White Crow Flutes - Whats New

News / Workshops / Concerts

Eastern Woodland Design

Med B Dark Lighting Struck Poplar with Tiger Maple Ends and Fetish

On this page we will share with you about our upcoming events such as workshops or performances (if you are in the area). Also I will be posting technical briefs about tunings, recording equipment, and sound specific to flutes. This will also serve as a posting board to changes in the way we conduct our business and how it might effect you.

* Choosing a microphone for recording the NAF (Part 1) *

* Choosing a microphone for recording the NAF (Part 2) *

* NEW * Microphone selection and use for live performance with the NAF *

* Click for the extended fingering chart for the White Crow Optimized Flutes *

* Click for a chart of the pitch intervals of different tunings *

* Click for a chart of harmonic pairing of flute keys *

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ - Price and Business Changes

Over the years White Crow Flutes has enjoyed international acceptance of the musical instruments we produce. So much so that the back orders extended over two full years. This was due first to demand and later the fixed production rate of this workshop given a commitment to uncompromised quality. In short I could never keep up or catch-up. In retrospect I should have stopped taking orders for a while but the buying public said "I'll wait!" But other changes have occurred in that time as well. I was also required to return to nearly full time work outside of the workshop for family reasons. This meant flutes could only be made part-time and order would be stacking up even longer. So I needed to do something drastic to manage things. Folks have suggested that I apply a supply and demand factor to my flutes but I am not a subscriber of making my flutes available to only those of greater financial well to do. So the following changes were made.

Drones Removed From Available Instruments (they are not of US Native culture)

No Special Order Fetish Carvings - (only on inspired stock flutes)

No Special Orders For Flutes of Common Sizes will be accepted, exceptions only are

- Alternate Tunings
- Tabulature
-Diatonic/Major
- 2/5 Pentatonic Mode
- Exotic Tunings

- Left Handed Sideblowns

- Bird Head Flutes

-Ultra High Flutes (above High F#)

- Sub-Bass Flutes (below Low G)

Wood selection on standard stock flutes will be made by the makers choice and posted.
Excpetion orders will be allowed to select a wood choice from a recommended list of the maker for that key flute.

These changes are not however just about supply and demand were that the case I would just raise my prices (which I have not done in over ten years yet the quality of the instruments well exceeds standards. It is also about my passion for the flute, the history, the music, the business, and the future. I have found my best instruments come from attention to detail, good craftsmanship, sonic quality, playability, timbre and tone, picking the right wood for the right flute and key and even a spiritual oneness with the flute as I make it. I listen to the flutes and they tell me what I need to do to bring out their best qualities. I want to be able to have patience with myself and the flutes to make that happen. My flutes gained their attention by the spirit they showed when they were played. That is what is important to me and I will share in the form of my flutes, with those who feel this is what is important to them as well.

One additional change will envolve exceptional quality instruments. When one makes a flute you never know exactly how it will finish out until you are walking it out the door to the post office. Although one might apply good techniques and good understanding of design elements to every flute and have high quality standards in their production all instruments will fall into a bell curve of quality. So even for a maker that is considered to have a standard of "excellent flutes" some will be very good, some excellent, and some outstanding. It is this last category of instruments (outstanding) which will have an additional premium price added to the standard publish cost. But it is the way of the musical instrument industry to add a premium to the best of the best. This additional cost will be standardized as a percent of base price of each key. The parameters for this classification will include timbre, tone, playability, expressibility, range, and precision of tuning to include cross fingered pitches.

Changes In Design Specifications:

Given some the results of a recent survey I posted to NAF flute players and direct customer requests,
I have decided it is important to provide the opportunity for varying design options for our flutes.
Each is designed to meet specific player requirements. Each flute will be marked on the body with it's type.

Optimized:
These designs are for the advanced musician that desires a highly engineered instrument with a very well
tuned fully chromatic play well into the 2nd octave (generally 5th). These designs have a somewhat longer
and narrower bore than most flutes on the market. This is both a functional and visual design change.
The longer/narrower bore provides for better 2nd octave tuning and uniformity of tone across the full scale.
These flutes tend to be cooler and brighter in the color of their tone. The fingering on these flutes is the Eastern
Woodland progression yet nearly all flutes (above Low D) have a fully chromatic play up to a 3rd and/or 5th
above the octave depending on the model. Note: Lower flutes have 2nd octave limiting design requirements.
These flutes are also designed to be very expressive and respond to very subtle breath changes and are well
suited to seasoned players, recording artists, or the player that just wants a flute that they can grow with.

"Stubbies":
These designs are the result of requests for lower flutes for those with shorter arms or smaller hands. As a result
I now offer flutes that have a bore larger than the optimal sizes which makes them shorter in bore length. I also
shorten the rear air chamber to the minimal required size which shorten required arm reach. The holes are drill for reach ability,
decreasing the finger stretch. These flutes generally have a warmer, more rounded tone to the sound.
Because of the above concessions (sorry the laws of physics!) these flutes generally are limited to one full octave
of fully chromatic play. These flutes are designed to be more forgiving in breath control requirements making
it is great beginner flute or for those who desire a low flute yet have had problems with longer flutes.

White Crow Activities -

Make Your Own Flute Workshops - Group or Private

* Click here for more information on attending or hosting a workshop *

Performances /Lectures -

* Click here to email us regarding booking performances *