Chiff and Fipple Forums

I use “anti-” lubricant for tuning slide. You don’t want it to be free moving. You want it moveable but such that once you set in place it holds until or unless you move it. This kind of stuff: https://www.dawkes.co.uk/ultra-pure-heavy-tuning-slide-lube-slide-lubricants/12431 Horrible tacky/sticky s...

Cheap.

Geert Lejeune also makes C-foots :-) I've just swopped my pewter plug style foot for a Boehm style C-foot. 100% (for me) the right choice. I'd been playing 2+ years with the traditional R&R style pewter plug. 1 week after switch over, prefer the ergonomics, solidity of the bottom notes and the a...

Your symptoms and progression are entirely typical for this allergy.

The branding is recent years. I've had two Killarney whistles 2016, 2018 - neither had any etching in the head. They are legit - that's the way they come nowadays - and available A,Bb,C,D,Eb keys.

Third recommendation Conal O Grada’s tutor. Challenging to find at the moment - out of print. You’re right to remove tonguing and look to replace with glottal or finger articulations. But for now don’t overly worry about this. The basic principles of the key ornaments remains similar from whistle to...

Anybody know if Olivewood is one of the contact allergy family? I’m allergic to Blackwood, cocus, cocobolo and ebony. As a result my D flute has to have silver lip plate. But a boxwood head on my Eb doesn’t trigger the redness, tingling, rash and breakdown in epidermis. Wondering if Olivewood likewi...

Happy new whistle. What I like about John’s whistles is the lack of surprises - not fancy, neither loud nor quiet, in tune, balanced octaves.

There’s about half a dozen makers now making “homage to JS” models.

I think the originals will always be cherished.

A majority of flute players came onboard via learning the whistle. Note fingerings, ornaments and the general phrasing/ breathing is similar. However most of the sound/tone is “made for you” on the whistle in the fipple - it’s a fixed embouchure and blade to generate the standing wave. On the wooden...

Because Eb is the impossible note absent a key. The others can be achieved to varying degrees by flute ninja (half holing, cross fingerings and embouchure adjustment). For Irish Traditional music, Eb is exceptionally rare. So you can get away without it. It’s better to have (all) keys if playing chr...

http://jondodd.net/ Jon isn’t in Ireland (Co. Clare) any more. Returned to UK a few years ago. I’ve seen notes/correspondence where Jon laments the impact BREXIT has had on his business - specifically the task of importing and exporting instruments returned for repairs. Best to contact him via detai...

Which 4 keys? To be “chromatic” technically requires five keys: C Bb G# F Eb It’s arguable C-Nat is not necessary because OXXOOO gives a strong “in tune” note. The reason for 6-key being the standard is because you have a long and short F-natural. Flutes for ITM with one or two keys generally add F,...

I learned Bach’s Air on a G String about three years ago. Love playing it on my 8-key SS flute. Other pieces in my “off piste” playbook (*not* Irish trad) include… Beethovens Ode To Joy, Cavatina (in E but also G), Carolan’s Concerto and Carolan’s Draught, Eleanor Rigby, Fly Me To The Moon, The Girl...

Everything composed up to 1850 for flute was for simple system. Is fun playing some classical piece and jazz numbers. Why not? How about this on even earlier model Baroque flute. https://youtu.be/Kl6R4Ui9blc There’s likely nothing played on silver flute that couldn’t be played well by competent simp...

I’ve seen Low D in brass. Don’t have one. A local musician had a big bag of a Burke’s - his preferred instrument. That collection would be at least 20 years old… so can’t comment on current availability. I think aluminium is preferred at that size because huge weight difference. I have Low F alumini...