FAQs

No. Lip-plate is meant for the qualitative reasons.

The Lip-Plate attachment will make it effortless to blow your Bansuri so you don't have to put in hours to learn blowing technique. It also enhances the tone quality, balances the lower and higher octave volume and prominently lessens the hissing airy sound.

The flute is tuned according to the depth of the Lip-plate, hence if you remove it, this will affect the tuning of the flute. Also, it could hinder the good looks of the flute.

Middle Octave flutes are the most ideal flute for beginners. PVC fiber C Natural Middle Octave (20 inches) is considered as the most suitable scale for the beginners.

-Please note- Higher Octave flutes are smaller in size (high pitch tone), they’re also called pencil flutes. Middle Octave flutes are medium in size (medium pitch tone) and Base Octave flutes are bigger length (Heavy Base tone).

-The longer the flute, the deeper the tone but the more difficult the finger stretch. If you are a beginner you need to be concentrating on getting the clearest, strongest tone possible and not also be struggling to reach the finger holes.

-It is better to start with a smaller side blown flute and as you become comfortable playing it, move on to a longer and deeper toned flute.

-If you are a beginner at playing a side blown flute either the Key of 'G', 'E' or ‘C’ would be a good choice. The Key of 'C' is a little longer and deeper in tone than the Key of 'G' or ‘E’ and is a popular Key for playing along with other instruments.

-If the Flute is for someone with smaller hands the Key of 'E' or ‘G’ may be a more appropriate choice.

We make sure that each flute/ bansuri is tuned with Tanpura at A=440Hz. Tuning is the most crucial aspect of Indian Classical music or any style of music for that matter. Hence, it is our priority.

Please check these aspects before contacting us:

Please ensure you are checking the tuning on Hindustani scale for Hindustani Flutes and on Carnatic Scale for Carnatic flutes.

Using a digital tuner or mobile app is not the right way to check the tuning. You should check it with the help of tanpura or ask your mentor to check it for you.

Ensure that you are closing first three holes to play “SA” in Hindustani side flutes, closing first two holes to play “SA”in Carnatic side flute and closing six holes to play “SA” in vertical blow
flutes.

Make sure that the holes are completely covered by your fingers and there’s no gap left while closing them.

Please check this youtube video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs0Ul_2uC9c

Although hardly possible, if you still feel it is out of tune, please make a video of playing your flute immediately and send it on our whatsapp- +91 9979882744. We will verify it and replace your flute if needed.

Before you receive your Bansuri, it has gone through many quality control check points such as Material Quality, Tuning Accuracy, Threading Tightness, Polishing, Cracks and Leakages, Durability and an Overall Check Up.

We have introduced a squared ellipse blow-hole, adopted by western flutes. This is sharp compared to the traditional round hole and gives balance to both lower and higher octaves. Additionally, it offers a wider dynamic range and requires less pressure to play higher octave.

If you have ordered Carnatic Side Flute, the finger holes will be straight in line. If you have ordered Hindustani Side Flute, the finger holes are bound to be out of linear shape.

Radhe Flutes Hindustani flutes have 7 finger holes and Carnatic flutes [prevalent in South India] have 8 finger holes. Both have different style of playing.

Absolutely, yes. We have readjusted finger holes for comfortable fingering without compromising in the tuning. This effortless playing has been approved by top most flute artists of India.

Please check our Review page for more details.

If this is your first flute or first PVC fiber flute, you need to learn the correct technique of blowing and playing the flute. It is not possible that the flute cannot produce sound, even a simple ball-pen cap would produce the sound if correctly blown.

Please check the link below-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmV7f6UqkQU

Radhe Flutes Hindustani side bansuri has extra hole for extra performance. The 7th hole lets you expand your musical range, as well as lets you do a few extra things such as bending numbers from Tivra-Ma to Pa. Additionally, you now can go a little lower than conventional flutes which can add flavors into your playing.

The 7th hole in my double base flute is too far away, my fingers cannot reach there, how should I play it?

The 7th hole in any double base bansuri is played/ closed by the player’s thigh, not finger.

How Radhe Flutes Bamboo Bansuri is made? How a Bamboo becomes a professional bansuri?

We consider many factors to make a bamboo into a professional Bansuri.

-The first step is to choose a matured bamboo which is at least 2 years old. The older the bamboo is the more seasoned it becomes which prevents the bamboo from cracking and splitting open. Moreover, it provides enhanced tonal quality and louder volume. On top of choosing a matured bamboo we also make sure that the bamboo is cylindrical and as no curvature.

-The next thing that makes the bamboo even stronger while not letting it become brittle is the called Heat-Curing Process where the bamboo is put into different specific temperatures for specific days. This process not only increases the endurance but also evenly distributes the water content inside the bamboo releasing the stress which helps the bamboo to reverberate and resonate the notes.

