Which keys to add to keyless
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eedbjp
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Which keys to add to keyless
I did a search but still a little confused. I have a LeHart keyless flute and am considering to add one or two keys. I play some tunes with friends that are in many keys. If I were to get 2 keys, which would be the most useful?
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fatmac
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Re: Which keys to add to keyless
Personally, I'd just learn to half hole. 
Maybe you would want a natural C & F(?) - it would really depend on the tunes you aim to play, (you might want a Bb & Eb).
Maybe you would want a natural C & F(?) - it would really depend on the tunes you aim to play, (you might want a Bb & Eb).
Keith.
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Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
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Conical bore
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Re: Which keys to add to keyless
I believe the traditional or most common first two key choices for many people would be F natural (long or short, I'd do long) and G#. That's what I'd do anyway, to cover the largest number of tunes I play that would benefit. After that I'd want an Eb, and then a Bb that would cover a much smaller number of tunes.
Just my personal preference. I have an 8-key flute and I don't ever use my C natural key because it's so easy to cross finger, and I like the slightly sharper pitch compared to the Cnat key. Others might consider the Cnat key more important. Also I don't ever use my short F key. Your mileage may vary, but I think a G# and long Fnat would be "safe" choices as the first two additions.
Just my personal preference. I have an 8-key flute and I don't ever use my C natural key because it's so easy to cross finger, and I like the slightly sharper pitch compared to the Cnat key. Others might consider the Cnat key more important. Also I don't ever use my short F key. Your mileage may vary, but I think a G# and long Fnat would be "safe" choices as the first two additions.
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gbyrne
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Re: Which keys to add to keyless
If 90%+ Irish trad then C/F/G#.
If you’re playing a reasonable amount of music in other keys hard to prioritise - need em all. But Eb and Bb perhaps on basis v hard to half hole and produce balanced tone.
If you’re playing a reasonable amount of music in other keys hard to prioritise - need em all. But Eb and Bb perhaps on basis v hard to half hole and produce balanced tone.
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Flexismart
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Re: Which keys to add to keyless
Definitely will need an ignition key, and a key to the city.
But on the flute, a G# and F nat. All others are sparingly used in most session tunes.
But on the flute, a G# and F nat. All others are sparingly used in most session tunes.
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fintano
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Re: Which keys to add to keyless
It depends on which notes are used in the kind of music you play. Here's my opinion based on the flutes that I have and the kind of music I play, but you may find that results vary.
F natural I find impossible to play in tune, so a key is needed here. Although it is manageable on a traverso. Just that most of the flutes used for Irish music are based on 19th century models,
and they don't cross-finger F natural too well.
B flat is easy to cross-finger. Even when I'm playing on a flute with a Bb key, I never use it.
The high G# cross-fingers pretty well and is easy to play. The low G# can be done, but it is not really in tune. However, for the tunes that I play, a high G# is much more common than a low G#.
And in the tunes that have a low G#, you can generally get away with being not quite in tune because the note doesn't last too long.
I find E flat impossible to half-hole. But on the other hand, it rarely shows up in the music that I play, so I don't bother with it.
I guess one thing is whether you want to be a person who has just one flute. Somehow I have ended up not being that person, so if someone really wanted me to play something with an Eb, I would get out a flute that has an Eb key.
If you have people asking you to play chromatic stuff all the time, another option would be to just get a Boehm flute for that. I was in my local woodwind shop today, and they said that a decent used student-grade silver flute can be had for about $150.
F natural I find impossible to play in tune, so a key is needed here. Although it is manageable on a traverso. Just that most of the flutes used for Irish music are based on 19th century models,
and they don't cross-finger F natural too well.
B flat is easy to cross-finger. Even when I'm playing on a flute with a Bb key, I never use it.
The high G# cross-fingers pretty well and is easy to play. The low G# can be done, but it is not really in tune. However, for the tunes that I play, a high G# is much more common than a low G#.
And in the tunes that have a low G#, you can generally get away with being not quite in tune because the note doesn't last too long.
I find E flat impossible to half-hole. But on the other hand, it rarely shows up in the music that I play, so I don't bother with it.
I guess one thing is whether you want to be a person who has just one flute. Somehow I have ended up not being that person, so if someone really wanted me to play something with an Eb, I would get out a flute that has an Eb key.
If you have people asking you to play chromatic stuff all the time, another option would be to just get a Boehm flute for that. I was in my local woodwind shop today, and they said that a decent used student-grade silver flute can be had for about $150.