Hello, I just a beautiful Beare and Son 8-key flute in cocus, and it has great tuning and a very sweet and even tone, however if I push it a little bit to get a bit of a growl the tone breaks slightly to produce a sort of a beat frequency. Is it my lack of technique or a problem with the flute?
Also does anyone know who the maker might possibly be as I know that Beare were distributors and re-badgers of makers flutes.
Thanks in anticipation.
Harry
Little Beat frequencies
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Little Beat frequencies
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- bradhurley
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Re: Little Beat frequencies
I don't know anything about those flutes, but I have heard this "beat" effect you're describing. The first time I heard it was when a classically trained flute player, a disciple of James Galway's, played a Rudall and Rose style flute by a modern maker. The bottom D warbled in a way I'd never heard before, modulating back and forth. I wasn't able to reproduce it myself when I played her flute. I've since heard other players produce the same warbling on other flutes, both antique and modern. So I think it has to do with the player, not the flute. That said, some flutes may be easier to overpower than others; maybe this flute needs a gentler touch to keep it from warbling.
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Re: Little Beat frequencies
If I understand you correctly, then I think I'm familiar with the thing you're describing. I usually find it most pronounced on the F# of unfamiliar flutes.
Does it happen on all notes, or just certain ones?
In my experience it's generally a product of trying to play one flute the way you play another. It will go away with practice, as you get used to this flute.
Does it happen on all notes, or just certain ones?
In my experience it's generally a product of trying to play one flute the way you play another. It will go away with practice, as you get used to this flute.
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Re: Little Beat frequencies
An old, wooden, 8-key flute also has a lot of possibilities for slight leaks which can sometimes cause this problem. Very fine cracks anywhere in the body which can open and close, depending on humidity, or oiling. A leaking head cork, or stopper. A leaking slide. Slight leaks in tenon threads or corks. The keypads, or a key just out of alignment, or a key not quite closing properly due to a weak spring, or the key is binding slightly on its axle or in the block...and so on.
If it's all airtight, sometimes a particular bore design can give rise to an instability like this, particularly on bottom D, when you blow into it from a certain angle with lower pressure. On many flutes where that happens, it may not be an issue at all, unless a player with a particular blowing style regularly makes it happen without wanting it.
If it's all airtight, sometimes a particular bore design can give rise to an instability like this, particularly on bottom D, when you blow into it from a certain angle with lower pressure. On many flutes where that happens, it may not be an issue at all, unless a player with a particular blowing style regularly makes it happen without wanting it.
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Re: Little Beat frequencies
i had that happened on a flute and in that case felt it was due to the long Fnat key pad not sealing airtight.
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Re: Little Beat frequencies
I have had it happen too on my Olwell restored flute. Only happens on G when I have the tuning slide pulled out to bring it to 440 . When I'm warmed up in never happens so I think its am embouchure thing...
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Re: Little Beat frequencies
another factor is the build up of condensation in the bore