-Next, the bamboo is smoothened not only from outside but also from inside. We sand the outer wall with different grinds until it starts shining. This process is for the appearance of the bansuri. Inversely sanding the inner wall and later smoothening it lets the air flow smoothly with minimal friction making it very easy to produce sounds and modulate them.

-Later the bamboo is oiled from inside and outside using 'Radhe Flutes Natural Mineral Oil' which is order-less, colorless and non-allergic. Oiling the bamboo prevents the bamboo from getting dry which can cause cracks and prevents the saliva from entering the bamboo which too can create cracks. Additionally, a sudden temperature change inside the bamboo is very dangerous. An oiled Bansuri slows down the speed of temperature and spreads the temperature evenly at a faster rate compared to a bamboo which in not oiled.

-We use Natural Cork so there are no disruptions in resonance.

-Next in line, we craft the OBLONG blow-hole which are much superior than the conventional round shape blow-hole. Once the blow-hole has been created we refine the blow-hole until it can produce a loud fundamental note as well as 5 over-tones. This process makes blowing and shifting between octaves effortless.

-Later, we make the tone holes in such a manner that it is easy for the player to close the holes without any difficulty while making sure not to compromise with the loudness. Moreover, we make further improvements so that the flutes don't have to adjust their embouchure or move the lip position a lot.

-Once, all the notes have been checked with the Tanpura at A=440Hz (we do not tune the flute with digital tuner or mobile apps as they are not meant for hindustani classical music) we start working on the overtone series so you can play 2.5 octaves using cross-fingering technique. (Most of the flute don't give you a range of more than 2 octaves)

-Finally, we use Strong Nylon threads which do not stretch or shrink due to temperature change or long period of use as compared to polyester threads. These Nylon Threads protect the bansuri from split-opens or cracking. We use the X shape threading technique to give the bansuri a traditional and authentic appearance.

-Last but not the least, the bansuri is put inside a the Hard-Case for protecting and travelling purposes. Moreover, we Provide 'Radhe Flutes Bamboo Bansuri Mineral Oil 30ml' so you can apply it on your bansuri every 2-3 months or whenever you feel the bansuri is getting very dry.

There are many more small processes that we do while we craft the bansuri which augment the bansuri to a prime level.

Absolutely yes. Our PVC fiber bansuri is meant for beginners as well as for artists. Please check our Review page for watching the artists playing PVC fiber, Acrylic fiber and Bamboo Flutes. You may also check some of the video reviews on Youtube.

Both PVC fiber and Bamboo Flutes have their own unique qualities. Just as how we cannot compare a rose flower and a lotus flower, like so we cannot compare PVC Fiber Flutes and Bamboo Flutes.

Radhe Flutes PVC Fiber Bansuri:

-Unlike Bamboo Bansuri, your PVC Fiber Bansuri will not be damaged by direct Sunlight, Moisture, Dry weather, and sudden shift in temperature. Basically, no maintenance needed at all.

-If your Bansuri has any kind of dirt or dust, inside or outside the Bansuri, don't worry, wash it with water and it will be as good as new without affecting the durability or tuning of it.

-If your Bansuri falls down on the floor from a standing position, no Problem, it can withstand a fall from a height of 20 feet. If you accidently step on it, no problem, it will not split-open or crack. If you decide to play it after 2 years, no problem, it wouldn’t change its shape nor the tuning.

-The Lip-Plate attachment will make it effortless to blow your Bansuri so you don't have to put in hours to learn blowing technique. It also enhances the tone quality, balances the lower and higher octave volume and prominently lessens the hissing airy sound.

-Bamboo wooden color PVC Fiber Pipe with traditional X threading using very strong Nylon threads to maintain the aesthetics of Hindustani Bansuri. PVC fiber Bansuri has Mellow and Sweet tone.

Radhe Flutes Bamboo Bansuri:

-All our Indian bansuri are tuned with tanpura by Tej Sharma himself.

-Our Bamboo Bansuri are 100% hand crafted.

-Bamboo Bansuri has bright tone.

Yes, PVC fiber flute is safe.

Most of your drinking water passes at some point through PVC, whether it’s municipal supply lines to your area or in your home, is touching PVC piping. I have been researching and experimenting on PVC fiber flutes for nearly 25 years, I personally do not see PVC material as harmful when using with care and precautions. Besides, this is accountable only when you do the sanding and heating while making the PVC flutes or other PVC products. Any finished product of PVC material should not be a concern at all.

Mr.Tejkumar Sharma      

Radhe Flutes

-PVC is a versatile material that offers many possible applications, these include; Window frames, drainage pipe, water service pipe, medical devices, blood storage bags, cable and wire insulation, resilient flooring, roofing membranes, stationary, automotive interiors and seat coverings, fashion and footwear, food packaging, credit cards, vinyl records, synthetic leather and other coated fabrics. In fact, coronary artery stent which are used to expand coronary arteries inside the
heart are made from plastic as well.

