Salute to Bamboo Flute

What could you imagine that can come out of a reed? -some pipe-sounds or some diffusions of the breath! However, when Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia blows his breath through the bamboo reed that he holds now with great effort, (as he is getting old, it is clear that he needs greater control over the flute; however, in his younger years, he was a beauty to behold, as his biceps were visibly clear and expressing his background of a wrestler) it seems that the air has stopped and is carrying out the order that he sends forth. He just almost captures the particles of the air and scatters them in a manner that appear very attracting, scintillating, and peaceful to the years.

He usually uses a very long bamboo flute, which often seems very difficult to place the fingers on the holes. However, with practice, it seems that the distance between his fingers has widened and he effortlessly places the fingers on those distanced holes. Though Pt. Pannalal Ghosh is believed to be the craftsman who brought bamboo flute into the classical music arena, but it is almost clear that Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia has taken it to the world-he is one of the most famous musician whom almost the whole world acknowledges as the unparalleled pioneer of this straight musical instrument.

Flute basically is associated with Krishna, who, through His enchanting music, attracted both humans and animals. It seems that when He played on the flute, time stopped and everything was just pushed towards Krishna. One of the most uncomplicated and simple instruments that you can find all over the world, Bamboo flute is sold even by street-hawkers. It is perhaps the only instrument that you can buy just for Rs. 2-3/- only. It is not surprising to note that even infants in their natal time-period are also provided with these cheap flutes, so that they can just play with them like a bamboo stick; and whenever their fancy permits, they can just produce some sort of sound through it.

As per musical standards, bamboo flute is one of the most enchanting instruments that you will find in the plethora of Indian musical instruments. There are two versions of flutes that are most popular in India. One among them has one hole to blow the breath, and has six another shoots from where the air comes out allow the blower to control the notes of sound. The other one, famous if South India and is known as Venu, has one blowing hole and seven shoots to control the notes. Though, I have even seen, and I owned one also, a flute that contained nine shoots to control the notes.

There is one more categorization that we can attribute to the flutes-one of them is blown in a longitudinal manner, and the other one is blown in transverse manner. Longitudinal style is popular for folk music only; however, for classical or semi-classical music, musicians almost always use transverse style bamboo flutes. The longitudinal style serves as a good one for very small children, and people who just want to try to learn controlling of the notes.

My interest in bamboo flute originated only when I listened to one of the recording of Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia, from his compilation named as "The Elements-Wind". After listening to the music in this compilation, I was enchanted by the bamboo flute, and later on, I bought many of them, varying in style and length. One of the friend, who was from Philippines, after knowing my interest in bamboo flute, bought a Phillippine bamboo flute, when she visited her country. She was working in my company and was married to a Indian doctor. This flute also has seven holes and is blown in the longitudinal style. However, the quality of the bamboo is fine and it produces a very beautiful sound. Once again, the setting of notes is different, and sometimes, the tune that i can play on transverse bamboo flutes becomes difficult because of the setting of some particular note. I have noticed that bamboo flutes and its variations are very famous in South Asia, and it is famous in many countries of the continent.

It seems that there is great variation in the quality-both tonal and fineness-varies with the variation in diameter and length of the bamboo used. Of course, the inner side of the reed again is very much contributing to the quality of the sound. The mechanism of flute's music is directly related to the fluid mechanics. When we blow the air through mouth-piece, it requires some orifice sort of the thing to escape and produce the sound. The blower can manage the notes of sound by altering the movement of fingers on the holes that allow the air to escape-the distance between the mouth-piece and the holes makes the type of notes. Again, the type of octave depends upon the position of fingers and the speed with which the air is blown through the mouth-piece. This is where Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia is very famous, for he has developed a lot of dexterity in his fingers, and variety in his blowing styles, which allow him to almost make people dance with his notes. He sometimes produces sounds through his flute that appear almost impossible to be produced by any other flute player. Salutations to the great master of bamboo flute!

As I come to the close to this article, I again say that bamboo flute is one of the best instruments that you will find anywhere; and personally, I have a great love and attraction to this instrument-for the last 6-7 years, I have bought a number of bamboo flutes from shops and from hawkers also. Though I never learnt how to play the flute, but still sometimes I amuse myself by producing some sounds on it. I love it and I feel once you explore its diversity and range, you will not be able to move away from the place, where someone is blowing through it.