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Step 3Bamboo Flute: End-Blown Quena
The Quena is a bamboo instrument of Incan ancestry that is traditionally played though out the Andes mountains. It is a straight piece of bamboo with six finger holes, one thumb hole, and a "U" shaped notch at the blowing end. It is similar to the Shakuhachi, but very different in it's sound. The Quena is tuned in a G 7 note major scale, and has a fiery, wild sound. The Andean people use these flutes to celebrate and to mourn, as the sound is very emotional and the instrument is very expressive.
Preparing the bamboo:
As any of these flutes, you are looking for a nice piece of bamboo without any splinters, cracks, or suspicious holes. All of the branches must be cut off and their notches sanded down. Specifically, the bamboo we will use for the Quena will be 1.5 centimeters wide (fig.1), and the wall of the bamboo must be 3 millimeters wide (fig.2). A piece without any nodes is preferred, however it may be hard to find a piece of such dimensions without nodes. Determine at this point where you would like to place the end of your flute (not the blowing end) (fig.3). I placed mine right at a node, so I could have a long stretch of "node-less" bamboo to place my finger holes. Mark it with pencil.
Making the cut:
Measure out 40 centimeters from the place where you chose to place the end of your flute. Use pencil to mark this area (fig.4), and make sure it is not within 6 centimeters of any nodes or bumps. This will be the blowing end of the Quena. Use a hacksaw and carefully cut along the line all the way down through the bamboo, straight and even (fig.5,6). Hesitation while sawing or slowing down may cause the blade to catch and rip open the bamboo with splinters and cracks, so saw surely and with caution. This cut is rough (fig.7), but we'll sand and attend to it later. Now saw where you placed the end of your flute (fig.8,9). The body of your Quena is almost now complete (fig.10), now to just fill it with holes.
Node Drilling:
Whip out your drill and rotary tools. Now, because of where I chose to put the end of my flute, at a node, I needed to drill through it. This was done by using a small bit to start a hole, then using a bit that loosely fit in the bore of the bamboo to open it all the way(fig.11,12,13). I cleaned it up further with needle files. The other node, near the blowing end, was removed as well. I chose a bit that loosely fit in the bamboo and pulled the entire piece back upon the drill, which was enough to break through the node (fig.14,15). I cleaned up any splinters with a file and the drill. The bore was now entirely open (fig.16).
The Notch and Blowing Edge:
At this point, I attended to both ends of the Quena with a bit of sanding (fig.17). The end of the flute was rounded out with my sander and a few needle files, though the blowing end was only lightly sanded, as the notch had not yet been cut. First we must measure out the dimensions for the notch, which will be in a "U" shape, as apposed to the slightly more difficult to play "V" notch. First designate the "Top" of your flute, where your notch and finger holes will go. Once this has been decided, on the edge of the blowing end, measure a line 8 millimeters across (fig.18) and mark either end. These will be the upper tips of the "U" in the notch. Then, measure 6 millimeters down from the edge and make a mark there (fig.19). This will be the base in the "U" notch. Make sketch of the "U" onto the bamboo. It should be a parabolic-type curve with both ends at the edge of the bamboo. You can see an example in figures 20 and 21.
Carving the Notch:
This step is the hardest to describe. Everyone does this a little differently, but It is usually done by machining it with a rotary tool. Grab your rotary tool and use a small drill bit to start a preliminary notch. I used a 2mm drill bit and held it at around 45 degree angle to the bamboo, and began to let it carve a small preliminary notch (fig.22). I then moved up to a 5mm bit and repeated this process (fig.23). I then used a small, 5mm grinding bit on my rotary tool to carve out the rest (fig.24,25). Notice how the measurements correspond to the notch when viewed from the inside, in other words, the outline we drew prior should be carved out all the way through the bamboo. There should be a 4mm wide slope following the notch at around 30-45 degrees. View figures 26 and 27 to get a better idea. This slope should occur naturally if the the bit is held at a 45 degree angle.
Drilling Holes:
I began with the thumb hole, which is on the back of the Quena. Determine at this point where the back of the Quena really is, on the opposite side of your notch. Once you have, measure 17.5 centimeters and mark with pencil (fig.28). This will be the center of the thumb hole. Drill as described previously, using progressivley bigger drill bit to reach the proper diameter, which for this hole, is .6 centimeters in diameter (fig.29-34). Then, measure out the distances for the finger holes, which must be on the complete opposite side of the thumb hole (fig.35). The first hole's center is 19.2 centimeters from the blowing edge, the second is 21.8cm, the third is 24.9cm, the fourth is 28.2cm, the fifth is 30.5cm, and the sixth is 33.6cm. Drill these holes similarly to their proper diameter (fig.36-39). The diameters of holes 1,2,3,and 5 is 1 centimeter, and the diameters of 4 and 6 are .6cm. Be sure to clean each cut with a file, or a grinding bit on your rotary tool (fig.40,41).
