▁system ▁fl ute . ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁open ▁finger ▁holes , ▁the ▁fl ut ist ▁must ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁reach ▁all ▁the ▁finger ▁holes ▁on ▁the ▁instrument ▁with ▁their ▁fingers , ▁which ▁can ▁limit ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁fl ute ▁( and ▁lowest ▁pitch ed ▁fl ute ) ▁that ▁a ▁given ▁fl ut ist ▁can ▁play . ▁The ▁finger ▁holes ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁called ▁the ▁note ▁holes , ▁the ▁playing ▁holes , ▁the ▁tone ▁holes , ▁or ▁the ▁stops . ▁ ▁The ▁foot ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁fl ute ▁can ▁have ▁direction ▁holes . ▁These ▁holes ▁affect ▁the ▁pitch ▁of ▁the ▁fl ute ▁when ▁all ▁the ▁finger ▁holes ▁are ▁covered . ▁The ▁direction ▁holes ▁also ▁relate ▁to ▁( and ▁derive ▁their ▁name ▁from ) ▁the ▁Four ▁Dire ctions ▁of ▁East , ▁South , ▁West , ▁and ▁North ▁found ▁in ▁many ▁Native ▁American ▁stories . ▁The ▁direction ▁holes ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁called ▁the ▁tun ing ▁holes ▁or ▁wind ▁holes . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁Com ponents ▁of ▁the ▁Native ▁American ▁fl ute ▁diagram ▁shown ▁above ▁with ▁English - language ▁labels , ▁diag rams ▁are ▁available ▁with ▁labels ▁in ▁Ch ero kee , ▁Dutch , ▁Es per anto , ▁French , ▁German , ▁Japanese , ▁Korean , ▁Polish , ▁Russian , ▁and ▁Spanish . ▁ ▁Sp ac er ▁Pl ate ▁▁ ▁An ▁alternate ▁design ▁for ▁the ▁sound ▁mechanism ▁uses ▁a ▁spac er ▁plate ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁fl ue . ▁The ▁spac er ▁plate ▁s its ▁between ▁the ▁nest ▁area ▁on ▁the ▁body