-REMEMBER Anything that Burns Releases Toxins!

It is true that PVC releases toxins when it is burned but so does bamboo such as cyanogenic glycosides and any other material for that matter. However, please note that neither PVC nor bamboo is dangerous if they don’t cross their burning point. Standard PVC can withstand temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.So, you can feel safe that there will be no harmful toxins released when you play the flute.

For further clarification andexplanation, please read the article below based on scientific reports:

There's been a lot of negative talk in the media and online lately about the effects of PVC in consumer products. Don't confuse the added-to plastic found in those products with "furniture" and "plumbing" grades PVC pipe and fittings. They are not the same thing.

In many plastic products a couple of additives, called plasticizers, may have been added that make PVC change properties.

1. Phthalates are chemical substances that make PVC flexible and soft. These additives are used in products like toys, baby products, cosmetics, food wrapping materials, shower curtains and so on.

2. Bisphenol-A is used to make products shatter resistant and for high-heat resistance. You'll may find this additive in such items as baby bottles, eating utensils, microwave ware, water bottles and the like. 

Both these chemical additives are "suspected" by some to cause cancer and, possibly, developmental problems. The concern is with these plasticizers, NOT the PVC itself.Phthalates and Bisphenol-A are not added to common PVC pipe. 

Scientific reports are mixed on the safety of those two additives. If you're interested, you can read more at  http://www.factsonplastic.com/gclid=CMbdztDS6pMCFRZZiAodvRnPVg and www.phthalates.org/whatare/index.asp. 


And in case you want to make and use PVC projects for your kitchen, read this from Robert L. Wolke, The Washington Post..."At the other end of the PVC hardness spectrum is PVC pipe. It is made of hard, rigid PVC that contains no plasticizer. What isn't there cannot leach out into food. So clean, room-temperature PVC pipe can be used as a perfectly safe food utensil. And that's a fact."

Some toys made with PVC may contain a plasticizer (as mentioned above), which by some accounts, can be harmful to children when put into their mouths. However, an independent panel of scientific experts commissioned by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission dispute this. Either way, since PVC pipe and fittings do not contain a plasticizer, there’s no evidence that it's harmful.

Following are quotes from the Plastic Industry Pipe Association...

     "In 1998 and 2001, the Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) extensively reviewed recent scientific literature on PVC and concluded 'the balance of available evidence indicates that PVC in its building and construction applications has no more effect on the environment than its alternatives.'

     In 2004 the U.S. GreenBuilding Council PVC Task Group issued a draft report on PVC related materials. This report was based on an analysis of over 2,400 scientific papers, submissions from green groups, the building industry and PVC industries. The report concludes 'the available evidence does not support a conclusion that PVC is consistently worse than alternative materials on a life cycle environmental and health basis.'

     Furthermore, in 200 the European Parliament commissioned a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study on PVC - 'Life Cycle Assessment of PVC & of Competing Materials.' This report found no evidence to support a bias against PVC and as a result has placed no restrictions on its use."

Also, since PVC is a thermoplastic material, it is readily recycled.

The effects of vinyl products on health and the environment have been investigated at every stage from manufacture through use and final disposal, and have been shown to be safe and environmentally sound.

For more information, readers can visit http://www.vinylnewsservice.net."

    

And this from the Canada Newswire...

Scientifically baseless attack on PVC could hurt consumers,resulting in use of riskier and less affordable materialsVANCOUVER - Recent activist attacks on PVC, one of the most sustainable, useful and affordable plastics available, are without any basis in scientific fact and could hurt consumers by forcing retailers to adopt the use of riskier, less affordable materials, Greenpeace co-founder and former leader Dr. Patrick Moore says.

"Environmental Defense and other anti-PVC activists are engaged in a fear-mongering campaign that's attempting to convince retailers like Sears to de-select PVC without a shred of scientific evidence," said Moore, a Greenpeace co-founder and Chairman and Chief Scientist, Greenspirit Strategies Ltd.

PVC is commonly known as vinyl or polyvinyl chloride. It has recently come under attack by Environmental Defense Canada. "It's completely unacceptable for these activists to call PVC 'toxic' when PVC's effects on health and the environment have been investigated at every stage from manufacture through use and on to final disposal - in all cases vinyl has been shown to be safe and environmentally sound," said
Moore.

