Upcoming Flute-making workshop

Our own Ryan Stauffer will be hosting his second flute-making workshop at Beautiful Bamboo Nursery on Saturday, June 14th.  The full-day class will cover how to make a side-blown bamboo flute, similar to the one pictured above.  The $40 fee includes instructions and all materials. Participants of all ages and skill levels are welcome. For more information and to make a reservation, visit Flutes by Ryan or call tel:719-252-4485

Grow your own flute-making and building materials

Few things are as peacefully inviting as a gentle breeze blowing through a bamboo forest.  While mountainsides covered in giant bamboo are not part of the American landscape, by installing a few Madake Japanese Timber Bamboo plants, you can create a miniature version of a bamboo forest in your own backyard.  

A four-year-old grove of Madake - Japanese Timber Bamboo

Not only does Madake (Phyllostachys bambusoides Madake) Japanese Timber Bamboo make a serene and lovely grove, the thick, straight canes - 2 to 6-inch diameter and up to 60-feet tall - are one of the best bamboos to use for building projects.

The thick white line that encircles each culm section on Madake's dark green canes adds to the attractiveness of this beautiful and highly functional running bamboo

 
Instrument-makers also favor Madake for flutes and didgeridoos because of its exceptionally strong, thick-walled canes.

A Shakuhachi flute made from Madake bamboo by flute-maker RyuzanTakahashi (photo by Brucehuebner.com)

At Beautiful Bamboo, our popular Designer Quality, Polished Bamboo Poles come from domestically-grown Madake Bamboo.

Beautiful Madake bamboo canes are available in a variety of sizes on our website

 

Madake Japanese Timber Bamboo is a running bamboo, which means it is not an appropriate choice for all landscapes.  We control spread of the underground rhizomes by mowing a swath of about 20' around the grove but running bamboos can also be controlled by installing a rhizome barrier.

 

Bamboo flute making workshop

Beautiful Bamboo employee, Ryan Stauffer, loves bamboo almost as he loves making music.

Music and bamboo affectionado, Ryan Stauffer

Ryan combines his two interests by creating a variety of musical instruments out of bamboo including didgeridoos and several sizes of flutes.

Ryan playing one of his long flutes

Ryan recently shared his skills with a group of homeschooling students who attended a bamboo flute-making class at Beautiful Bamboo nursery.

What better place to learn bamboo flute-making skills than in the middle of a grove of bamboo! 

It was a busy afternoon but much was accomplished.  By the time the workshop ended, each attendee had made his or her own bamboo flute and was ready to take their beautiful new flutes home to practice.

Ryan will be conducting another bamboo flute-making workshop at Beautiful Bamboo nursery this spring.  Dates and time to be announced shortly.  The fee for the workshop, which includes all materials and is open to all ages, is $40 per person.

To reserve a spot in the next workshop please call 352-429-2425.

Bamboo flutes

People have been making musical instruments out of bamboo for thousands of years.  The oldest bamboo flute dates back to 433 BC and was discovered in the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng at the Suizhou site, Hubei province, China. 

Over the ages, people around the world have transformed hollow bamboo tubes into sweet sounding musical instruments.  Instrument makers from China, India, Korea, Japan, Polynesia, Cambodian and many other countries have their own unique take on the construction of bamboo flutes.  

At Beautiful Bamboo, we receive many inquiries from bamboo flute makers.  Recently, Erik the Flutemaker, from Davie, FL stopped by with his associate, Leo.  

Erik the Flutemaker plays one of his 'Starry Night' flutes at Beautiful Bamboo

After having read about the different varieties on our website, Erik and Leo came to take a tour of the demonstration gardens and see in person the different clumping bamboos pictured on our website. 

Leo serenades us with melodic sounds

When it comes to making flutes, clumping bamboos are better than running varieties because the distance between the culm sections in clumping bamboo is considerably longer than it is in runners.  Other consideration include the diameter of the canes, the wall thickness and the coloring of the bamboo exterior. 

While Leo watches, Erik (on right) shows Ralph where to drill holes on a Bambusa multiplex 'Silverstripe' cane.  In the background stands a large clump of bamboo of the same type of bamboo.

As we toured the property with Erik and Leo, we looked for bamboos with the specific qualities needed to build the type of flutes Erik and Leo construct.

After choosing an appropriate pole, Erik give it an initial cleaning with a handful of pine needles and bamboo leaves picked up off the ground