C natural key revisited

[JessieK]

I just got back from Peter Noy an old (1820 or so) boxwood fully keyed simple system flute that was in terrible disrepair when I got it on eBay about six months ago. He fixed it very well and it plays great. I have been playing around with the keys, trying to play tunes I know in other keys, etc. But I want to say that, for playing tunes I know in the keys I know them in, the C natural key REALLY makes a difference. I don't find it difficult to switch the fingering from the old one (usually OXOXXX on conical flutes) and I find the sound much stronger. In fact, I think it's even easier to play faster and more smoothly with this key than without. I really think modern makers should offer the option of one key, that one key being C natural. I know some makers do it on request. Dave Copley's personal flute (of his own manufacture) is this way. Anybody else love the C nat key?

~J

[U2]

. . . In fact, I think it's even easier to play faster and more smoothly with this key than without. I really think modern makers should offer the option of one key, that one key being C natural. I know some makers do it on request. Dave Copley's personal flute (of his own manufacture) is this way. Anybody else love the C nat key?

~J

I'm a fan of the Cnat key, and found it by far the easiest to incorporate when learning to use the keys. For a sustained Cnat it's quite a difference; in tune, great note to bend, and on my flute much more volume. I tend to revert to the cross-fingering if ascending at a good tempo, and the next note is D, but if it's a slow tune the key still works great. In another thread we briefly discussed using the Cnat key with the B to produce an ornament above A. It's a nice little sound for the tool kit.

[jim stone]

I saw Dave's flute--it has one key, the Cnatural key,
and it's very nice. You can trill on the Cnatural key,
it works so well. A flute like that would be
worth having, seems to me.

[beowulf573]

When I first received my flute from Dave Copley, because he considered the upper body segment a bit rough and wouldn't have another ready for a bit, he sent along another segment with a C natural key and let me choose.

I decided on the keyless segment because, well, I'm lazy. If the key is there and it sounds better I'm going to use it. As I'm on the still on the steep upside of the learning curve, I want to be sure to develop good habits and I could see the myself using that key as a crutch and never becoming proficient in cross-fingering the natural.

Not a problem on that flute, but it would be if I were to buy a fully keyless flute and just pick up someone elses for a tune.

Not a problem for the folks who have been playing for a long time, go nuts.

(BTW, I couldn't see any faults with the keyless segment, Dave must have exacting standards, or I have a poor eye.)

Eddie

[Doc Jones]

Yeah I agree. A one-keyed flute would be a great idea. I had a fully-keyed M&E R&R (great flute btw). I found I rarely used the keys except the C-nat, which I loved. The tone really is much stronger and is noticible on sustained C-nat notes.

The other option would be to skip the key and just get the hole. I know Terry McGee does this and actually recommends it. If you didn't like it a piece of tape makes it go away. Also, unlike a key it would require no maintenance and would probably not add much to cost or waiting time.



Doc

[JessieK]

Yeah, the hole doesn't do it for me. I like the key because I deal with it only when I want to. The hole is in an awkward location (compared to where my thumb usually rests) and I don't like having to remember to recover it after using the C.

[peeplj]

I have an old anonymous 8-key flute. On slower pieces, in addition to using the key for C-natural, I also use the key to increase the venting on C-sharp, which makes it much better, especially in the 2nd octave.

Also on that flute as well as my 6-key I like to use the C-natural key to cut the A...gives a nice almost pipe-like cut.

I think my most-used keys are G-sharp and the short F-natural, though.

--James

P.S. Another decent C-sharp fingering for the 2nd octave that works on some flutes is

o x x | x o x

while holding the E-flat key open. This also makes possible a very smooth trill from C-sharp to D in the 2nd octave.

[MarkB]

That sounds like a great idea Jessie, I could use a C natural key, since I always have problems with the C natural and speed and I don't really need the other keys, well I don't think that I need them just yet.

MarkB