Hello, I thought I'd start a discussion on "optimal" recorded flute tone. For me, my personal favourite tone is to be found on The Chieftains 9, Boil the Breakfast Early . I believe Matt Molloy was now in possession of the Boosey Pratten. I also think the recording technique and production may be a significant factor with the flute tone on this album. I've pasted a couple of links where I think Matt's tone is particularly fine. I'd be interested to hear other's opinions on recorded flute tone. Live recordings are also welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbT_1EFOLsk&t=2m20s


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_zGwiKahlg&t=2m32s

I love this topic!

I too really love Matt Molloy's sound. He's so flexible - he can do the super focused sound like in one of the recordings referred to in the previous post (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbT_1EFOLsk&t=2m20s) as well as the gorgeous and sinewy tone here: https://youtu.be/e40zMj3ggwk. And this one is just gorgeous: https://youtu.be/IB5FHzn882Q. I think it's on a B-flat flute?

Some of my other glorious flute tones follow.

Tom Doorley: https://youtu.be/kc2Bve2aeSg
Aofie Granville: https://youtu.be/Pnc0GybRWkc

So many more! I also love the way Conal O'Grada provides rhythmic nuance with his sound. Bad assery: https://youtu.be/qYjFn2UYiqg

Anything from June McCormack is a tone goldmine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpL18C8fO_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4VqwHnLcUE

Does she play a Grinter?

Gorgeous! What does she have attached to the bottom joint of her flute?

Steph Geremia :
https://youtu.be/x4rpTJX899A

Orlaith McAulliffe :
https://youtu.be/mumkJUoAyZI

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"There's fast music and there's lively music. People don't always know the difference"

I have to say I've been listening to Sylvain Barou's tone on this and struggling to understand how to replicate it. Skip to 5:50:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYeteWwSZ8o

I also love the tone on this track by Louise Mulcahy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzM_tGECmNw

And I could listen to Jean Michel Veillon all day and forever, even messing about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-uBaXnGApw

Looks to me like a temporary fix for an Eb key that lost its spring.

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"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

Frankie Kennedy [ RIP ] :
https://youtu.be/tz9sgMNo7kQ

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"There's fast music and there's lively music. People don't always know the difference"

https://thesession.org/recordings/3403
The link above goes to Steph Geremia's listing in the "Recordings" section at "thesession.org" for her first CD "The Open Road". All of the tracks have apparently now been posted on "Youtube". I've just posted all of the links into the "Comments". If you don't know Steph and her music, please have a listen to them - better still, buy the CD if you can find it. I have never heard such clarity and purity of tone in a recording of Irish dance music.An absolute delight.
Should you need any more encouragement, I'll tell you how I came to buy the CD. I was walking along the main street in Miltown Malbay at the Willie Clancy week the year Steph's CD came out, and one of the many shops selling CDs was playing music through speakers onto the street. I heard this piece of flute playing which stopped me in my tracks, went in and asked who it was, and bought it on the spot solely on the basis of the 2 minutes of music I had heard. One of my top 3 Irish flute albums ever.

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"There's fast music and there's lively music. People don't always know the difference"

I believe in these two videos she's on an Olwell.

I love Erwan Menguy's tone (and playing). Here are two examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_BSKhRs8TQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2OsJzotquc

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"Wimble click crumblechaw beloo. It is beautiful, is it not? I make up words like this all the time... They cannot be translated." The New York Trilogy, Paul Auster

A couple of my favorites are Tom McElvogue, and Nuala Kennedy.

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A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
http://www.worldtrad.org

Well the flute in this is my current favorite!

https://greylarsen.com/shop/product/letter-to-america-song-download/

Casey

Paul McGlinchey has a fine tone and style of playing that I find very inspiring:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wArhiaHPDPM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RJ09Vrla_s

Also Órlaith McAuliffe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN-cWE2ISfc

And of course Pat Mahon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdGfIaxyrKQ

I thought that too, although it looks the same in both of the YouTube videos, which got me wondering if it was something more interesting .