Native Americans, and others, have used the branches of the elderberry tree to make musical instruments since ancient times.
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You Will Need
- Elderberry branch
- Pruning shears or saw
- Screwdriver or long stick
- Drill
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Warning
Live elderberry tree branches are poisonous. Never put green elderberry branches in your mouth.
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Step 1
Cut a dead elderberry branch
Cut a dead branch from an elderberry tree with pruning shears or a saw. The branch should be 9 to 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
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Tip
Try to locate a branch whose pith has been removed by an Elderberry Longhorn Beetle, an important member of the tree's ecosystem.
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Step 2
Cut the ends flat
Cut both ends of the branch so they are flat.
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Step 3
Hollow out the branch
Gouge out the pithy center of the branch using a screwdriver or a long stick if you are not starting with a hollow branch, then smooth and polish the inside.
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Step 4
Drill four holes
Drill four small holes along the top of the flute, equidistant from the center. Make the holes thumb-width apart.
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Step 5
Play the flute
Play the flute as though you were blowing into a bottle, or blow across the open end at an angle.
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Fact
The genus name for the elderberry tree, Sambucus, derives from the name of an ancient Greek musical instrument.
