Mexican resonators with mirliton

In ancient Mexico, resonators with mirliton were used and similar instruments could be used in other zones, but there are very few papers on them. Many misidentified ancient tubes with a hole for the membrane were found in museums and publications, but were lost due to their biological perishable materials. Their models can be played as the flutes or may be excited with vocalizations and can produce nasal or buzzing musical notes, as well as complex and variable sounds like those of some animals, callers or gamitaderas. Flutes with membrane are still used in Asia and in the Pame town of Santa Maria Acapulco, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which are made of local natural materials: carrizo (cane for the resonating tube with four finger holes), shaft of a turkey feather (wind way for the blowing), propoleo (bees wax to attach the parts), leaf of maize (to support the membrane vibration), and a thin sheet of an egg-sac of spider silk (mirliton). Historical, organological, and acoustical characteristics and possible uses of some flutes and their models with membrane are discussed. Available recordings were used to analyze the Pame flute sounds.