Finally, just sand down the blowing end so it sits comfortably on your lips (fig.42).
YOUR DONE YOUR BAMBOO QUENA! Now go and make some beautiful music!
Preparing the bamboo:
As any of these flutes, you are looking for a nice piece of bamboo without any splinters, cracks, or suspicious holes. All of the branches must be cut off and their notches sanded down. Specifically, the bamboo we will use for the Quena will be 1.5 centimeters wide (fig.1), and the wall of the bamboo must be 3 millimeters wide (fig.2). A piece without any nodes is preferred, however it may be hard to find a piece of such dimensions without nodes. Determine at this point where you would like to place the end of your flute (not the blowing end) (fig.3). I placed mine right at a node, so I could have a long stretch of "node-less" bamboo to place my finger holes. Mark it with pencil.
Making the cut:
Measure out 40 centimeters from the place where you chose to place the end of your flute. Use pencil to mark this area (fig.4), and make sure it is not within 6 centimeters of any nodes or bumps. This will be the blowing end of the Quena. Use a hacksaw and carefully cut along the line all the way down through the bamboo, straight and even (fig.5,6). Hesitation while sawing or slowing down may cause the blade to catch and rip open the bamboo with splinters and cracks, so saw surely and with caution. This cut is rough (fig.7), but we'll sand and attend to it later. Now saw where you placed the end of your flute (fig.8,9). The body of your Quena is almost now complete (fig.10), now to just fill it with holes.
Node Drilling:
Whip out your drill and rotary tools. Now, because of where I chose to put the end of my flute, at a node, I needed to drill through it. This was done by using a small bit to start a hole, then using a bit that loosely fit in the bore of the bamboo to open it all the way(fig.11,12,13). I cleaned it up further with needle files. The other node, near the blowing end, was removed as well. I chose a bit that loosely fit in the bamboo and pulled the entire piece back upon the drill, which was enough to break through the node (fig.14,15). I cleaned up any splinters with a file and the drill. The bore was now entirely open (fig.16).
The Notch and Blowing Edge:
At this point, I attended to both ends of the Quena with a bit of sanding (fig.17). The end of the flute was rounded out with my sander and a few needle files, though the blowing end was only lightly sanded, as the notch had not yet been cut. First we must measure out the dimensions for the notch, which will be in a "U" shape, as apposed to the slightly more difficult to play "V" notch. First designate the "Top" of your flute, where your notch and finger holes will go. Once this has been decided, on the edge of the blowing end, measure a line 8 millimeters across (fig.18) and mark either end. These will be the upper tips of the "U" in the notch. Then, measure 6 millimeters down from the edge and make a mark there (fig.19). This will be the base in the "U" notch. Make sketch of the "U" onto the bamboo. It should be a parabolic-type curve with both ends at the edge of the bamboo. You can see an example in figures 20 and 21.
Carving the Notch:
This step is the hardest to describe. Everyone does this a little differently, but It is usually done by machining it with a rotary tool. Grab your rotary tool and use a small drill bit to start a preliminary notch. I used a 2mm drill bit and held it at around 45 degree angle to the bamboo, and began to let it carve a small preliminary notch (fig.22). I then moved up to a 5mm bit and repeated this process (fig.23). I then used a small, 5mm grinding bit on my rotary tool to carve out the rest (fig.24,25). Notice how the measurements correspond to the notch when viewed from the inside, in other words, the outline we drew prior should be carved out all the way through the bamboo. There should be a 4mm wide slope following the notch at around 30-45 degrees. View figures 26 and 27 to get a better idea. This slope should occur naturally if the the bit is held at a 45 degree angle.
Drilling Holes:
I began with the thumb hole, which is on the back of the Quena. Determine at this point where the back of the Quena really is, on the opposite side of your notch. Once you have, measure 17.5 centimeters and mark with pencil (fig.28). This will be the center of the thumb hole. Drill as described previously, using progressivley bigger drill bit to reach the proper diameter, which for this hole, is .6 centimeters in diameter (fig.29-34). Then, measure out the distances for the finger holes, which must be on the complete opposite side of the thumb hole (fig.35). The first hole's center is 19.2 centimeters from the blowing edge, the second is 21.8cm, the third is 24.9cm, the fourth is 28.2cm, the fifth is 30.5cm, and the sixth is 33.6cm. Drill these holes similarly to their proper diameter (fig.36-39). The diameters of holes 1,2,3,and 5 is 1 centimeter, and the diameters of 4 and 6 are .6cm. Be sure to clean each cut with a file, or a grinding bit on your rotary tool (fig.40,41).
Finally, just sand down the blowing end so it sits comfortably on your lips (fig.42).
YOUR DONE YOUR BAMBOO QUENA! Now go and make some beautiful music!
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