History of the overtoneflute

The overtoneflute can, with no doubt, be referred to as one of the earliest flutes of human mankind, of which many different types have evolved in the past. The indigenous of South America, for instance, use long wooden tubes as blowguns for purposes as diverse as hunting, ceremonial rites and also to make music. In its simplest form, the flute is a plant stalk that has been cut aslant at the top. Since the flute doesn’t have any finger holes—it is blown at an angle over the rim—it commonly used all over the globe.

In Europe, the flutes made of plant stalks were above all played by children, while more sophisticated wooden flutes—often with a ‘labium’, a hole through which air leaves the flute, similar to that of a recorder—were played by the older: mainly by shepherds, who spent their days playing the flute when on pasture, practicing their melodies for festivities in their home villages.

The change in culture and life style in Western Europe has made the harmonic flute disappear in traditional folk music in these areas. However, in the East (Podolka, Koncovka, Tilinko), and especially in Slovakia, Rumania und Bulgaria and also in Skandinavia (Seljefloit) the flute can still be found today.

Nowadays, the overtone flute experiences a renaissance in the West. The flute is to be found more and more often not only in meditative music but rather also in rock music and in the techno and electronic music scene. Many people find easy access into the world of the overtone flute: after all, the flute is not only easy to play—it rather also has deeply moving natural harmonies.