shop tools are involved and in no way are we condoning that an inexperienced wood worker try this without proper safety measures or supervision.
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[@earthspeaksmusic]

Someones probably said this before but I feel like you're the Bob Ross of flute making.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

😊😊😊😊😊

[@dukeofwalls412]

Flute number nine-hundred-million-four-hundred-eighty-seven-thousand-five-hundred-forty-three looks and sounds amazing. Love your work Charlie. I've made 3 native flutes now because of you. 2 of them are actually tuned and one plays and sounds really nice. I tuned one in E minor @ 432hz and the other is a C. I'm still learning how to play but I give people chills and make them cry tears of happiness with my music so I must be doing something right. Thank you for sharing this amazing gift of the ancestors.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks so much for your kind words my friend! It is always when I am looking into the edge of darkness that a great power sends me a kind gust of wind to blow me away from it again! You've brightened my day! I strive to be that gust for others. 🙂

[@ToddWaters2]

I can't thank you enough for sharing these videos. I love them and I'm very excited to try to make one out of a piece of oak I'm working on. 🙌

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@ToddWaters2 Cool! Thanks for your kind words! Be sure to check out my hundreds of other videos on making flutes!

[@isnerdy]

A few comments as someone who has studied Andean music for over 30 years, made quenas, and traveled to the Andes 4 times to bring back instruments. Historically, quenas were pentatonic instruments with 2, 3, or 4 holes on the front. This instrument still exists in rural communities around Lake Titicaca, called “pusipia,” Aymara for “four holes.” These and related indigenous Aymara quenas typically have square mouthpieces, and a knife is used to cut the cane. As far as the 7-hole concert pitch design goes, that seems to have been invented in Europe in the 1930s, when indigenous groups were first brought over to perform, and Europeans decided to make something that could play along with “western” music. This design of quena was then re-exported to South America, and gained popularity in the 1940s & 1950s with urban “folkloric” groups. Note that in the Andes, folkloric and indigenous are totally different things. As for whether this is a major or minor scale instrument, most professional quena players I know would refer to this as an E-minor instrument, rather than a G-major instrument, as Andean music is much more often in minor keys than major ones. Currently, Bolivians are regarded as making the best professional/concert quenas, amongst folkloric groups in the Andes. Even most of the best players in Perú play Bolivian quenas. Ecuador is not known for producing really professional-grade quenas. As far as this particular build, the backwards slant on the mouthpiece is very unusual. Almost all are cut squared-off, and for a good reason. A backwards slant like that will encourage you to drop the angle of the flute, which will make it play sharp. The best quenas I’ve played have a deeper, narrower mouthpiece notch, and no flattened area in front. Wide, shallow mouthpieces like that give a breathy, unfocused sound. The round mouthpieces are usually hand-filed with a small-diameter round file. This allows for a much deeper interior bevel, and a smoother transition from the mouthpiece to the main bore. I have seen some round mouthpieces be made by burning, and this seems to be a more rural construction technique, but it can work. The Q’eros people only file their mouthpieces from the inside of the tube, and it gives a rather unique sound. Note that a deeper notch will raise the pitch of the instrument, so you will need to compensate with the hole positions. As far as the ring you described around the top (and sometimes bottom) of the flute, that’s something you see on quenas in all regions of the Andes. It’s to keep the cane from splitting. On wooden quenas, it’s mostly decorative. My understanding of the bone mouthpieces is that cattle bone is used rather than llama/alpaca. The ulnas and tibias of llamas/alpacas/deer are too narrow and elliptical, though they were used on small ancient quenas. Typically with cane quenas, a natural node is used at the bottom of the tube, and a small hole is drilled in the middle. This is usually mimicked in wooden quenas as well. It allows for a shorter tube. The wooden quenas I’ve brought back from Peru and Bolivia are all made from a single piece of wood, turned round on the lathe, and bored-out with a long drill bit. I’ve seen a couple of different strategies for mimicking the node - some have the main bore go to about 1cm from the bottom and then stop, and a smaller hole is drilled the rest of the way through; others drill the main bore all the way through and then glue a plug of matching wood in the bottom.

