Which flute keys are the best keys?

[jefff]

Which flute keys are the best keys? By keys I mean the silver things that open up accidentals and/or accidentally. (otherwise the answer to the question would be D mixolydian obviously.) I play Irish tunes.

I am seriously considering ordering a proper keyed flute from a flute maker, but I wonder if I should get all six keys. Keep in mind that I have no idea how to use said keys musically speaking. I definitely would use an F natural key, but do you use both the long and the short one? Or is there one F key that you always use while the other one sits there taking up space and maintenance time? Likewise for the long C; I don't think a C key would change my usual habit of cross-fingering the C anyway, but maybe it adds the possibility of ornaments on the C? Do you use the C key often? The D# key I know is mostly useless in Irish music with the exception of playing Crested Hens as a waltz which comes up in my town somewhat often. And, G# seems pretty essential.

Basically, if I were to order a four-key flute instead of a six-key, am I saving myself any maintenance or troubles? Am I limiting my ability to use common techniques? And, which keys should they be? Note that it'll be a Pratten type model with all six holes lined up on one piece (my inclination is to order from Michelle Brophy).

My current flute is a Forbes (keyless, derlin).

Sorry if this question has already been addressed, but I'm having a hard time finding it, so maybe it's been a while... Thanks!

[tstermitz]

I suggest all 8 keys, but for 95% Irish music you either 6 or 0 keys. For non-Irish, you probably want the full chromatic-cism.

Reasons to desire certain keys:

Eb - Necessary for accidental D#/Eb. Necessary for third register, and enhances the E note quite a bit. Most ITM players turn the key out and never use it, however.

F-nat - Most traditional players seem to prefer the short-F, but I find the long-F much easier, once you train up the agility in your pathetic little finger. Short-F becomes necessary for certain note patterns in the "flat keys", like the key of Eb.

G# - Necessary if you play tunes in A, which the fiddlers seem to like. I never quite like how the key of A sounds on my simple-system flutes, and I can't play very quickly in A... but, then there's Mister Malloy.

Bb - Necessary if you want to play in G-minoror D-minor. Flat keys are wonderfully dark on simple-system flutes.

That leaves the question of C-nat.

Like you I have always been fond of the cross-fingered C-nat; for me it is the OXO XXX k version that is usually good on Rudall-style and historic flutes. (OXX OOO is rarely good on historic flutes). So, C-nat was the last key I thought I would need. Then, as I played different flutes, I found that the C/C# intonation was often compromised one way or another, especially on some of the larger holed flutes. Ironically, I found that the C-nat key often gives the greatest benefit for the C# note - again, depending on the flute.

So my recommendation in order of importance:

Six keys to give you all chromatic options and for better resale.
Eb & G# because when you need them, you really need them
C-nat to improve C/C# intonation
F-nat & Bb so you can play in all those dark, flat key signatures.

[Jayhawk]

Tom gives some great advice, but I would say 4 keys gets you 95% there...there are some runs up and down where you need that second Fnat key. 6 keys is great for most music...about 99% there. You can handle anything but the low C# or low C (although D rolls are great with that C# key) and just jump the octave or harmonize on the low C/C# as needed.

However, if you can afford it and the maker you prefer has the two low keys...just get them. Then you can play whatever you like and not worry you're missing out on anything....unless you see one of those old Austrian flutes that goes down to a low B or A! LOL.

Seriously though...on Irish, I'd opt for a 4 key as a minimum. D#/Eb really sucks without a key, and G# can be dicey as well. Full disclosure, though...I have 2 8 key flutes. I love having options.

Eric

[Flutern]

I agree with tstermitz and jayhawk, but I also play fully keyed flutes. I play a lot of music outside of the Irish tradition and I use keys all the time.

I definitely would use an F natural key, but do you use both the long and the short one? Or is there one F key that you always use while the other one sits there taking up space and maintenance time?

The Irish flute is a fairly low maintenance instrument in the woodwind family, compared to the Boehm flute or the clarinet for instance, where you have far many more pads and a very precise and fragile mechanism that can easily get out of sync. I wouldn't use maintenance as a criterion to decide whether I need a key or not, as any competent woodwind specialist could repad or adjust keys on an Irish flute when the need arises.
Regarding your question, I use both keys for F natural, but if I had to choose only one that would definitely be the long one, although I think I use the short one more. The transition from D to F, or the other way around, is much easier with a long F, and this is quite common.

Likewise for the long C; I don't think a C key would change my usual habit of cross-fingering the C anyway, but maybe it adds the possibility of ornaments on the C? Do you use the C key often?

I use the C nat key whenever I can, and the cross fingering whenever I have to (usually ascending or descending). I also use it for some ornements: cut and tap on Cnat, CBC ornament that you find in Swedish music, and also to sharpen the second octave C#, which on my flutes is rather flat and not as easy to lip up to pitch as the first octave C#.

The D# key I know is mostly useless in Irish music with the exception of playing Crested Hens as a waltz which comes up in my town somewhat often.

Perhaps but as tstermitz said it opens the door to the 3rd octave, and practicing 3rd octave notes is one of the best exercises for focusing your embouchure. I'd say that even if you don't use Eb (and personally I use it often), it would be worth having it just for that.

Another use for keys, and that's true for all of them, is that you can produce more subtle (and imo much nicer) slides by sliding by a half-step instead of a full step. E.g. instead of E-F# you slide F-F# by opening the Fnat key. I was taught that last year and now find the "full" slide tacky in comparison.

Bottom line: once you have keys, it opens a world of possibilities. Get as many keys as you can afford from the maker you have chosen: I doubt that you would regret having too many keys, but you might regret not having enough.

[Conical bore]

I'll start with what I think is the most important reason to get at least a six key flute and that's resale value. If you're either selling the flute in the future, or looking to buy secondhand, there is a stronger market for six or eight keyed flutes than for flutes with fewer keys. Beyond that, "best keys" is just personal preference and what repertoire you're playing, but here's my list.

Fnat I use frequently, but only the long key. I never use the short Fnat. There may be tunes where it would make more sense to use the short Fnat, but it keeps things simple in my head if there is only one finger movement to play the note.

G# is probably my next most used key.

Cnat is an odd one for me. I much prefer cross-fingering the Cnat for the slightly sharper "Piper's C" pitch, and it's fast to cross-finger at dance tempos. I only use the Cnat key for the higher-pitched C note above B in some Irish tunes to get a nice clear note.

The second-least used keys for me are Eb and Bb, but there are still tunes I play that use them. I wouldn't want to be without them.

Finally, the foot keys. I think there is only one tune I play that uses the C# foot key, the "J.B. Reel" but I love that tune and it really needs that note. So far, I haven't used the Cnat foot key for anything.

[jim stone]

If you have both F natural keys you will use them both. The C natural key, while not essential, is the most widely used (according to Terry). I find it simplifies playing many passages (I use the cross-fingered C Nat often too, mostly for the same reason. Above all there is a wealth of gorgeous music that you can play on a six-key--I'm playing a good deal of baroque now, all sorts of music as well as Celtic. It's worth having a flute that plays virtually everything. I have 8 keyed flutes too, and I can do without the two bottom keys.

[jefff]

Awesome thanks everyone! This is clear confirmation that I should order a 6 key. Eight should be great but not all makers do eight keys, six seems more of a standard thing now I guess. Thank you for so of your thoughtful and detailed responses!!