Crystal flute questions

Crystalwave · Post by **Crystalwave** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 8:15 am

since my bamboo flute is broken, i baught a crystal flute in C and piccolo in c too made by hall flute.

it seems that hall flute do not make it anymore (mine is made in 1992)
its not in their website, Do hall flute totaly stoped to make flute in C?

also stupid question but, what is a recorder?

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 12:33 pm

It's a classical instrument that's a whistle, made of
wood, with an exceedingly agile fingering system
that enables it to be chromatic. Much used in
baroque music. Sounds maybe a bit like
an ocarina. Play one too much, however,
and hair starts growing on your finger pads.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 1:40 pm

I had a crystal flute in D that was made in 1990 or so (at least that's when I think I bought it). I never knew they made one in C. Once you get used to them, they're fairly nice little flutes, but they made me way nervous with regards to breaking them....

Harpgirl · Post by **Harpgirl** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 8:35 pm

Recorder is not A classical instument - it's a family of woodwinds similar to tin whistles only made of wood and with a thumb hole. They come in "sopranino" (high F), "soprano" (C), "Alto" (F), "Tenor" (low C), and "Bass" (low F). They are commonly played in groups (consorts) as in chamber music and sound nothing like an ocarina when played properly! They are considered the predicesors of the clarinet.

And I have never grown hair on my finger pads, Thank You!

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 8:58 pm

Why not a classical instrument? Curious.

Not everybody gets hairy finger pads, at first.

Rae · Post by **Rae** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 9:22 am

Wait, a crystal flute and a recorder are two different instruments – or at least those crystal flutes from Hall are different. These crystal flutes are transversal as you can see here: http://www.hallflutes.com/flutes.htm while the recorder is vertical. Also, the recorder IS a classical instrument, though once transversal flutes 1) were introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages and 2) became easier to play and more in tune, they more or less replaced them due to better intonation and more volume. Recorders are still used for some classical pieces, such as the beautiful “Concerto for two recorders in D minor” by Vivaldi.

Harpgirl · Post by **Harpgirl** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 10:41 am

Sorry - ambiguous phrasing.

Recorder is not a single classical instrument - It is a family of classical instruments.

Is that better???

(How long does that hair take to grow - I've been playing now for, oh, about 30 years - (not continually, of course))

Harpgirl · Post by **Harpgirl** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 10:52 am

Sorry - ambiguous phrasing.

Recorder is not a single classical instrument - It is a family of classical instruments.

Is that better???

(How long does that hair take to grow - I've been playing now for, oh, about 30 years - (not continually, of course))

Scott McCallister · Post by **Scott McCallister** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 5:23 pm

Actually... they arent really "classical" instruments either...

They're much older than the classical period in musical history making them more of a renaissance/baroque appliance... if you're into picking nits... which might be the case with the hair on the pads of your fingers and all.

Cheers
Scott

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Thu Aug 07, 2003 8:03 pm

Ah, there is a clinical literature on this condition,
see Wolfgang Hirsute (1999): 'Bald Digits--Dysfunction or
Blessing in Disguise?' in The Journal of Recorder Pathology,
Vol XXI, No. 3, St. Martins Press, London, pp. 424--437.

Yes, I meant classical in the generic sense that includes
the baroque and renaissance. Nits are indeed a problem,
especially under the latex gloves I now must wear.

Crystalwave · Post by **Crystalwave** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 3:23 am

thanks for the information,

the crystal flute i have are realy different from the whistle and the sound is realy great, nofing to compare with a vertical playing flute.
there are 2 and a half clean scale, exacltly like bamboo flute but the hole are shape to be easier to play,
still it need a lot of time to master, the only problem is, because of the shape of the holes, its a lot more difficult to play half notes compare with a bamboo flute. i think it was not design to play half notes.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 5:31 am

It just takes practice to half hole on a crystal flute...and decent sized fingers help, too! I could do it rather easily after playing for a year or two on the crystal flute.

Just keep practicing!

Eric

Crystalwave · Post by **Crystalwave** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:23 am

hey jayhawk, did you notice the chart on hallflute website?

they display an alternative way to play the half note quite easly!
i wonder if it works the same for bamboo flute....

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:43 am

Just a minor quibble...transverse flute never replaced the recorder because of better intonation. The intonation on recorders was (and remains) quite good, and the intonation on one-key flutes of the time was pretty horrid even by contemporary standards.

The traverso replaced the recorder because of greater volume, true...but the biggest issue was the greater expressiveness of the traverso, often required by the music of the time.

The recorder is considered to be an early member both of the fipple flute and of the clarinet family.

On the Hall crystal flute, I have one in D and it's not a bad instrument...certainly not a session flute, but its playable and reasonably well in tune. It's not a particularly easy flute to play, though, in large part due to its odd embouchure arrangement.

--James

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:47 am

No, I haven't seen their website in ages.

Do you have the link?

Eric