Playing flute without lips? Tones of music lost in time: An investigation of the indigenous Bastar flutes of India.

This article investigates the unique aeroacoustic sound generation mechanism of the Bastar flute, a traditional Indian woodwind instrument played by rotating it rather than blowing with the lips. Using experimental measurements, computational fluid dynamics simulations, and analytical modeling, the study demonstrates that the flute’s sound arises from a combination of jet tone and edge tone phenomena, with the amplitude of the produced sound increasing proportionally to the number of metal rims inside the bamboo flute. Rotations about different axes at approximately 100 RPM generate resonant frequencies near 1500 Hz, and flutes with three rims produce louder and more complex acoustic signatures than those with two rims. The research highlights the role of centrifugal force-induced airflow and pressure fluctuations interacting with the rims as key factors in sound production, offering insights that may inform future acoustic applications and further scientific exploration of this understudied instrument.