Bird's Eye Drone Flutes
Created from Bird's Eye Maple, which grows in the northern US and Canada. I read somewhere that the trees that get less sunshine are more likely to have this kind of figure. Bird's Eye Maple is scarce. Most of the logs are bought up by the veneer makers, so lumber is hard to find and expensive. However, I feel that it makes for beautiful instruments. The Maple is hard and gives a good tone. I make these flutes in plain and inlaid versions.
The top photo is of an F#m Double Inlaid Drone. The bottom photo is of a Dm Drone without inlay. I am making them more in the shape of the bottom flute now. The Dm is big, but the Gm, F#m and Em are not quite as bulky. They're much more svelte.
You can play this flute as a single flute or by simply moving your lips over the second hole, you can add accompaniment to your own playing. The drone side plays the fundamental, or the low note of the scale. If one over blows just right, the drone side can jump up an octave, so you can have either a high note or a low note to accompany your melodies.
I have designed the mouthpiece so that it's easy to play the melody side alone without having to worry about accidentally playing the drone side when accompaniment is not desired. This mouthpiece is very comfortable for most players, but if you want it flat, just let me know and I'll make it that way.
Listen to sound samples of the Drone Flutes that I make.
Click to hear a Gm, F#m, Em and Dm drone.