Pifano (pife, bamboo flute) by Alexandre Rodrigues

ALEXANDRE RODRIGUES, from Itapissuma (Pernambuco), is a top pifeiro (player) from the current generation.  Importantly, he is also a sophisticated maker of the instrument, with a unparalleled sensitivity to the needs of players in a modern context.  His musical career regularly sees him performing and teaching across Brazil and Europe, and he recently released (2025) the first-ever method book on how to play pífano:  Método do Pífano Brasileiro.  We have both his pífano flutes and method book available in the Choro Shop online and at Choro Camp New England.

Alexandre Rodrigues’ pífanos are tuned to concert G (diatonic) with a tuned major 3rd.  It is common that players play all chromatic music on this flute, creating the missing half-steps with half-hole fingerings.  To play the traditional style (inspired by Banda de Pífanos de Caruaru, for example), two flutes typically play moving lines in thirds— in this case, both pífanos are tuned to the same scale, so if you would like to arrange for this stye, it is recommended to buy two pífanos so that the instruments can be used together.