Chiff and Fipple Forums

On 2003-01-19 13:27, SuiZen wrote:
James,

I know this will be a tough question to answer, but which is your favorite and/or which do you play the most? For some reason, the Sweetheart in the foreground compelled me to wonder.

Bill

Bill,

That's actually just the order in which they wouldn't roll over or fall off the chair until I could get the picture snapped!

OK--serious answer:

Right now the Seery gets the most play, because I'm trying to be very "broken in" to a Pratten-style embouchure when the Hammy gets here. It sits in easy reach on my computer desk, put together, ready for a tune or two when I can grab a minute or two.

Right beside it stays the M&E Rudall & Rose, which also gets quite frequent play. I like it's lovely "buttery" sound, and it makes a nice contrast to the Seery, being darker and smoother and having that older scale I love so much. And as to which M&E gets played the most, I guess that's an open question, because the keyed flute gets grabbed for tunes in keys not friendly to keyless flutes, and also it's the flute I play the most in session, probably because it's just the loudest flute (except maybe the Seery) I have right now, and requires zero warm-up time, where the Seery takes a few minutes of play to get your embouchure set.

Next in play would probably be a toss-up between the silver flute (I still keep my hand in playing things besides Irish from time to time), and the antique 8-key, which I try to play at least 3 times a week to keep the wood at a fairly steady level of humidity.

I actually very rarely play the Baroque flute at all, which is a shame, because I do like it--there's just so little time to play, these days, that it and the recorders and early music in general are often forced to take a back seat.

Best,

--James
http://www.flutesite.com



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: peeplj on 2003-01-19 13:59 ]</font>

That's actually just the order in which they wouldn't roll over or fall off the chair until I could get the picture snapped!

OK--serious answer:

James,

Your non-serious answer is good for a chuckle. I know the frustation associated with getting a flute to pose individually. Group shots are difficult, but more manageble

Your serious answer makes me long for a Seery flute. Hammy makes a really nice flute, and I know it will become your favorite.

Bill

What I used to do, when I was progressing the fastest, and what I wish I had time to do now, is when I practice, have all the flutes at once out like this, and change flutes between tunes.

This stops the fingers and embouchure from "setting" themselves for one kind of flute, and will center your embouchure faster than just about anything.

Unfortunately, there's rarely time to take that approach anymore. There are days that if I didn't have zero-care polymer flutes, I wouldn't play at all.

Best,

--James
http://www.flutesite.com

I enjoyed all the pics! BTW, Chris...that picture of the LeHart flute--it looks like the wood is about to sprout!

Claudine...nice pics of the horns. Now I know where to get nice looking U-bends for the bass drone of my uilleann pipes!

I'd post a piture of my 1840 Rudall & Rose 8-keyed black wooden flute, with sterling keys, but I just sold it to a flute major in Rochester, NY by the name of Chris Guanari (sp?). If anyone ever sees him a sessions up there, let me know, I've lost his contact info.

Since we talked about it, and it's the only one I have a pic of right now . . .

R&R #3869, cocus with patent head and silver embouchure band (original equipment). Shown in the bottom half of the original box, including the cocuswood pot for cork grease. Rose's initials are stamped into the keywork, a pic of which I ought to take for the historical interest.

Fun flute.

Stuart

Stuart:

Fun flute??? That's awesome!

Thanks G! Yeah, it's a great flute. The head's not in the best shape, but I am in the process of having a snazzy new one made by A Major American Flutemaker. Should be fun.

Do you have a picture of your Olwell Bb to share?

Stuart

Here are a few flute pics from my trip to East Durham this summer. Sadly, none of these are mine.

A few flutes by Terry McGee.

<img src="http://www.heorot.org/blog/images/278.jpg" border="1">

A Butler Siccama style flute.

<img src="http://www.heorot.org/blog/images/279.jpg" border="1">

Table o' flutes.

<img src="http://www.heorot.org/blog/images/280.jpg" border="1">



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: beowulf573 on 2003-01-21 09:01 ]</font>

okay, Stuart...a major American maker??? Must be that you're getting an Olwell head?
David M just raves about his Olwell head on the Rudall flute.

I'll make some pics of the Bb this weekend and beam them over for you. the arrangement of the tone holes is interesting--and it's an awesome flute.

Later,
G

Actually, not Olwell . . . but Abell.

Rhymes with Olwell, though.

Stuart

Hi Folks,
Nothing exotic here (yet)



top to bottom, Premier C? Wood, Miller Browne 5 key C? Polymer, Unknown (Pakistani?) and Dixon PVC.



Cheers, Mac

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: MacEachain on 2003-02-09 15:44 ]</font>

Stuart:

Wow, an Abell head. Rare, rare.
That wait must have been a long one. But surely going to be phenomenal. Can't wait to hear about that very rare review once you have it.

Any Healy or Burns flute pictures? Skip has some on his web site which are small, and Casey's are a bit fuzzy.

Bill

I'd like to see an Olwell keyed flute.
Is that what John Skelton is holding on the cover of his "One at a time" CD?
"The infamous cocus Olwell"?

Healy keyless D -

How do you post a .jpg here? I copied and pasted but I don't see it.

Gb