Hi everybody:
One last question for those of you with keyed flutes.
How often do you use your keys? As a recovering classical musician (I was a clarinetist for 20 years) I'm used to them, but don't really miss them on the whistle (well, I can switch to a different keyed whistle...) or my M&E. And it's easy enough to half-hole a G# on the whistle, though not the flute.
Yes, there are a few slow tunes with the occasional G# or F natural, but is it worth getting a flute with keys for those few tunes?
Thanks again
Tim
keyed or keyless
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peeplj
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While not a definite requirement, keys do come in handy. In particular, you're not going to want to be half-holing G-sharp when you're playing the Mason's Apron at speed, and every now and again you hit a tune in B-flat or A-flat which is simply unplayable on an unkeyed flute without transposition.
That said, as many tunes as are out there in keyless-friendly keys, you could probably play for several years before you really started missing the keys.
--James
http://www.flutesite.com
That said, as many tunes as are out there in keyless-friendly keys, you could probably play for several years before you really started missing the keys.
--James
http://www.flutesite.com
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RudallRose
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in his book of 1826, called a Word or Two on The Flute, WNJames said the most beautiful key for the instrument was Eb (3 flats).
I can't imagine it was being done with anything but a keyed flute.
Today's players are finding more/better uses for the keys (ie, Chris Norman and Niall Keegan) within the traditional framework. Understand, though, that these flutes were designed back then for what we call classical work (then it was totally contemporary!). As the flute's possibilities got more intricate, so too did the music written for it (although it did have a core body of people who hated it).
Then there's the issue of which keys. Charles Nicholson, certainly the day's most recognized player, abhored the long-F and Long-C keys, preferring a 6-key flute to the 8-key. Then the odd forms of flutes proliferated (those of 14+ keys!). Beautiful craftsmanship, very unweildy I'd think in a performers hands.
I'd venture that the 6-key is all one needs for every type of music you'll want to play (8 for those wishing to venture below D'). I prefer the 8-key....not for anything other than balance and feel.
I can't imagine it was being done with anything but a keyed flute.
Today's players are finding more/better uses for the keys (ie, Chris Norman and Niall Keegan) within the traditional framework. Understand, though, that these flutes were designed back then for what we call classical work (then it was totally contemporary!). As the flute's possibilities got more intricate, so too did the music written for it (although it did have a core body of people who hated it).
Then there's the issue of which keys. Charles Nicholson, certainly the day's most recognized player, abhored the long-F and Long-C keys, preferring a 6-key flute to the 8-key. Then the odd forms of flutes proliferated (those of 14+ keys!). Beautiful craftsmanship, very unweildy I'd think in a performers hands.
I'd venture that the 6-key is all one needs for every type of music you'll want to play (8 for those wishing to venture below D'). I prefer the 8-key....not for anything other than balance and feel.