ABOUT

THE QX-1 ELECTRIC FLUTE MODERNIZES AN

ANCIENT INSTRUMENT BY MAKING IT MORE

DURABLE, PORTABLE, VERSATILE; ITS INTEGRATED

PICKUP PORT MEANS IT’S READY FOR THE STAGE,

STUDIO, OR PROCESSING WITH EFFECTS

THE QX-1 EFFECTIVELY PLAYS CHROMATICALLY

ACROSS 2.5 OCTAVES AND HAS A POWERFUL, RICH

ACOUSTIC TONE SURPASSING FLUTES MADE OF

TRADITIONAL MATERIALS LIKE WOOD OR BABMBOO.

THE QX-1 IS MADE WITH ENGINEERING GRADE

RESIN AND EACH FLUTE IS CAREFULLY

CONSTRUCTED, INSPECTED, AND FINISHED BY

HAND

AT ITS CORE THE QX-1 IS A BLEND OF TWO FLUTES: IT

TAKES THE VERSATILE CHINESE XIAO FINGERING

SYSTEM AND PAIRS IT WITH THE POWERFUL

MOUTHPIECE OF THE ANDEAN QUENACHO.

THE QX-1 IS INSPIRED BY THE QUIMERA flute

BY GEOFFERY ELLIS

HOW TO PLAY

VIDEOS

HERE IS A COLLECTION OF A VIDEOS TO GET

STARTED PLAYING

- THE QX-1’S MOUTH TECHNIQUE IS FROM THE

QUENA

- THE QX-1’S FINGERING TECHNIQUE IS FROM

THE XIAO AND WHISTLE

MOUTH TECHNIQUE I

MOUTH TECHNIQUE II

FINGER TECHNIQUE I

FINGER TECHNIQUE II

COMPREHENSIVE XIAO LESSONS

‍ ‍

A VIDEO LESSON SERIES FOR THE QX-1 WILL

BE AVAILABLE SOON

‍ ‍

EMBOUCHURE / MOUTH TECHNIQUE

THE QX-1 IS EASY TO PLAY, IT TAKES JUST A FEW

MOMENTS PRACTICE TO PRODUCE YOUR FIRST

NOTE.

• IT IS EASIEST TO START WITH ALL FINGERHOLES OPEN

• BRING THE FLUTE TO REST ON YOUR CHIN AND CREATE A SMALL TIGHT OPENING WITH YOUR LIPs

• BLOW GENTLY, DIRECTLY ONTO THE SHARP EDGE OF THE MOUTHPIECE

• HUNT FOR THE RIGHT POSITION BY MOVING THE FLUTE AROUND, THE EDGE SHOULD BE bETWEEN YOUR BOTTOM LIP AND THE OPENING OF YOUR MOUTH

• ADJUST THE DIRECTION OF YOUR AIR STREAM BY BRINGING YOUR JAW SLIGHTLY IN AND OUT

• WHEN YOU GET A STEADY TONE START CLOSING FINGERHOLES (STARTING WITH THE THUMBHOLE) TO PLAY OTHER NOTES

PEOPLE OFTEN MAKE THE COMPARISON TO

BLOWING OVER THE EDGE OF A BOTTLE

NEW PLAYERS USUALLY USE TOO MUCH AIR WHEN

THEY FIRST TRY TO PLAY THE FLUTE

‍ ‍

FINGERING

LEFT HAND ON TOP, RIGHT HAND ON BOTTOM,

REGARDLESS OF YOUR DOMINANT HAND

‍ ‍

USE WHATEVER GRIP AND FINGERING TECHNIQUE

SUITS YOUR BEST. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP WRIST

POSITION IN MIND TO PREVENT INJURY

‍ ‍

THE QX-1 IS DESIGNED TO PLAY WITH A “HALF-

PIPERS” OR “MODIFIED-PIPERS’ GRIP

THE LEFT HAND COVERS THE HOLES WITH THE

FINGERTIPS AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT

THE RIGHT HAND COVERS THE HOLES WITH THE

MIDDLE PARTS OF YOUR FINGERS

THE HALF-PIPERS GRIP MAY FEEL UNNATURAL AT FIRST

SINCE THE MIDDLE OF YOUR FINGERS ARE LESS

SENSITIVE THAN THE FINGER TIPS.

PICKUPS AND ELECTRONICS

THE QX-1 HAS UNIVERSAL COMPARABILITY WITH A

NUMBER OF PICKUPS DESIGNED FOR WOODWIND

AND BRASS INSTRUMENTS. RECOMMENDED

PICKUPS INCLUDE:

ALL PIEZOBARREL MODELS

RECCOMENDED MODELS ARE PIEZOBARREL WOOD,

R1, R1B

CYN

RECOMENDED MODELS ARE CYN SPECIAL,

CYN SPECIAL PLUS. OTHER MODELS COMPATIBLE

Rumberger

MANY MODELS COMPATIBLE

Nalbotov‍

8X-S and 622 ‍

‍ ‍

THESE PICKUPS ALL FIT INTO THE M6 X 6MM JOINT

ON THE NECK OF THE FLUTE

‍ ‍

USING A PREAMP IS OPTIONAL, YOU WILL RECEIVE A

SIGNAL POWERFUL ENOUGH TO DRIVE MIXERS,

AMPS, INTERFACES AND EFFECTS. A PREAMP OR EQ IS

USEFUL FOR TONE SHAPING AND HANDLING

PROBLEMATIC FREQUENCIES WHEN PLAYING LIVE

‍ ‍

QX-1 CUSOTOM PICKUP WILL BE AVAILABLE MAY 2026

TUNING

ITS FUNDAMENTAL TONE IS A C AT ~261HZ

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR LIPS AND THE

CUTTING EDGE OF THE FLUTE INFLUENCES THE

PITCH. THE MORE DISTANCE, THE HIGHER THE PITCH

A FLUTE’S TUNING IS ALSO INFLUENCED BY ITS

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURE AND

HUMIDITY WILL ALTER THE PITCH OF THE

INSTRUMENT. ADJUST WITH EMBOUCHURE

TECHNIQUE

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

TAKE CARE TO PROTECT THE BLOWING EDGE OF

YOUR FLUTE. ALWAYS STORE THE FLUTE WITH ITS

PROTECTIVE CAP

KEEP THE FLUTE OUT OF HEAT, COLD, AND DIRECT SUNLIGHT. PLAYING THE FLUTE IN THE SUN ISOK,STORING THE FLUTE ON YOUR DASHBOARD IS NOT

DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE PICKUP OR THE PICKUP

SCREW

DO NOT BEND THE FLUTE OR SWING AROUND LIKE

A SWORD

REMOVE MOISTURE AND CLEAN THE BORE OF THE

FLUTE WITH A FLUTE CLEANING CLOTH, ESSENTIALLY A

WOODWIND OR SHAKUHACHI STYLE CLEANING

CLOTH.

AVOID CLEANING WITH HARSH CHEMICALS. DISH

SOAP WORKS BEST

FOR QUESTIONS, SERVICE, PARTS, AND INFO

CONTACT EAK@YOUGOTTAS.COM