While the nose flute may be unfamiliar to many in North America, it is very popular in many parts of the world, particularly Africa, China, and the Pacific Rim. The nose flute has a few minor variations from one location to the next, but the basic concept is the same in all of them.
The nose flute is similar to the mouth flutes that many westerners are familiar with. The difference is that the nose flute is played exhaling air through the nasal passages. The nose flute’s point of entry is designed with a slanted hole, which effectively divides the flow of air into two streams within the flute’s body. The presence of the two air streams causes a vibration within the nose flute, which results in the production of nose flute sounds.
The body is usually made of bamboo and has one closed end and one open end, usually the end opposite the slanted hole used to administer the flow of air from the nasal passages. By placing fingers over the different holes in the body of the nose flute, the player can control the pitch and tone of the sounds produced.
The location of the nose hole varies slightly between nose flutes. The nose hole is located on the plugged end of the bamboo flute body in some versions, while it is located on the side of the flute in others. Some designs allow air to flow into the nose flute from both nostrils, while others require the player to close one nostril with their thumb. Some nose flutes are designed to be played with the nostril held at an angle, while others require the nostril to be firmly pressed against the instrument’s nose hole.
While bamboo is the most common material for nose flutes, some are made of soapstone or gourd necks. The nose flute, like many ethnic instruments that develop across cultures, has a number of variations, each of which offers a slightly different way of producing musical notes.
The use of nose flutes is common in many places, including Polynesia and parts of Africa, and has a long history of being associated with the courtship process in several cultures, as well as a way for lovers to communicate through music. This is especially important in cultures where breath is associated with spirit, because it implies giving one’s self to a loved one and receiving a piece of that loved one back.