[@MountaincraftOutdoors]

Well said my friend, any chance you could give me the measurements on hole placement? I make Native American style flutes out of bamboo and am attempting my first Quena. I would greatly appreciate it. Hope you have a nice day.

[@isnerdy]

@@MountaincraftOutdoors Here are the dimensions for my favorite quena, made by Ivan Alandres in Cochabamba. With a normal embouchure, it plays slightly flat, but if you drop the angle of the flute slightly, it's perfectly in-tune. Since these measurements are to the tops of the holes, you will have to do a little math to figure out where to center your drill. G-major / E-minor quena Overall length: 38cm Interior bore: 1.65 cm diameter Exterior diameter: 2.6 cm Notch depth: 0.75 cm Notch width (at top): 1.0 cm Distance from top of flute to top of holes: 1 (thumb): 14.9cm / 0.55 cm diameter 2 (front): 17.5cm / 1.25 cm diameter 3: 20.4cm / 1.25 cm diameter 4: 23.4cm / 1.25 cm diameter 5: 26.7 cm / 0.95 cm diameter 6: 28.9 cm / 1.15 cm diameter 7: 32.8cm / 0.95 diameter Bottom: 1.15 cm diameter

[@MountaincraftOutdoors]

@isnerdy Thank you for taking the time to do that, much appreciated! I'll let you know how it works out for me. Take care.

[@mathewsmith1400]

@@isnerdy Hi, can you explain what you mean by the Bottom diameter? (1.15cm)

[@ToddWaters2]

I'm super interested a shorter tube quena and also you single piece of wood Peru and Bolivian quenas. I'm trying to make one of those now doing the same technique, drilling from either end on a lathe. Is there any way you can share the design of these with me? Thanks for explaining about how to mimick the node.

[@ronlutz2879]

Great video. The mouthpiece looks very similar to the shakuhachi mouthpiece.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

They do look similar!

[@BrunoEspo]

Yes I’ve made both and they are very similar. I was born in Peru and improve. There’s a very rich Japanese community and culture dating back many hundred years who knows if the concept of the style of mouthpiece came from Japan or if it originated here and went to Japan hundreds for thousands of years ago. you mentioned that this flute is indigenous to central America but I’ve always known it to be from South America. Is there something that I’m missing?

[@tristiangallegos4561]

Thank you. I am a quenista myself, and have considered trying to make one in the future. My go-to quena is one I ordered from Bolivia made by an artisan who crafts flutes for some of Bolivia's top performers. It is made of jacaranda, or Brazilian rosewood with a bone mouthpiece. The foot or bottom of the flute is also made of bone. It resonates like glass, and the aroma is simply fantastic. I have a tip for you. If you can, close your eyes when you play. You'll get a feel of what it's like for me as somebody who's been blind since birth. There is nothing like feeling the vibrations of a flute through your hands. Keep up the good work. I would love to see you make a siku or double rowed zampońa sometime.

[@fernandoargoty6961]

Aprendí a hacer flautas nativas americanas gracias a tus vídeos..eres un verdadero maestro.. saludos desde Colombia

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Gracias amigo! ¡Tal vez hagamos algunas flautas en Columbia juntos pronto!

[@enriquecancino7519]

Great job on that quena, Charlie. As I mentioned in my previous comment about retuning a flute, I used to make quenas way back. I made them from bamboo from a Houston park. Being from Chile, my quenas have a shorter end and the bottom of the tube is covered and has a small hole in it. The first fingering hole is exactly in the middle of the tube when you use the design I use, which makes some of the holes bigger, yet the quena can play two and half scales when you have a small hole at the bottom of the tube! Seeing your design for the mouthpiece, I might try to change one of mine to that style to see what happens - I like to experiment just like you and sometimes it works and sometimes we learn from it. But it's always fun. Cheers and peace.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks so much for watching our videos Enrique! Thanks also for your information!

