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Jay Kruse © 2006 - 2009. Las Vegas, Nevada
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"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort and skillful execution."
- William A. Foster
FLUTE CONSTRUCTION:
I started making reed flutes in 1990. I was also studying various flute design and construction. I quickly began to blend techniques into my own style of reed flute making. Certain elements from other traditions made sense to me and I had the freedom to experiment until I settled on my approach. What began as a quest to recreate the traditional designs led me to an understanding of how they behave and why. The end result is a well crafted, well tuned instrument that is attractive and durable, tailored to whatever specific needs I want or I am given.
Jay burning holes on a custom flute
NEY (‘Nay’, ‘Nai’) :
The ‘ney’ always gets attention because it is so unlike the traditional orchestral flute of the West. It looks different. It’s played and tuned differently. Often mistaken for “bamboo”, the reed that neys are made from is native to the Mediterranean and Asia. It was brought to the New World and I was fortunate enough to live in an area where this reed was plentiful. I harvest and patiently cure and seal it with my own custom blend of oils. I bind it with precision, securely and ornately. My own unique approach to ney construction symbolizes the transplant of this instrument to the west.
SYNTHETIC:
Once I had a grasp of ‘my version’ of the traditional reed flutes, I turned my attention to the idea of ‘student / synthetic’ models. I quickly realized the advantages of working with synthetic materials for so many reasons, including cost, availability, consistency in dimensions, durability, etc.
It wasn’t long before I began looking at these instruments with a much greater respect than is often afforded them. All of the mathematical nuances of traditional reed (the ‘pinches’ in the inner bore from the nodes, etc) can easily be compensated for with synthetic materials and their strength and durability cannot be argued. I have been steadily growing to almost prefer them, especially for traveling and performance, in the same manner that synthetic drums and hand percussion have become the accepted norm. Click here for more on SYNTHETIC flutes
BANSURI:
The Bansuri is more easily recognizable as the bamboo ancestor of the modern metal flute. In spite of the similarities, the Bansuri is quite demanding in its simplicity. There are no keys or joints- just a hollow piece of bamboo and an infinite potential for sound. Although flutes are made from any type of bamboo, Bansuri proper are made from tropical varieties that are quite long with no nodes. They are constructed in a variety of sizes ranging from a small 12 inches to a large 40 inch length. My favorite bamboo for Bansuri making is from the Philippines and Hawaii.
The real issue is, always has been, and will continue to be, the ability to play. The same instrument will sound radically different in different people’s hands; a good player will get a good sound on an inferior instrument just as a novice can make a high-end instrument sound hideous. The best flute ever created is only as good as the player...
❝ Flute making has long been my passion, my meditation and my medicine. The entire process soothes me and allows me to put my best energy into each instrument I create. From harvesting the reed and patiently curing it, to sealing it with my own custom-blend of natural oils, to binding it securely and ornately... flute making is one area of my life where I know exactly who I am and exactly what I'm doing and why. ❞
To request information on custom orders please email: flutes@jaykruse.com
Jay lets his ‘Adult StemCells’ flow!
