10 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. ^J 



The Tule flute is " made of a different sort of reed " from that 

 used in making the panpipes and all flutes are the same length. Such 

 an instrtuTient in the Marsh Collection is 24^ inches long and the 

 two fingerholes are respectively 5 and 6 inches distant from the lower 

 end. In making a flute the pith of a reed is removed with the stiff 

 quill of a tail-feather of the wild turkey. The opening is flushed 

 with water to remove all shreds of fiber, after which the fingerholes 

 are burned with a hot iron and shaped with a sharp knife. 



The manner of playing this flute is unique in that the end is held 

 inside the player's mouth, apparently being placed near the roof of 

 his mouth while the breath is directed across the open tube. It is 

 believed this manner of playing the flute has not previously been 

 described. When a gourd rattle is used with a flute, the player shakes 

 the rattle with his right hand while holding the flute in position and 

 manipulating the fingerholes with his left hand. The instrument is 

 used thus at a wedding, two new flutes being made for the occasion. 

 Before they are blown in the usual manner, the chief musician blows 

 directly into the reed, " making soft little tunes." This was not 

 demonstrated. 



A flute performance by Igwa was recorded and the first portion 

 was transcribed, the latter portion showing no important dift'erences. 

 Like the melodies played on the panpipes, this has a compass of five 

 tones, omitting the fourth tone of the compass. It is minor in tonality 

 and rhythmic in character. 



]\Ielody Played on Flute 



J = 104 



m 



^ 



r— N- 



N-4 



_ ^J lf_ 





etc. 



The flute, as stated, is often used with the gourd rattle, one 

 instrument producing a melody and the other giving a rhytlim, both 

 being played by the same performer. The rattle is made of a globu- 

 lar gourd containing a few pebbles and pierced by a stick which 



