What happens when you cross a Native American flute with a Classical European woodwind? Mysteriously, Stravinsky sounds as old as the hills. No one remembers why traditional North American flutes were made unlike the world's other early instruments. We don't know why the flutes have two chambers or why a separate block called a "bird" covers the windway between them. Traditional lore and museum artifacts tell us the dimensions and tuning came from the flutemaker's anatomy: the length of his arm, the width of his hand and thumb. This ancient technique created a stirring sound and an irregular scale. Meanwhile, in Europe a preference grew for orderly and predictable notes. Flutes there became long and thin. Those instruments are capable of playing three times the range of ancient flutes with great accuracy and pure tone. However, each technical advance diminished the rich, complex overtones that make the sound of primitive flutes so compelling.
The Watershed FluteTM is the clear choice of classical, jazz, Native American, new age and pop musicians world wide. It plays a chromatic scale of an octave and a half (17 notes), with fingering that is logical and consistent from one flute's key to another's. With The Watershed FluteTM , you can play the entire Native American repertoire, as well as wide-ranging folk songs like Shenandoah, or classical arias like Shubert's Ava Maria. Gregorian chants, 1400 years old, are a natural.
Unto Wood You Shall Return
There is nothing like the sound of a wooden voicing region in an all wood flute. The original native flute makers used birchbark for their voice plates. So did I in the beginning. Then, for several years, I made my flutes with a brass voice plate. No more. Today I use the same exotic hardwoods classical woodwind makers have used for centuries. The overtones are clearer, the sound is warmer, the response is livelier and the volume is even greater. Not only that, but these durable hardwoods don't tarnish like brass or wear out like birchbark. The bore of the flute plays a more complex role than most people realize. The size, the shape, the thickness of the walls at different locations -- it's a subtle equation. Through classical examples from Europe and Japan, and through countless experiments, I have discovered important details about the shape of the bore. When these details are precisely realized, the tone and tuning are significantly improved. The Watershed again breaks new ground and the musicians find it good. The Watershed FluteTM is the standard of excellence in the concert hall, the recording studio and your favorite wilderness region.
In April, 1996, Don Markese recorded The Watershed FluteTM live at George Martin's (The Beatles) Studio in London with the Philharmonia Orchestra on the soundtrack for the movie Alaska.
Thanks to its indigenous origins, TThe Watershed FluteTM is easy to play and is naturally at home beside a woodland stream. It evokes something like an ancient voice within us. An artist friend told me when he hears my flutes, his "Old Brain kicks in".
Don't try this at home.
My research and development included leaving a flute on the dashboard of my car for a year. Even with Wisconsin's climatic extremes, the flute is just fine. This instrument is not made like a bamboo flute so there is no need to wrap it with twine or decorations. The Watershed Flute needs your loving care, but it will not self destruct with normal changes in temperature and humidity.
I am currently making flutes in nine keys. High D is the smallest, and low D is very large. G is the most popular by far, and it is closest to the average pitch of traditional native flutes. Orders for cedar flutes can usually be filled within a week or two. Hardwoods may take a little longer.
Put The Woods Back Into Your Woodwind
The Watershed FluteTM connects the endearing timbre of ancient American flutes with European precision and clarity. Meticulous attention to detail ensures that each flute presents a strong, clear tone with brilliant harmonics and the accuracy you need for solo or group performance. All the woods I use are premium. The traditional wood for the body of a native flute is cedar, so light and resonant with warm colors in all shades of medium brown. Cedar flute, rosewood voiceplate. Nice flute, nice price. Figured maple is thrilling to see, like the back of a violin. It is much more dense than cedar, and it projects vibrations well. In general, the sound is not "better" than a cedar flute, but maybe a different tone color. It is more durable, and slower to work with, thus costs more. Bubinga is an African wood more dense than any wood native to North America. The burgundy color and acoustic qualities are unique. I use several other woods from the classical traditions, and I can usually fill requests if appropriate to this flute.
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