Paddy Carty; How does he do that?

mat · Post by **mat** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:11 am

I have been listening to Paddy Carty's fantastic album 'Traditional Irish Music' and have a question....

Whilst playing the Reel of Mullinavat (Tr.11) in the first part on the second time around he bends a note (to great effect). Now Paddy, I believe, plays a keyed flute, so how does he do that?

The flute doesnt sound obviously different to the rest of the tracks so Im presuming he hasnt just swapped to a keyless.

Any ideas?

bradhurley · Post by **bradhurley** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 8:25 am

That appears to be a chromatic slide -- he seems to be briefly hitting the Bb key and then slipping up to the B from there. He might also be bending the note by lipping down and then up-- you can produce a sliding sound on any flute with that technique, although in this case it sounds to me like he's touching the Bb key ever so briefly before going up to the B.

Probably a lot easier to do on a Radcliff-system flute than on a simple-system one. Carty made a lot of use of the Bb key, all those Fahey reels and such...he makes it seem so effortless. I've been working on some of his settings, and they're very tricky on the simple-system flute.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 11:19 am

What's a radcliffe system flute?

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:42 pm

jim stone wrote:What's a radcliffe system flute?

One of the many kinds of flutes that appeared during the transition from the "simple system" 8 key to the modern Boehm system. The Radcliffe is very similar to the Boehm. One of the main differences is that the F and F# are switched around so they're more similar to the simple-system flute. This seems to have been one of the main sticking points for people converting to keyed flutes.
The Radcliffe has cult status amongst Irish flute players because Paddy Carty played one. He wanted more volume than he could get with a simple-system flute. Tried the Boehm and didn't like it, but settled on the Radcliffe.
The famous English flutist and teacher Trevor Wye has a Radcliffe that he says he plays occasionally.

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 8:43 pm

glauber wrote:The Radcliffe has cult status amongst Irish flute players because Paddy Carty played one. He wanted more volume than he could get with a simple-system flute. Tried the Boehm and didn't like it, but settled on the Radcliffe.
The famous English flutist and teacher Trevor Wye has a Radcliffe that he says he plays occasionally.

Billy Clifford still plays both a Radcliffe & wooden Boehm flutes, rather interchangably.

Kevin Krell

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 10:07 am

Where can one find recordings by Billy Clifford?

mat · Post by **mat** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 12:45 pm

Micah wrote:Where can one find recordings by Billy Clifford?

I just picked up a record (vinyl) by the Star of Munster Trio (John, Julia & Billy Clifford). It was from the '70s so I doubt if it is still available!

Try amazon.com? or second hand record shops!

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:35 pm

Micah wrote:Where can one find recordings by Billy Clifford?

I got his cassette "Irish Traditional Flute Solos and Band Music from Kerry and Tipperary" from Ossian USA (mine was issued 1989 by Ossian Publications, Cork, Ireland). Ossian is at http://www.ossianusa.com/ . There is plenty of solo flute. As for the band tracks, the flute is mainly in the left channel, so you can focus on that better.

Billy Clifford went into the studio in June and recorded a set of hornpipes for "Wooden Flute Obsession 2". A short .MP3 sample is at http://www.worldtrad.org/WFO2_CD2.htm . He is playing the wooden Boehm (just a better take than the version with the Radcliffe).

Hopefully going back into the studio after about 20 years (he still plays regularly) will encourage him to lay down some other tracks.

Kevin Krell

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 3:07 pm

kkrell wrote:Hopefully going back into the studio after about 20 years (he still plays regularly) will encourage him to lay down some other tracks.

Good man, Kevin! You're the Buena Vista Social Club of Irish music!