Concering weight and balance

[Conical bore]

Rolling the head joint in does indeed help, but even at an extreme angle, it feels like if could slip out at any moment (and does eventually). Maybe I just need more practice with it.

Since you have more than one flute, I'd assume you've been playing for a while? For what it's worth, when I started out, I took me something like a year and a half to develop a flute hold hold that felt comfortable, steady, and instinctive. When I got a heavier keyed flute, I had a good basic hold but it took couple more months to really get comfortable. Now I just pick it up and the hold is automatic and comfortable... which is a good thing, because I have so many other things that need work in my playing!

Anyway, keep practicing and trying different things, because it may just take more time to get the various muscles trained for a good flute hold.

[Terry McGee]

Just weighted three flutes I have:
R&R patent head, cocuswood, eight silver keys, silver rings, flute = 1054 grams
RC&Co. standard lined head, cocuswood, eight nickel silver keys, nickel silver rings flute = 890 grams
Olwell, standard silver lined head, blackwood, keyless flute = 752 grams

I have no problem with the weight of these flutes even though there is a difference of 302 grams between the R&R patent head flute and the Olwell keyless.

Wow. All much heavier than my 6-key at 348gms. Indeed 2 to 3 times heavier! That made me suspicious so I reweighed mine on a different set of scales and got 344gms.

Hang on, my Nicholson 8-key original is 480gms. Boosey Pratten original is 410gms. Rudall Carte 8-key 404gms. You sure about those measurements?

Where do you find the balance points of these three flutes? And when not supported by the right thumb, are they head or foot heavy?

[Steampacket]

Thanks Terry, you're right my measurements are in ounces. the scale was set to Ibs not grams. I thought to myself later during the evening, "Strange that my patent head weights as much as a liter of milk? That's heavy"

Here are the correct measurements in grams:

Just weighted three flutes I have:
R&R patent head, cocuswood, eight silver keys, silver rings, flute = 478 grams
RC&Co. standard lined head, cocuswood, eight nickel silver keys, nickel silver rings flute = 402 grams
Olwell, standard silver lined head, blackwood, keyless flute = 339 grams

I have no problem with the weight of these flutes even though there is a difference of 139 grams between the R&R patent head flute and the Olwell keyless.

I balance all three flutes with the left hand thumb under the C# and my right hand thumb tip under the G, with my right hand third finger resting on the E, except when sounding E, F# in the first and second octave. My right hand little finger just waves in the air. All three flutes are head heavy when not supported by the right hand thumb

[Terry McGee]

Ah, whew, thanks Steampacket.

Interesting that all three are head heavy. I just rechecked ('tis the season for rechecking!) those originals I mentioned and none of them are head heavy.

But you control that by leaving RH3 down, except for those few notes that would be noticeably flattened by so doing. I think that's a better approach than trying to control it with left thumb heroics! And leaves RH4 free if needed for Eb.