Simple Flutes: A Guide to Flute Making and Playing, or How to Make and Play a Flute of Bamboo, Wood, Clay, Metal, PVC Plastic, or Anything Else

Rating:
Summary: A highly practical guide to crafting simple flutes
Review: Simple Flutes by Mark Shepard, a slim (44 pages), elegantly presented, and highly practical guide to crafting simple flutes and making music with them. Flutes of bamboo, wood, claw, metal, and plastic are authoritatively discussed. Simple line drawings and easy-to-understand instructions enhanced and round out this first-rate, "user friendly" guide for anyone with a fondness toward simplicity in their own personal music. Also highly recommended is Mark Shepard's How To Love Your Flute: A Guide To Flues And Flute Playing (0938497103,...).

Rating:
Summary: Really good detailed book, but only for transverse flutes
Review: The charts and pages on every aspect of making your own flute
are all here, with explanations of WHY, and several options
for finishes, materials, keys, etc.

If you're going to make anything OTHER than a transverse flute,
such as a Shakuhachi or recorder, look on the Web for supplemental material,
but still I'm still glad I got this as a reference. (He also has a bibliography in the back.)

For instance, even the length/bore ratio changes for some
other woodwinds. But the basic info is very handy to keep around.