Just wondering

[Cubitt]

Have you ever player flutes if other keys?

As mentioned earlier, I have an alto Boehm and flutes in A, G, and F hand crafted in ceramic by a close friend from Holland:


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[Aanvil]

Heh, I keep forgetting I got one of those too.

Neat piece of sculpture and he was (it is "was" now right?) a wonderful fellow.

Still suffers from all the foibles of a cylindrical flute along with the problems you get from movement in firing. They are playable. I have an F.

Funny that no one seems to have mentioned whistles. Love the C and I've got an old blue top Gen in Eb that is just wonderful. By far one of my most favorite whistles I own is a Overton F. It's just a great key and sound.

No one seems to blink when on has whistles in various keys.

Thing is that it depends on who you play with and how you want to lay it down.

I like having the options. I'd kill for a Wilkes boxwood in C and Bb.


I'll bring over my Eb sometime Alan and you can give it a go.

[Cubitt]

Heh, I keep forgetting I got one of those too.

Neat piece of sculpture and he was (it is "was" now right?) a wonderful fellow.

I'll bring over my Eb sometime Alan and you can give it a go.

Geert is very much alive and was here at Christmas time. I do fear, however, that it's the last time he'll make the trek from Holland. Doesn't live here, but I count him as one of my dearest friends. His flutes play in excellent pitch. I have one in F that he glazed to look like blackwood. Interesting how the matte glaze affects the sound so it is more like wood, whereas the shiny glaze sounds more like a Boehm. I also have two of the very few flutes he made in D. The D flutes aren't too good because it's so difficult to make them that big in ceramics. They are sturdy, however, and great fun to play. I also have a whistle in D that works quite well. Here's the lot:



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[I.D.10-t]

Still suffers from all the foibles of a cylindrical flute...

I like the sound of my straight bored fife better than the Boehm one and tapered one. A pro playing a Renaissance descant flute is a wonder of sound. I feel no need to try to play one of those though.

Funny that no one seems to have mentioned whistles.

I mentioned that I'd rather play a piccolo rather than one of those squawking monsters.

[Aanvil]

Geert is very much alive and was here at Christmas time.

Good to hear!

[LorenzoFlute]

Do try to find someone with simple system conical flutes in other keys. You'll be surprised how an Eb (and of course also C, Bb, F and whatever) can be different from a D.

[Cubitt]

Do try to find someone with simple system conical flutes in other keys. You'll be surprised how an Eb (and of course also C, Bb, F and whatever) can be different from a D.

Looks like I'll get to try Aanvil's in due course!

[I.D.10-t]

So what have you played?

[Cubitt]

So what have you played?

I don't understand the question.

[popsnorkle]

I never thought about flutes in other keys at all, but recently I played an Eb Olwell and now I've been lusting after one. I have a bad finger on my left hand and the Eb was way easier on my hand. I was really surprised. It wasn't that the holes were closer to each other, but the shorter distance between the embouchure and the first hole made the reach easier. I was thinking of suggesting that you try one on the thread about hand problems.

[Cubitt]

I never thought about flutes in other keys at all, but recently I played an Eb Olwell and now I've been lusting after one. I have a bad finger on my left hand and the Eb was way easier on my hand. I was really surprised. It wasn't that the holes were closer to each other, but the shorter distance between the embouchure and the first hole made the reach easier. I was thinking of suggesting that you try one on the thread about hand problems.

Thanks for the thought, but reach is not an issue for me. I considered a Siccama because with two extra keys, I wouldn't have to be concerned about completely covering a hole, but because of feeling the hole, not because of the reach. I would also not like getting used to a flute I would seldom be able to play with others. In fact, that was one of the reasons why I asked the original question.

I checked an interview I had read before with Matt Molloy. He thinks he was the one who popularized the use of Eb flutes because Tommy Peoples liked to tune sharp and he liked playing it with him. I can see where that might be the case if you're Matt Molloy, but if I were going to lay out the money for another flute of the quality of my D, I can't imagine going for an Eb. But again, I am not arguing against it; I just wonder what those who buy them get out of it. I'm finding that they simply like them. Who knew?

[Aanvil]

What do you get out of a D flute Alan?

It's the music. It sounds different and well... each play different. The Eb feels like a sports car.

[I.D.10-t]

So what have you played?

I don't understand the question.

Which keys of flutes?

[Cubitt]

What do you get out of a D flute Alan?

It's the music. It sounds different and well... each play different. The Eb feels like a sports car.

If you say so. I play a D flute because that's the flute to use for ITM. Always has been. Using flutes in different keys is extremely recent and I guess I don't see the point, but to each his own.

[Cubitt]

So what have you played?

I don't understand the question.

Which keys of flutes?

D, G, A, and F. Alto flutes are in G, but an octave lower.