"The most rigorous risk assessment ever undertaken by the European Union on plasticizers used to make PVC flexible was conducted over 10 years, and concluded these widely used additives should not be classified as hazardous and pose no risks to either human health or the environment from their current use," said Moore."Anti-PVC activists are pushing retailers toward untested, less affordable and potentially riskier materials and that's bad news for Canadian consumers," said Moore. "PVC is one of the most thoroughly tested plastics available. Because it is easily cleaned, affordable, durable and safe, PVC has many important applications," said Moore.  "The best way to deliver affordable, safe drinking water is through a PVC pipe. The best way to insulate electrical wiring is with a PVC coating. In hospitals, floors and wall coverings use PVC widely. PVC is a durable, cost-effective siding for buildings because of its low maintenance and long life. Building with PVC saves on energy and material costs," said Moore. "Alternatives simply don't match the safety, affordability and flexibility of PVC," said Moore. "That's why PVC continues to be a very popular choice in many applications," he said.

Credit-
http://jaykruse.blogspot.com/2009/09/are-pvc-flutes-safe.html

Oiling the bamboo prevents the bamboo from getting dry which can cause cracks and prevents the saliva from entering the bamboo which too can create cracks.

Additionally, a sudden temperature change inside the bamboo is very dangerous. An oiled Bansuri slows down the speed of temperature and spreads the temperature evenly at a faster rate compared to a bamboo which in not oiled. Our white mineral oil prevents liquids/moisture from penetrating the Bamboo likewise keeping the bamboo’s ideal moisture level intact for strength. Radhe Flutes Bamboo Bansuri Mineral Oil can be applied on your bansuri every 2-3 months or whenever you feel the bansuri is getting very dry.

A damp swab/ cloth of oil (not drenched) can be buffed against the flute from outside. Alternatively, use a regular plastic or wooden stick draped with soft cotton cloth moistened with oil, pass it through the hollow bamboo. Extra length of the cloth can be held down with a rubber band.

All the Bamboo pipes are naturally derived from Bamboo Plants, making every Bamboo look unique; hence they vary from the picture in terms of their appearance. The length and diameter may also be variable. However, this will not affect the performance of the flute.Every Bamboo flute will have perfect pitch that can be matched with Tanpura.

In the flute packaging you will receive:

1 Flute, 1 Flute Manual, 1 Cardboard Tube,

1 Velvet Cover (Optional), 1 Hard Cover
(for Acrylic, Bamboo & Carbon Fiber Flutes).

-All the Acrylic, Bamboo and Carbon Fiber flutes will be accompanied by
a Hard-Cover.

-Since PVC Fiber flutes are sturdy itself, we just pack it in the usual cardboard roll. However, if you need a velvet cover for your flute, you may purchase it along with your flute. Make sure you choose the correct size.

https://www.radheflutes.com/product/radhe-flutes-velvet-cover-for-bansuri/

You can also convert [DIY] your velvet cover into a Hard-Case for your PVC fiber Flute. Here’s how:

With every flute comes a high-quality Card-board Tube which provides extra protection to your flute. It is a part of packaging and is detachable, so you can use it as per your convenience.

Step-1

Insert one end of Card-board Tube inside the Velvet Cover’s Opening Area. Make sure not to put too much force.

Step-2

Keep rolling up additional portion of the Velvet Cover to one area and then slide that portion upwards. Repeat this process until the Card-board Tube is completely inside the
VELVET cover.

-Right-Handed flutes are suitable for right-handed people. Holding the Flute straight- finger holes & blow hole facing you, the 7th
hole will fall on the left-hand side.

If you are using a flute with Lip-plate, you may also determine the handedness by checking the larger area of the Lip-plate that falls on the left-hand side, again while holding the flute in front of you, facing the finger holes.

-Left-Handed flutes are suitable for Left-handed people. Holding the Flute straight- finger holes & blow hole facing you, the 7th
hole will fall on the right-hand side.

If you are using a flute with Lip-plate, you may also determine the handedness by checking the larger area of the Lip-plate that falls on the right-hand side, again while holding the flute in front of you, facing the finger holes.

Only Hindustani Side flutes come with the difference of Handedness. Carnatic Side Flutes or any Straight blown Flutes are meant for both handedness.

If you are a Right-hander, you should buy a Right-handed flute. If you are a Left-hander, you should buy a Left-handed flute. If you are unsure, you should hold a stick and hypothetically try playing the flute from both the sides and determine which side is more comfortable for you. If you’re still unsure, you may take advise from your mentor/ tutor.

The correct way to buy authentic Radhe Flutes is to buy flutes through our website. If you are making the purchase from any e-commerce platform such as Amazon, Flipkart etc., you must attentively look for the SELLER name. If the seller is RADHEFLUTES then you can freely buy your flute.

We have been receiving many complaints of receiving duplicate flutes from various e-commerce websites world-wide. Many fraudsters are using the exact title, description and product photographs of Radhe Flutes, resulting into delivering duplicate flutes to genuine buyers. In such cases, we cannot take any responsibility of the product since the order was not placed to us and we did not deliver it either. Hence, we request customers to be attentive while checking the name of the seller before placing the order.