[@cakeinthenight5749]

Thank you for filming and sharing these videos it helps me understand the instruments and the art and it's really appreciated

[@gregsettle9725]

Great build video! I learn something with every video I watch. Most excellent!

[@Tuttodunfiato.N.A.F]

Sei bravissimo!!!!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻👏👏👏❤️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@jom6508]

Good talrnt Blue 🐻 I could feel the magic in your flute playing keep up the good work and all good will continue on.

[@davidmurphy6884]

Waited for this one! Well done. You are correct, pre-contact Quena were tuned in various pentatonic minor keys. Surviving examples of Quenilla, Quena, and Quenacho are primarily of Condor, Llama, and Human femur bones. Can we look forward to upcoming builds of Moseno (side-blown duct flutes) or Tarka (totem-pole looking duct flutes) in the near future? LOL! Take care.

[@soundvillage001]

Nice flute brother. Thanks for the share

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks my friend for watching, please check out my other hundreds of videos!

[@matthiasblindow8122]

Hi man its such a plesure to see you working. I am a craftsman from Europe. a long time I was building Bows wich is in a way similar to building Instruments. At the moment I am building overtone Flutes. I Think they are less difficult because the tuning depends only on one parameter. Your Explanations have helped me a lot. Because it is a diffrent culture you can learn a lot. I wont to thank You for the open explanations.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you for your kind words Matthias! Thanks also for watching. We have lots of other videos, too including several making a low or very low pvc flute. Check them out if you have time.

[@forrestruby6846]

I really like your video but wish you would share hole locations and hole sizes. Thanks

[@BeKindJay]

Beautiful content, feels like my life becoming balanced

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you, and be sure to check out our other videos and upcoming events!

[@kharmaviv]

Such a Beautiful quena flute. I don't know how she was able to keep the camera steady to continue recording. She must have been so delighted. I'm somewhat of a recent subscriber, as well as customer to Blue Bear Flutes. Did you stop selling the quena flutes? I don't see them on your website. They seem difficult to play. I play a side blown flute, but the quena still doesn't look easy. It looks like there's a definite learning curve which takes patience. I've thought about trying to learn how to play it one day. 🤔 🎶

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@kharmaviv I don't currently offer them on my website simply because many people find them very difficult to play! You are so true in saying that! Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching! I do have so many other videos for you to explore!

[@wagnerfaria6005]

Meus parabéns! Gosto muito dos seus vídeos, pois aprendo muito com você. Saudações, do Brasil!

[@varieamcgarrah7953]

Like the video alot

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks so much!

[@tonyhartley871]

Love to know specs on what you made!

[@skippyjones2077]

Hey what’s going on Charlie I talked to you quit a few months ago I got your amplifier and love it thank you 🙏.. I got my flute from laughing crow and I really wish I would have got one from you lol... I love watching your videos you’re Amazing the way you work that flute looks Awesome love it I think I wanna order a flute from you ... Well thank you for sharing you’re videos.. how much would that flute cost.. 👍❤️🙏☮️✌️not to put down laughing crow flutes but you take way more time making everything right he doesn’t apparently my holes and cutting edge is not perfect but Won’t be getting another one from him... take care of your self my friend god bless 🙏

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you my friend! I appreciate your kind words and consideration! We have a lot of new great things going on here at bluebearflutes as well as fantastic new videos coming out this week so you'll get to enjoy some great stuff! Feel free to message anytime through our website or call my 800 number if there's anything I can do for you.

[@johndudash2579]

Wondering if wild cherry is good sounding for flutes , had one come down in yard, appreciate very much your passion for your craft ! Thanks for vids.

[@ronwasser4852]

Fascinating

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you my friend! If you haven't yet, check out our many other videos and remember to subscribe for those that are coming soon!

