# Advice on Pan Flutes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372 "2008-11-05T23:12:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/1 "2008-11-05T23:12:27Z")
Is the Pan Flute easy to learn? Does it require good manual dexterity. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/2 "2008-11-06T23:31:04Z")
WHAT?!? the SDMB doesn’t have **one member** who knows **anything** about this?! ---
**Author:** ![Offkenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Offkenter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Offkenter)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/3 "2008-11-06T23:38:58Z")
This board just isn’t the same since Zamfir let his subscription lapse. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/4 "2008-11-07T01:45:52Z")
Sorry, I’m no Zamfir, but [it had to be said.](http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/020605/panflute-flowchart.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/5 "2008-11-07T02:05:06Z")
I don’t know, Stan and Kyle seemed to pick it up pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/6 "2008-11-07T22:33:47Z")
Try this site. [How to Play the Pan Flute](http://www.panflutejedi.com/academypage.html) > [@](#): > > Welcome to the homepage of the first free online course of study for the pan flute in the world! Due to overwhelming demand from pan flute enthusiasts around the world, I would like to present my free video lessons, now expanded with new lessons and upgraded to high-quality .mpeg video! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/7 "2008-11-07T22:41:33Z")
OK, jokes are over. Several years ago I was attacked & robbed when work a night shift at a store. I suffered some neuro damage, & have reduced manual dexterity. I went from a guy who won prizes painting miniatures, to a guy who has trouble typing. Does the Pan Flute require manual dexterity? If so, how much? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/8 "2008-11-07T22:46:32Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > OK, jokes are over. > > Several years ago I was attacked & robbed when work a night shift at a store. > > I suffered some neuro damage, & have reduced manual dexterity. > > I went from a guy who won prizes painting miniatures, to a guy who has trouble typing. > > Does the Pan Flute require manual dexterity? If so, how much? Not to talk you out of Pan Flute, but have you thought about harmonica? There is very little manual dexterity involved. You do need to have a tiny bit of dexterity in your mouth though, and the ability to control your breathing. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/9 "2008-11-07T22:48:25Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Not to talk you out of Pan Flute, but have you thought about harmonica? There is very little manual dexterity involved. You do need to have a tiny bit of dexterity in your mouth though, and the ability to control your breathing. Something less…cheesy, please. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/10 "2008-11-07T22:51:02Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Something less…cheesy, please. Meh, ok. I think the harp rocks and wish I could play it better, but to each their own. I would take a look at the linked video’s in that case. My guess is no, there is not a lot of manual dexterity involved, but the vid’s should let you know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/11 "2008-11-07T22:57:01Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Not to talk you out of Pan Flute, but have you thought about harmonica? There is very little manual dexterity involved. You do need to have a tiny bit of dexterity in your mouth though, and the ability to control your breathing. Beat me to it. Here are some harmonica instruction videos. Adam Gussow’s Harp instructionals: ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cRWZ1mO-vnI/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/cRWZ1mO-vnI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque > **[Modern Blues Harmonica](https://www.youtube.com/user/KudzuRunner?ob=1)** > > Welcome! With more than 21,000,000 views since 2007, Modern Blues Harmonica is the #1 blues harmonica channel on YouTube. Here you'll find literally hundreds of teaching videos, for beginners and more experienced players alike. Most of my... Big Walker’s instructionals: > **[Derrick Big Walker](https://www.youtube.com/user/dbigwalker)** > > Lessons for folk blues harmonica & saxophone. JP Allen - especially good for beginners: > **[Harmonica com](https://www.youtube.com/user/jpallen7)** > > Harmonica Lessons by Luke, JP Allen & other great teachers! > Get more free harmonica lessons at: https://www.harmonica.com Dan Gage: > **[12gagedan](https://www.youtube.com/user/12gagedan)** > > I'm a harmonica player from CT, currently living in Pennsylvania. > I'm here to share my passion for harmonica, whiskey, cooking, and science. **“How to play pan flute” search at Youtube:** [http://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=how+to+play+pan+flute&search\_type=](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+play+pan+flute&search_type=) Harps are cheesy, huh? And Pan-flutes aren’t? ---
**Author:** ![X.E.Zainus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/67e7ee/32.png) [@X.E.Zainus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.E.Zainus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/12 "2008-11-07T23:25:41Z")
You’re just [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10414099#post10414099](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10414099#post10414099) different ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/13 "2008-11-08T00:19:19Z")
You can’t get better harp than BLUES HARP … Check out Charlie Musselwhite, who learned directly from BIG WALTER HORTON. I’ve been trying to play blues harp for over 30 years, and I STILL CAN’T !!! (sheds tears of anger and self-pity)! BTW, There’s Big Walter, Little Walter, and, no lie, there was a Middle Walter 🆒 There’s also Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee Williamson) and Sonny Boy Williamson II (Alex “Rice” Miller). I could go on … 😃 > **[Home - Living Blues Magazine](https://livingblues.com/)** > > this is the homepage … ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/14 "2008-11-08T01:08:19Z")
I play harmonica a bit and panpipes a bit less - of the two, I’d say Harmonica is harder to learn, but easier to play With panpipes, its _all blowing_ - making it an _exhausting_ instrument to play - at least it is for an amateur. That sounds sillier to say than it is in practice. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-pan-flutes/471372/15 "2008-11-08T12:25:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I play harmonica a bit and panpipes a bit less - of the two, I’d say Harmonica is harder to learn, but easier to play > > With panpipes, its _all blowing_ - making it an _exhausting_ instrument to play - at least it is for an amateur. That sounds sillier to say than it is in practice. This helps. the videos don’t, my computer is too much of a junkheap for this to be a good option.