Miniature Instrument #3: Isoka Flute

My dolphin Isoka flute. Hand crafted by Luis Gervasi in San Francisco.

I was visiting my college friends in San Francisco when I discovered the Isoka flute. We were walking down Market Street on a Saturday and came across an outdoor open market of local artists. As we browsed the art, jewelry and photography, I spotted a table with dozens of colorful flutes, some shaped like dolphins and fish. The artist, Luis Gervasi, picked up a dolphin flute and began to play it. The cheerful, bright notes floated through the air and people began to turn and look around in curiosity.

That was it. I was hooked. There was no way I was going home without a few of these flutes. I learned that Luis makes each flute by hand out of clay, and he hand paints them too.

The Isoka flutes, dating back to pre-Columbian civilization, were used by the Mayans and Incas, especially by the ruling elite in ritual. It is intriguing to hold and play a flute that holds so much significance and has survived centuries of time!

Small Isoka flute with the highest tone.

I bought a dolphin flute, a small round one with the highest tone, and a fish. Luis gave me a pamphlet that includes information on the history of the flute, tips for playing, and finger charts for songs to get started with, including Frere Jacques and Guantanamera.

In the pamphlet, Luis writes: "You do not need to be a musician to play Isoka." This made me grin from ear to ear—it spoke directly to my goal to become a miniature instrument expert.

About five months later, I took another trip to San Francisco, and I went downtown to see if I could find Luis and the Isoka flutes again. I did. I had a few questions about technique, and he gave me a short lesson. I learned tips from him that I couldn't have learned on my own, and I was grateful.

If you're ever in San Francisco, stop by the SF Arts Market in the UN Plaza to find Luis Gervasi and his Isoka flutes! I'll provide the email from his pamphlet here: isokaflutes@gmail.com

Luis demonstrates the different tones of his hand-made Isoka flutes. Demo Isoka Flute Tones

Tips on Playing Isoka Flute

1. Isoka flute has six holes: four on top and two on the bottom. The thumbs are placed on the bottom holes, and the index and middle fingers on the top four holes. *Note: use the ring fingers to support the bottom of the flute. This will help when you lift your thumbs to open the bottom holes!

2. Always wear the lanyard. The flute is small and can easily be dropped, so wearing the lanyard will prevent you from accidentally dropping and breaking your flute if you lose grip.

3. "Tongue" each note using short, sharp breaths. Do not blow air continuously as in Tooooooo; each time you change a note you should blow in a Too Too Too way, so that the tongue is tapping the flute's mouth slit. Luis said this is the most important thing to do in order to produce clear notes.

4. Be patient when learning the finger charts. It takes (me) a little while to get the hang of following the open versus closed "tabs." With time and practice, it starts to flow, and your fingers will remember the notes!

5. As Luis explains in the video below, developing a vibrato when playing comes with practice, and it originates in the throat. I've got to get to it now...

Have FUN!

Luis Gervasi gives Jessica a lesson on how to play the Isoka flute. Video of short Isoka lesson