[@samschultz2412]

Hey Charlie! Love watching you make these. You inspired me to make a quena, I used bamboo. I ended up making nearly a G#. How do I get this down to a G

[@BlueBearFlutes]

A thin plug in the bottom should do the trick! You can temporarily lean the bottom of the flute against a table to restrict the airflow and see if that helps. 😉

[@kevinpablo2207]

This is interesting, can you get the third (high) octave with these flutes? quenas have gone through a tremendous process of "modernisation"; I believe a guy called Raymond Thevenot some time ago in Peru designed the first quena to provide 3 very tuned octaves in the classical tuning. Nowadays some people appear to get some notes even in the fourth octave, however, I struggled to build quenas that play even in the third octave without the diameter reduction at the bottom (that is, the tube ends in a plane at exactly 380mm length and there is a hole, smaller than the inside diameter). Apparently this is necessary for the flute to reach the higher notes in the correct pitch, or even play them at all. I am still learning from trial and error. The shape of the blowing edge appears to have no influence on the tuning, however its size does.

[@joelb2297]

I like at the end of this video you casually cite flute-making as a 'burden of life.' It is a burden of sorts, this continual improvement of creativity. A worthy pursuit for sure. My mother used to say that one of the heaviest burdens in life is having nothing to carry. I consider this every time I build...

[@tomcartmill401]

That is great Charlie, What other woods are commonly use, hard woods?....

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Actually, this wood is definitely not commonly used. And although hardwoods are used much today, they were not originally. Thanks for asking and for watching my friend!

[@davidmurphy6884]

Tom Cartmill - the last 30 years or so the most common or "student" model quena have been made of bamboo. The professional models have been made from Silver, Ebony, Jacarando, Grenadillo, Zebrawood, Purpleheart, etc, with the option of a lathe turned cow bone mouthpiece. They all have their different pros, cons, and sound characteristics. But as far as traditional, there was the clay Chincha Quena of the Chimu people, otherwise they were made from various bones, reeds, or bamboos. The only real wooden Andean flutes to survive in any appreciable quantities are the Tarka, which have a whistle type mouthpiece like a recorder. There is also another family of whistle type flute, made of reed, called the Pinkullo. Have a great day.

[@Tuttodunfiato.N.A.F]

Veri nice!!! Thanks.❤️ Friend, Artist and Master. Hi, dear Artist and dear friend, I'm Alessio Peluso from Bologna (Italy). For three months I have been learning to play Quena, magnificent instrument, together with the panflute! For some time I have not been able to emit clean notes, especially those of the second and third octave. Could it be due to the humidity that is created in the cut of the bit? Can you give me some advice on how to treat and take care of the instrument? Apart from studying and repeating the exercises, what can I do? Thank you so much my friend

[@zoedarc783]

Do you ever do flute making workshops?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I have in the past however these days I try to offer most everything online!

[@Mongun_Taiga]

What is the purpose of making two pieces and glueing them together rather than drilling a hole in one piece of wood? Also: is rosewood santos a good wood for quena?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

That's a great question. The reason we do it that way in these videos is because it is simpler for other people to make a flute like that as well. Likewise, many Native American flute types were made in this method historically. The only flutes that were not made this way were NOT originally drilled out. 🙂👍

[@georgeruiz1048]

You have lots of great tools for wood working. Can flutes be made with just the minimal tools ?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

We have several videos on that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnyyd5Z4hryrj9E This is one of our newest and my favorite.

[@ShadowfoxMsytWalker]

This is awesome Charlie, been waiting a long time for this one. great info, Love your work. when burning out your holes, do you ever sand them to remove any coals that are left after the burning process?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Sorry to make you wait so long my friend! I usually use a file after burning the tracks in our other flutes. With regards to the fingerings, since it is such a very small amount of coal, I haven't found it completely necessary yet. Great question!

[@GastonBejarano]

I like the way the video is done. Very educative! What about the sound of the Quena in the higher octaves? Other Quenas have a different size of opening hole in the bottom, mostly smaller. Yours seem to be just open? What would be the difference in sound?

