Native American Flute Fingering Charts - Tabs - 5 hole flute

Native American Flute - Fingering Charts

Native American Flutes
Beginner Playing

Jerry and Lisa Fretwell

Flute Makers and Flute Instructors

Chromatic Scale ~ Fingering Charts

For 5 Hole Native American Flutes and 6 Hole Native AmericanFlutes

Finger Placement on Flute

I place my fingers at an angle on my flutes when I play. Doing this, makes it easier for me to play half hole notes and to slide from one note to the next. I play with the pads of my fingers, not the tips.

Finger Placement - Native American Flute

Understanding the symbols in the fingering charts below.

Overblow notes are played by blowing harder. This is an art form in itself. If you blow too hard, your flute will squeak. If you blow too soft, your flute will not jump up to the next register. The last three notes in the chromatic scale shown on this page, have the symbol ( o ) underneath.You create the notes by overblowing. This is an art form in itself. You may not be able to get your flute to play all of the overblow notes. It depends on who made your flute. Not all Native American Flutes are equal.

Playing The Half Hole Notes

Playing the ½ hole notes can be a challenge, at first.

Each native american flute, as well as each hole, has a sweet spot where the ½ hole note plays clear. Sometimes you only have to cover ¼ of the hole, sometimes it's 5/8's of the hole.

Two things help when playing 1/2 hole notes.

1. Back off on the breathing pressure that you are using. If you don't, your flute will squeak when you try to play a 1/2 hole.

2. Starting with the hole open, slowly roll onto the hole. Adjust your breathing pressure as you do this. Add more or less pressure to keep your flute from squeaking and to play the note on pitch.

Do not be discouraged if you have trouble in the beginning playing the ½ hole notes.

What are some differences between a 6-hole Native American Flute and a 5-hole Native American Flute?

A 6 hole native american flute can play one note that a 5 hole native american flute can not play. It's the note where all 6 holes are played open.

2.	*Two* of the notes in the chromatic scale are played using a different fingering position when you are playing a 5 hole flute or a 6 hole flute.

Fingering Chart - 6 Hole Flute - Chromatic Scale

Click Here to hear the chromatic scale. Native American Flute Fingering Chart

Several notes on your flute can be played using more than one
fingering. Below is one example. When you play these two notes, they will sound the same. They are the same note. You use a different fingering pattern to play them.

Fingering Chart - 5 Hole Flute - Chromatic Scale

Click Here to hear the chromatic scale.
Native American Flute Fingering Chart

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