What kind of flute did David Carradine play?

mitchw

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Apr 16, 2008
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I really like the sound of it, and would like to give playing one a go, but I dunno what kind of flute it was. I know he made them himself but they were surely the same design as an existing style. A friend bought me a bamboo thing years ago but it's essentially a wooden recorder, not quite what I'm after. Thanks for any help.
 
In all seriousness, possibly a Sonora-type flute? If you like the sound of it, a lot of traditional style flutes have beautiful sounds. I fool around on some tribals (mossi, etc.), a couple of Prattens (6 hole 'irish') and the Shakuhachi.

Ahh, white gunk palm, blasting your ki everywhere. Spirituality never felt so good...
 
Dunno why I thought this thread wouldn't include some low brow jokes but I'm glad it did lol thanks MeSamurai
 
Ok, different approach: Here's some pictures of the bamboo thing my friend got me, can anyone identify it? Might as well learn how to play this coz it'll be a good while before I can afford the flute I've got my eye on.

http://img22.imageshack.us/i/dsc01211r.jpg/
http://img14.imageshack.us/i/dsc01210tu.jpg/

And irrelevant but the lava lamp is drawn in charcoal by my ex, pretty ain't it
 
I interviewed Carradine a few years ago for FilmFax, and I think he talked a bit about it at some point. I'll review the tapes and try to get back to you about it whether I find anything specific or not.
 
Hi Hatamoto,

your flute looks like the one played in Bali associated with gamelan music. I cant for the life of me remember the name of it, and tried a quick look just then but couldn't find the indigenous name for it.

If you can get someone to show you the scale for it it sounds very cool

paul
 
Starwolf, thanks a lot, I looked at the extras for some DVDs I have of his in the hopes he'd reveal something in the interviews, but alas

komuso, thanks a lot, will look into it. I asked my friend where he bought it, it's more local than I thought, so will perhaps take it along and ask them for information. It does sound quite nice but not knowing how to use it the number of nice sounds I can make is extremely limited lol.

47Martialman I dunno whether I call you a tit or a genius, but I laughed at your post, so thanks either way Did you ever see the Silent Flute aka Circle of Iron? Thought it was pretty damn good myself.
 
Hatamoto, there wasn't anything of use in the interview, however, in the Kill Bill Diary, David wrote that there were several flute, the Silent Flute, the bamboo one he made for Kung Fu: The Movie, a silver concert flute and an ebony flute with silver keys. Apparently, the Silent Flute had indeed gone silent during filming of Kill Bill and he used the one he made for Kung Fu: The Movie. He also made reference to an alto, but didn't use it for filming.

He also made note of harvesting some bamboo from the White Lotus Temple in China during filming Kill Bill.

Hope this helps!
 
Call me either. If a tit you can...opps....

Yes, I had seen the Silent Flute aka Circle of Iron.

That is why I posted Silent Flute

Written in colaboration with Bruce Lee, it was hard to accept for many as it had some philosphy.

And to others, it wasnt enough action, but had a strange humor side.

Now upon DCs flute, I nevered thought it was a special brand, I always thought he had a cutomized, or special made one.
 
There are quite a few variations in Chinese flutes... is it end blown or it transverse? Do you blow down the end or do your hold across the lips and blow? Do you know what key it's in? And if it's end blown does it have a reed?

One of the big differences with Chinese flutes is that they will have a membrane over a special hole. This provides the signature buzz in Chinese flute playing. But then again Chinese flute playing has a lot of variations.

Here are several links that might be of use to you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_flutes

http://www.chinese-flute.com/learn_dizi_finger_chart.php

http://www.oldflutes.com/world/chinese.htm

YouTube- Basic introduction of the Dizi, Chinese Bamboo Flute



and here are some videos to inspire you:

YouTube- Making a bamboo flute - dizi
(narrated in Putongha)

YouTube- Demo: Dragon Head Mahogony Chinese Xiao Flute by D.W.Guo

YouTube- Exquisite Master Class Low G key Dizi by DXH
(this one is mind blowing the smooth tone he gets... wow)

YouTube- Komuso Zen Priest Playing Shakuhachi
(here is the Shakahuchi - the Japanese flute - derived originally from the Chinese flutes and heavily tied into Zen Buddhism... which derived from Chinese Cha'an Buddhism)

YouTube- Shakuhachi Flute Lessons for Beginners : How to Play the Shakuhachi Flute


And this one is stellar... ignore the video and just flip on the sound... amazing:
YouTube- Tadashi Tajima, Shakuhachi Flute, Osaka, Japan

I recently picked up a Dizi and a Xiao... not great at either.. but good fun.

YouTube- Xiao Solo by Zeng Gege - Mooring by The Autumn River At Night

YouTube- Dizi Finger Technique 1
(methods for Dizi - also in Putonghua)

and from India you get the Bansuri flutes...

YouTube- Lesson - 1 How to start playing bansuri

essentially a six whole flute but an entirely different sound... always sounds great against the tabla!!!
YouTube- Bansuri and Tabla jugalbandhi!

YouTube- Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Zakir Hussian
 
Wow, thanks for the collection of clips, will get through them tomorrow since it's late for tonight. What I'm after is a low key smooth tone sideways blown bamboo flute, reasonably long (I dunno why I just think they look better). The more commonly known the better since I'll be turning to youtube mostly to learn how to play it lol.
 
Hi Hatamoto,

going for that low sound - which is usually what comes with the long flutes you like is fine.... but as an ex-shakuhachi student may I offer these few cautions. Long flutes are generally harder to play. You need to move more air, and the stretch between finger holes can be diabolical.

Still, low flutes DO sound very cool :)

paul
 
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