[@Pualleng]

Please make some Toyo panpipe bass

[@georgeruiz1048]

Awesome

[@7bikerboy7]

Hello I’m in the process of making a quenacho in Do. I carved the mouth piece and have the bamboo cut to correct length to produce Do. I’m stuck at where to start drilling other holes. Any advice?

[@richardgreen8938]

Check out 432 tuning opposed to the German 440. 432 is a pure frequency compared to 440. Lots of stuff out there on it.

[@jhonzepol7216]

now I understood why my quena split in two in the last winter

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Oil helps to protect wood from breaking due to temperature changes.

[@jhonzepol7216]

@@BlueBearFlutes thanks!

[@tonyhartley871]

Ii have a beautiful 453mm bamboo piece that is 23mm inside and blows a solid E. Can anyone tell me where to put my finger holes?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

17 1/2 inches from the sound hole or total length?

[@edlechleiter7042]

What glue do you use on your wooden flutes ?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Probably the best question to ask is what glue haven't I used? 🙂 At this point, I've currently used Tightbond 2 for a while.

[@bluedogsurvive6501]

I bought one but just can’t seem to get my mouth right to get it to play😆 there not easy

[@tonyhartley871]

I know what you are saying. I bought a nice one by Ramos. What I have found after making several from pvc is that the natives have thicker fingers and more lung capacity. My purchased flute is hard to keep the holes closes perfectly while keeping a constant flow of air. So I made mine with a narrower notch and smaller finger holes. Theirs is just louder but I can control mine. I have a couple that have larger holes and a narrower notch and that works better as well. My challenge now is I have some nice bamboo and would love to build a quenacho,but the measurements inside don't match. I needto find 1 1/8" material. Mine is 15/16 and 1". I know most measurements and specs you finger are for a 3/4" quena in G. I know they make them in various scales and that is what I would love to see, specs for various base note flutes like Charlie Mayto-Toyela has done for Native American flute makers. He is a Cherokee Indian and does marvelous work.

[@bjaylucero902]

How can I get one of this flute? Some info please.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

bluebearflutes.com

[@CcoadeCanas]

I think you meant to say South American Native American flute rather than Central American.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I meant what I said and said what I meant. A flute maker is honest 100 percent! However, I should have probably included North America as well!

[@CcoadeCanas]

@@BlueBearFlutes In that case let me state that the quena in origin is only south american. In the last couple of decades it has been played by Central Americans, that is true. The reason I had doubts about what you said and what I thought you meant to say is that in your video description you mention the Andes, and everybody knows that the Andes is in South America

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@CcoadeCanas the name "quena" may relate to a specific area in flute making yes however all native peoples of the Americas played a end blown flute that was a simple hollow tube. That aside, as I always do, I'm certain that I mentioned South America in the video as well. Might be a good idea to go back and check.

[@miguelirizarry4412]

Hey send that quena to me, I’ll will sound real nice 👍🏻

[@romantea3506]

I do the same, working on imperial and metric😂

[@johndevilbiss6607]

Thanks for teaching. Note: Your interlude music is nice but way too loud. At the point when you speak, the volume is way down, barely understandable

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Yeah, we do have a unique natural style of doing things.

[@ArminHirmer]

WANT :D

[@RustyGunn7]

I wanna hold the camera. Lol

[@paulm.4946]

Man, Right at or about 6:34 he almost got his hand a little to close to that saw blade.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

...just how it looks through the camera.

[@paulm.4946]

@@BlueBearFlutes I do know. But it does look that way. I can make a flute like that from PVC but never get the mouth part right.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@paulm.4946 See if this helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poCXhZ2tiMuUhqc

[@Victorpman]

Why the pick of this music when you can choose native music or other inspiring music..

[@eblanco2172]

6:32 You nearly cut your hand.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Nope! You ever use a table saw?

[@della2879]

6:34 😨

[@joscardam]

Quena is a south american flute.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Didn't I say that in this video? ¿No dije eso?

[@atari1017]

oh man, that's not the way the real qenas are made...

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Well, you got 1 thing right, I am a man!