Chiff and Fipple Forums

I'm waiting for my Olwell wood flute but I'm going to want something else to take to the park, play while I'm stopped in traffic and take camping with me.

Which of the above do people recommend?

Thanks
Jeff

Personally I would go for either an M&E or a Seery and right now I have heard good things so out of those two I would go for the new M&E Rudall copy.

- Craig

James Peeples has a page which nicely summarizes the differences between M&E and Seery. Check it out!

http://www.flutesite.com/m&e_vs__seery.htm

The Olwell bamboo is a different beast altogether, but very nice in its own right.

Cheers,
Jens

I would just like to point out that the new M&E Rudall is very different from the older model, so I don't know how valid the comparison by James is in this case. Even though you can tell immedialty that the new model is a M&E, it has a slim conical shape, rather than the chunky cylinder of the old model. It looks like a flute from Star trek, which could be a plus point for some people. Both M&E's are easy to play, but I find the intonation on them a bit strange. You can easily adapt to it, but that flat bottom D I still find annoying, even though it is deliberate. I prefer the tuning compromise compromise of the Seery.
The M&E Rudall is definitly easier to play than the Seery for people new to the flute. Eldarion sounds much better on the M&E after a couple of days than he does on my Seery, which he has played quite a few times over the last few months(I must say he is making remarkable progress though!) When we did our very rushed comparison last week (during my lunchtime) the thing I noticed most was that both flutes essentially sounded the same when I played them, but the M&E sounded like a completly different instrument when he played it. This only goes to show that it is not the flute so much as the player at the end of the day!
I personaly am glad I have the Seery, but I think the new M&E is basicly just as good, just a different set of quirks.

I'm no expert player, but after listening to the recordings on James' site I regretably have to say that James isn't really in any position to rate either of these flutes. I really hate to say something like that, but it's true. Both the tone produced, and the rhythm with which the tunes are played, are poor.
All the best,
Chris

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ChrisLaughlin on 2002-03-21 12:38 ]</font>

Hmm... I haven't heard any of the samples.


Jens