HAROLD

Harold Ruckman is a native of Southwest Missouri, and devotes much energy to crafts of the native Americans. He is of "mixed blood", white and Lakota. Harold has had much sucess with all types of flutes, leatherworking, drums, pipemaking, using authentic sacred catlinite stone, and flintknapping. He also has an artistic skill which has lead him into reproduction rockcarvings of the ancient pictographs. Harold has hosted sucessful flutemaking seminars in various locations.

◊◊◊◊◊◊

 

"RED CEDAR B"

This flute is made from a branch from a dead cedar tree. Since this flute was made from a small branch, it does not show a lot of the red color.  It is a nice mid sized flute, and tuned very nearly perfectly. It plays loudly, and gets three extended octave notes very easily, without having to overblow. The flute will overblow only if you force it to. The flute shows some very small dark spots, which are knots where smaller branches occured while this branch was growing.

This flute is 16 1/2"  long with six equally spaced holes tuned to the pentatonic scale of B, modes 1 and 4. The finger holes are all the same size, 1/4", except for the top hole which is a little smaller. The finger holes are spaced at 7/8" on centers. The walls of this flute are very thin, 3/32" thick, on average.  The totem is made from a small piece of a maple branch, and made into a free form. The flute has a rectangular sound hole that produces a loud, mellow, full and pleasing sound. Please feel free to ask for a sound file that Harold has made with this flute. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We like branch flutes because they are always unique, in their sound, appearance and spirit... With one of these flutes, you are more closer to earth and the gifts it provides to you, more happy to make music and express yourself...You feel the spirit of the tree.

Wood

We use only local woods, trying to gather branch fallen from the tree, given to us by mother nature. We don't cut living wood. We take care as much as possible, to keep the branch shape and aspect, just adding some work with our hands and tools , giving it the chance to live again.

Construction and finishes

Our flutes are made with hand tools , from start to finish, and they show it. We split the wood and gouge the bore by hand, we shape the flute using knives, rasp and files, trying to avoid electrical devices during our work , to stay free to create or feel what we do...We take as much time as needed for each flute. Every flute takes at least two days to be made. We take care to keep the wood as natural as possible, thus using only natural finishes. Usually our flutes are sealed inside with oil (for the soft woods which draw moisture), and with a harder product for hard woods. Outside, we use oil, shellac and waxes. We like our flutes to be safe and stay as close as possible to the branch given by mother nature.

Sound

Each branch flute has is own sound and spirit...So it's difficult to define how a fallen branch flute sings...Some flutes play with a loud voice, other need just a baby breath to come to life. Some have big holes, and other smaller ones. Some are made in the woodlands style, and other in the plains style. Some have a round sound hole, other a square...In other words, each flute is truly unique, with its own voice, and needs to bond with its' owner...
On the other hand, speaking of "sound quality", our branch flutes sound as good as a "regular" one...We take care of the sound holes and tuning to get the best result, and conform to the music standards...There is no difference during the sound making process, except our branch flutes need more care and time, because they are made only by hand. If you need a sound file, just ask us by email, we'll be very happy to send you a scale sample of the flute you wish.

◊◊◊◊◊◊

 

PROUD MEMBER OF THE FALLEN BRANCH TRIBE

 

The Fallen Branch tribe is a group of flutemakers and artists , trying to work with their spirit...We are making above all, native style flutes, but also walking sticks, drums, drawings, paintings and other crafts.

Feel free to contact us, and take a look at our others auctions. If you want to know more about us , click here:

 

 

Shipping and Payment instructions:
Shipping is by insured USPS priority mail
unless otherwise specified.
We take care in packaging to assure us that it will arrive safely.
Payment can be made by Pay Pal, check or money order.

 

"All begins with a fallen branch , given to us by mother earth...It's the most important. After, we just have to reveal the flute inside."