Grinter flutes: high-pitched? foot-keys intonation?
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:47 pm
Hello all.
I've just acquired a used Grinter small/medium bore R&R. I've played good-quality R&R and Pratten-style flutes for many years, but this is my first Grinter.
With this flute, I'm finding that with the tuning slide pulled out about a quarter inch, the lower-octave A plays in the neighborhood of 460 hz and above. This is before the flute is really warmed up, even. And this is even sharper than my 1881 Boosey & Co. Pratten, which of course was intentionally pitched at about A=456.
I need to pull the slide out roughly 5/8 to 3/4 inch, roll the headjoint in to a degree that tone is degraded, and blow rather softtly to get the A down to 440. Internal intonation and responsiveness are compromised at that point.
This flute is apparently the very same model played for many years by Kevin Crawford. Videos of him consistently show him playing with the slide pulled way out, too, perhaps close to an inch. Here's an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xd20pcLE48
Do other Grinter players experience this, and how do you adapt to it? Does anyone have an explanation?
A second question: Both the low C and C# play with good volume and reliability, but both are more than a quarter-tone flat. No amount of lipping or overblowing move them up significantly. Does anybody else notice this?
Thanks for any advice,
--Mark
I've just acquired a used Grinter small/medium bore R&R. I've played good-quality R&R and Pratten-style flutes for many years, but this is my first Grinter.
With this flute, I'm finding that with the tuning slide pulled out about a quarter inch, the lower-octave A plays in the neighborhood of 460 hz and above. This is before the flute is really warmed up, even. And this is even sharper than my 1881 Boosey & Co. Pratten, which of course was intentionally pitched at about A=456.
I need to pull the slide out roughly 5/8 to 3/4 inch, roll the headjoint in to a degree that tone is degraded, and blow rather softtly to get the A down to 440. Internal intonation and responsiveness are compromised at that point.
This flute is apparently the very same model played for many years by Kevin Crawford. Videos of him consistently show him playing with the slide pulled way out, too, perhaps close to an inch. Here's an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xd20pcLE48
Do other Grinter players experience this, and how do you adapt to it? Does anyone have an explanation?
A second question: Both the low C and C# play with good volume and reliability, but both are more than a quarter-tone flat. No amount of lipping or overblowing move them up significantly. Does anybody else notice this?
Thanks for any advice,
--Mark