I just received my Hall type flute back from Jon C with a new headjoint, and I’m having trouble playing the low C notes with the keys, can anyone give me a pointer?
The flute is awesome, cocus with silver keys, and Jon did gorgeous work, it sounds great, now I am evaluating it and my Pratten style to try and decide which to keep! Always hard choices but there can only be one, I only have time to play on style!
Beannacht leat
demon_piper
Those low notes can be notoriously hard to hit on some flutes. Make sure you’re holding down the key/keys with enough strength to actually seal them, and also make sure you’re not accidentally opening up the D#/Eb key a bit when your using the lower keys.
It’s been a while since I played on an 8 key flute, but I also seem to recall blowing those notes a lot like I was blowing a hard low D…but my memory could be faulty.
Sounds like a wonderful flute! If you’d like, you could mail it to me so I could try and get those notes to play well for you… 
Eric
What type of key is it?
Pewter plug or pad?
I find those notes are easier when the flute is regularly oiled, and after warming it up. When oiled, I don’t need to warm it up before getting a nice C.
Blow long D notes, then go to C# then C. It shouldn’t take moer air than the D.
You can get a hard C when accustomed to it. And swab it/ blow and get rid of water, it helps a lot.
Best wishes
When I want to hit the bottom Cs on my Rudall I have my wife press down on the keys.
Works every time.
That’s her to your left, playing her own flute.
You can also have a think about how you’re setting the footjoint. When I played a six key flute I had the Eb key set to play with a relatively straight little finger. With the 8 key flute, I find that it needs to be rotated much further towards me, so that the little finger is curved onto the Eb key. Then all that needs to happen to reach the C keys is for that finger to straighten - rather than having to alter the position of the whole right hand.
and another thing… my flute has pads on the low C keys. I was advised by the maker (Rod Cameron) to use an elastic band to keep these keys closed when the flute’s in its case - because these pads live open and not closed, this simple act of maintenance helps keep them in good condition & ensures that they always seal properly. (I use a covered hairband-type elastic band, or you can use a paper towel to protect the flute) I don’t know if this procedure would apply to pewters also.
The C keys are pewter plugs!
I’ll be messing with it a bit more tomorow, I have a digital recorder on loan from work, so I’m going to make some samples of both my flutes and start trying to decide who wins, flutes are like pipes, you cna really only play one set.
Beannacht leibh
demon_piper
I’ve got pewter plugs too, and I put some oil (same for oiling the bore) on the plugs edge, very little, but that might help.
Best
…flutes are like pipes, you can really only play one set.
This has been debated at length. I have several flutes that I interchange depending on my mood and the time of day. John Skelton and Paul McGrattan keep several flutes going though many players – Matt Molloy and Catherine McEvoy come to mind - have only one flute in the key of D.