What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

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gerardo1000
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What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by gerardo1000 »

Are they both chromatic? If so, why most people choose and spend more for 6 keys? Thank you for your answers!
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Re: What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by kkrell »

Both are chromatic. A typical 6-key adds a long, additional F-natural (for use by the top hand, assists in some fingerings), and a C-natural key (C is usually easily cross-fingered, so not as necessary to have a dedicated key).
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Re: What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by Sirchronique »

Depends which key is added. Technically most flutes without keys /can/ play chromatically, with Eb being the only note that is sometimes very difficult to sound properly. My primary flute right now is keyless, and Eb is the only note that gives me trouble, as C and Bb are easy to cross finger and get a good sound, although a bit more hazy (which I personally like). G# is also easy to cross finger, although a bit weaker, and F natural requires half-holing to get it in tune, although it can be tricky depending on where it falls in the tune. I can’t get a good Eb at all, so I’d say it is “almost chromatic”.

How easy or well cross-fingering or half-holing works is dependent upon the instrument itself and the player, however.

Having keys gives your accidentals the same sort of strong and clear tone as your regular notes, though, and you don’t have to do as much work with your embouchure or fingers to get the tuning of those notes where they should be.

The reason I started this response with “it depends” is because a 4-key flute could have any of the player’s choice of keys. For example I intend to have a keyed body made for mine, and will be adding low C, low C#, Eb, and F. Another player may (and probably would) choose a different configuration with their 4 keys.

However, if you’ve got an Eb key, which almost all keyed flutes do, then playing chromatically is usually going to be possible, if one does the work to practice with those notes. Running scales in every key multiple times per day will make it more automatic and easier.
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Re: What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by NicoMoreno »

gerardo1000 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:03 am What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?
2 keys :lol:
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Re: What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by Conical bore »

As a practical matter apart from any playing considerations, a 4-key flute may be more difficult to sell than a 6 or 8 key flute if you ever need to sell it, and there will be far fewer available on the used market if you want to buy one secondhand. You may also need to retrain your fingers and possibly your flute hold if you decide to upgrade from a 4-key to a 6 or 8 key flute later on.

When I first started thinking about moving from a keyless flute to keys, I started off with the idea of a 3 or 4 key flute to keep the cost down. Then I realized some of those drawbacks, and decided to wait until I could afford a fully keyed flute.
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Re: What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by gbyrne »

Which 4 keys?

To be “chromatic” technically requires five keys: C Bb G# F Eb

It’s arguable C-Nat is not necessary because OXXOOO gives a strong “in tune” note.

The reason for 6-key being the standard is because you have a long and short F-natural.

Flutes for ITM with one or two keys generally add F, G# or C because they are more often needed than Bb or Eb.

But once you are in the 3+ keys better to have 6 for resale. If somebody really wants a keyed flute they want a six key instrument. The market for 3/4/5 keyed ones is small.
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Re: What's the difference between a 6 or a 4 keys Irish flute?

Post by jemtheflute »

Frustration.

A 4-key with Bb, G#, short F and Eb keys is fully chromatic using a cross-fingering for Cnat, but its limitations very quickly get annoying. The usual 5th addition would be a C key and the 6th a long F key to facilitate D-fnat and Eb-fnat changes.

I find the debates about adding this or that odd selection of keys based on perceived expectation of use rather ridiculous. Get the lot and learn to use them, or don't bother.
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