Information About Tuning on the Native American Style Flute

Tuning is Bring the Notes of a Native flute into a Harmonic Relationship

When we refer to the tuning of a Native flute we are referring to bringing the various notes into a
harmonic relationship with each other. Standardized tuning was not an issue for the Native
American maker and player. He was only interested in producing sounds that felt right to him.
He did not measure tonality by any external standard such as an electronic tuner. If the flute sounded nice that, was it. It was a matter of anything goes as long as the sound felt harmonious to the player.
In the late twentieth century the Native American style flute began to gain acceptance beyond the Native community. When this happened, the Native flute entered a period of rapid development.

Adoption of the Pentatonic Scale and 440Hz Concert Tuning

The most fundamental change that took place was bringing the Love flute into conformity with Western standards of tuning. Various makers started tuning flutes to the Mode One minor pentatonic scale.

They felt that this scale was appropriate for what was being expressed through the Native flute. At the same time Native American style flute makers also began tuning their flutes using the modern concert standard of 440Hz for the note A above middle C on the piano.

The resulting instrument had five tone holes and could play a five-note Mode One pentatonic scale plus the first note of the second octave. At some point a sixth hole was introduced and as a consequence it became possible to produce two different pentatonic scales on the same flute,
Mode One and Mode Four.

To explore the difference between 440Hz and 432Hz tuning, visit our 440Hz vs 432Hz guide.

Chromatic Notes on the Native American Style Flute

Contemporary flute makers next sought to craft a Native American style flute capable of playing a full chromatic scale. This is the scale that is used for the piano and other musical instruments. A chromatic scale divides the octave into twelve semitones of equal interval. A pentatonic scale uses only five of these twelve notes. The remaining seven notes lie between the pentatonic tones and may be thought of as hidden notes.
On a piano keyboard you can see twelve notes repeating in sequence. Five of these are the black keys. These five black keys form a pentatonic scale. The white keys between them may be thought of as the hidden notes.
On some Native American style flutes these hidden notes can be produced using cross fingering and half holing techniques.
With a full chromatic range, it becomes possible to play music in both diatonic (seven note) scales and pentatonic (five note) scales. This allows the musician to play popular tunes, hymns etc.

Temperature Effects on Tuning

It is standard practice for flute makers to tune Native flutes at an ambient temperature of seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit. If a flute is perfectly in tune at seventy-two degrees, it will shift if the temperature rises or falls.

Warmer temperatures cause the flute to play a little sharp. Cooler temperatures cause it to play flat. A temperature change of ten degrees can shift the pitch by approximately fifteen cents. This is well within the standard deviation of 20 cents so the instrument will not be noticeably out of tune.

Breath Pressure and Its Effect on Pitch

Another factor affecting tuning is breathe pressure. When a flute maker tunes a flute at a specific breath pressure, the flute will be in tune when played at that pressure. If you blow harder the note will be slightly sharper. If you blow softer the flute will be slightly flatter. We tune our Ancient Territories flutes at a moderate pressure. The degree of sharpness or flatness depends on how much the breath pressure differs from that used during tuning. This deviation is within the standard tuning parameters.

Solo Versus Ensemble Playing

Does it matter if the flute is slightly sharp or flat? When playing solo it does not matter. The flute remains in tune with itself. All notes rise or fall together. There is no dissonance between the notes. Few amateur musicians can detect small deviations from 440Hz (20 cents sharp or flat) when playing alone.

Tuning becomes important when playing in ensemble with other instruments. If you are fifteen cents out of tune with a guitarist, he may notice some dissonance. A guitar can be retuned, so the guitarist can adjust to match your Love flute. When both instruments share the same pitch tuning they are in harmony with each other.

Frequently Asked Questions About Flute Tuning

Why does my Native American style flute sound out of tune?

Tuning can shift due to breath pressure, air temperature, or playing alongside other instruments. Usually it is due to using a very soft breathe pressure.

Does temperature affect flute tuning?

Yes. Warmer air makes the flute play sharp and cooler air makes it play flat.

Can a Native American style flute play chromatic notes?

Many modern flutes can produce hidden chromatic notes using cross fingering and half holing techniques.

Is 440Hz standard for Native American style flutes?

Most modern makers tune to the 440Hz concert standard, though some also offer 432Hz tuning.