In short: the Native American Flute (NAF) is one of the easiest wind instruments to learn how to play. It is very forgiving to beginners as well, as it requires minimal air support, and does not easily over blow or squeak like a recorder or tin whistle.
Usually the flute comes with a leather band covering the 3 hole from the top, which essentially makes it play in pentatonic minor.
This may sound like boring music theory, but the only thing you should take from this is that it will sound beautiful and emotional whatever notes you play.
Check out my Complete Course on the Native American Flute:
Learn How to Play the Native American Flute (for beginners)
What Key of Native American Flute should you choose
Even though the scale of all Native American flutes is based on the minor scale (or pentatonic minor), they come in different sizes which changes the root note, meaning the lowest note when you close all holes.
You can choose whatever key you want, but you should be aware that the biggest and deepest flutes requires bigger hands and more stretch of your fingers, to cover the holes completely.
Another aspect to take notice of is that even if it says key of A, that A could be in a different octave depending on the flute size. From high A on smaller pocket flutes, to mid A on the medium range flutes, to low A on the bass Native American flutes.
Ok so which key should you choose for your first Native American Flute?
If you are an adult with normal sized hands I would recommend starting with one of the medium range ones, for example in the key of mid G or F#. For children you may want to start with a mid A or even higher.
In most cases, with normal sized adult hands, you will be able to play a low D Native American Flute (that is D4), but lower than that may be a struggle depending on hand size and stretch abilities.
How does a Native American Flute sound?
In this video I play an improvised melody with all kinds of expressive and emotional playing techniques on a low D Native American Flute, and only added some reverb afterwards to get that magical sound: