Little Beat frequencies

[fsharp]

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

[bradhurley]

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.

[nohoval_turrets]

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.

[Maihcol]

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.

[rama]

i had that happened on a flute and in that case felt it was due to the long Fnat key pad not sealing airtight.

[Caspermilktoast]

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...

[rama]

another factor is the build up of condensation in the bore