Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?
Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:44 am
I've been doing smaller handed flutes longer than anyone else, starting with a question back in 1985 from Mickie Zekley of Lark in the Morning fame. He asked me if it was possible to make a Pratten flute that could fit smaller hands. I told him I would get right on it. After a few prototypes I brought him some attempts.
Mickie is very honest in his flute appraisals and will bluntly tell you if the flute passes or if it is crap. Its the best and at the same time the harshest kind of review. The very first time I met him was a Seattle Folklife Festival. I had only been making flutes for 3 months and had a table full of them to sell. Mickie comes up to my booth and tries all of them then says "These flutes play like crap!" I explained that I had only been making flutes for 3 months and he said "Oh - in that context they aren't that bad. But meet me after Folklife and I'll show you how they should play." Mickie generously took me under his wing then and I was given access to his flute collection to measure. I treasure our friendship!
So I expected we would have to work on several examples before we hit on something that worked. Instead, the first few I brought him worked fine and passed his evaluation. What is funny is that the small handed model of 1985 which I developed then, nicknamed the "Honkette" (my otherwise Pratten-derived flutes were given the moniker "Honker" by Richard Cook) is now essentially what I call my "Large Holed Standard". I've been pushing the holes closer and closer together ever since.
The challenge is to maintain the voice of the flute. Smaller holes tend to radiate the sound less. Intonation problems arise in the 2nd octave. I've had to do a lot of iterative exploring in terms of bore parameters, hole placement and tone hole treatment to find what works. Beyond that the outside aesthetics are secondary and can be modified from the shapes that are currently employed - some of my clients prefer a more streamlined look at the sockets. I am actually working on these aesthetics next year, as I'll have more time since I'll no longer be accepting new keyed flute orders (I'll make the occasional one to sell, and will still be offering retrofits). See elsewhere re my engraving activities.
What really matters is how it plays even with the smaller and more ergonomic hole placement. From the maker's perspective this can only be discerned by making several flutes. In 1985 when I was exploring this, I was numbering my flutes and was around the 300 range. I stopped numbering at 500 and figure now that I have made over 3500 flutes, about half of them small handed instruments. Every single flute has been an exploration, to improve what I am doing always.
Casey
Mickie is very honest in his flute appraisals and will bluntly tell you if the flute passes or if it is crap. Its the best and at the same time the harshest kind of review. The very first time I met him was a Seattle Folklife Festival. I had only been making flutes for 3 months and had a table full of them to sell. Mickie comes up to my booth and tries all of them then says "These flutes play like crap!" I explained that I had only been making flutes for 3 months and he said "Oh - in that context they aren't that bad. But meet me after Folklife and I'll show you how they should play." Mickie generously took me under his wing then and I was given access to his flute collection to measure. I treasure our friendship!
So I expected we would have to work on several examples before we hit on something that worked. Instead, the first few I brought him worked fine and passed his evaluation. What is funny is that the small handed model of 1985 which I developed then, nicknamed the "Honkette" (my otherwise Pratten-derived flutes were given the moniker "Honker" by Richard Cook) is now essentially what I call my "Large Holed Standard". I've been pushing the holes closer and closer together ever since.
The challenge is to maintain the voice of the flute. Smaller holes tend to radiate the sound less. Intonation problems arise in the 2nd octave. I've had to do a lot of iterative exploring in terms of bore parameters, hole placement and tone hole treatment to find what works. Beyond that the outside aesthetics are secondary and can be modified from the shapes that are currently employed - some of my clients prefer a more streamlined look at the sockets. I am actually working on these aesthetics next year, as I'll have more time since I'll no longer be accepting new keyed flute orders (I'll make the occasional one to sell, and will still be offering retrofits). See elsewhere re my engraving activities.
What really matters is how it plays even with the smaller and more ergonomic hole placement. From the maker's perspective this can only be discerned by making several flutes. In 1985 when I was exploring this, I was numbering my flutes and was around the 300 range. I stopped numbering at 500 and figure now that I have made over 3500 flutes, about half of them small handed instruments. Every single flute has been an exploration, to improve what I am doing always.
Casey