I’ve been meaning to give you a final report on my flute project. You might recall it either from my questions posted here or from the link in my signature. It has gradually come to a point worth reporting on.
I would call it “finished”, were it not that I’d like to re-do the right-hand section next year, because the bell note is not completely in tune (as was discussed here). But aside from that, I’m using it fine already now. It plays sufficiently loud amongst the other instruments, while sounding even more subtle in group recordings than my French flute, so to me, that’s a big mission accomplished.
Here are a few clips I’ve recorded for demonstration purposes (nothing too fancy):
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking – screw the flute, where did he get that flute bag?
Well, my friend and fellow band member was so kind to spend a band evening on sowing me one. She designs fabrics, and she used my favourite of her designs here: the Bunny Band (with Wooden Flute Bunny!) It is currently just as much a one-off labour of love as the flute it carries, but if there’s interest she may be moved to make some more… Who knows, we’ll see
In the meantime, I’m asking that you should at least spend 50% of your overall comments on the flute, that I made, and its marvellous sound clips, that I recorded. Because that’s what this thread really was about. Focus, people, focus! Do not let the cute bunnies distract you!!
Oh yeah and if you want some history on the project, check the link to my blog, in my signature. Yes, I’m proud to say that the flute that you see here did indeed start as a wormy piece of pearwood. I really managed to transform it into a flute after all!
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking – screw the flute, where did he get that flute bag? >
Well, my friend and fellow band member was so kind to spend a band evening on sowing me one. She designs fabrics, and she used my favourite of her designs here: the Bunny Band (with Wooden Flute Bunny!) It is currently just as much a one-off labour of love as the flute it carries, but if there’s interest she may be moved to make some more… Who knows, we’ll see >
Lol that’s really funny. It looks like it could be a really huge hit with teenage girly flute players
When I listened to the sound clip, I was amazed that this was a flute - it has a very soft intonation, a bit like a recorder; sweet, and not overpowering at all. Even more amazing to see your handiwork in the flute. Did you craft that by hand, or with machinery?
Nice workmanship, I’d probably mess up the hole alignment and it’d look like I used a hatchet to turn the pieces. What did you do for a cork arrangement? Wine cork with a wood cap? Didn’t catch the wood type and what kind of finish (if any)was used.
[edit] Oops. Missed your link and where you mentioned pear wood.
I’ll grant you that the exterior design is a bit crude. There are a few reasons, like that I wanted to ensure that the brittle wood is thick enough on critical places (form follows function), and that I wanted to keep the sections close to the original R&R, including an indicator line for where the barrel would be (a self-documenting flute, if you will). I am a sucker for aesthetic ratios myself, and I don’t really like how the relative ratios of the different sections turned out after I had finally cut the foot to “D”. So yeah, room for improvement, I definitely agree. Then again, the photo’s I’ve posted are really flattering, as they hide most of the flute’s imperfections, making it almost look as how I initially envisioned it.
@Gabriel: were you implying that the flute looks like your older all-wood flute? In that case – it occured to me as well. (Otherwise, no offense meant ) Will you believe my design pre-dates me seeing your pictures? I think my major influences were Casey’s Folk Flute, and a recorder I have at home. On seeing your flute, my first thought indeed was that it must have been in the air somehow.
Overall, a big thanks for your comments; I really regarded them all as supportive. I always run into music related stuff with a bit of boyish bravery, quickly humbled by the level of experience and expertise of the people in the field. I am glad to see that my persistence to try and learn more, in my own style, yields such an encouragement from the very same people. (BTW, for the same money I could have blown the entire project, and that would’ve been a lesson learned, too. But I’m glad it worked out.)
As for the future: I hope to re-do the foot, first. Then I’ll try to make a simple Musette variant, as posted here. This is bound to teach me a plethora of new things, like (copper) keywork, reeds (and bagpipes in general) and those shuttle drones that’ve grown to intrigue me so much. From there I want to do a little inventory of the knowledge I’ve gathered, and see if I’d like to do some particular metalworking courses, for instance. But that’s waaay beyond the horizon for now.
Yes, that’s what I thought. But hey, who cares? There’s no patent on this style of woodturning after all, and it’s easy to make and provides structural integrity at the important points, so I guess most people/makers would come to that solution by themselves if they intended to make a ringless flute. Keep things going, and make the next flute with silver rings and a slide a few new challenges!
Pflip - the key thing to remember is that it is a musical instrument.
If it looks magnificent but is out of tune and doesn’t sound good,
it’s not much use to anybody.
) Will you believe my design pre-dates me seeing your pictures? I think my major influences were Casey’s Folk Flute, and a recorder I have at home. On seeing your flute, my first thought indeed was that it must have been in the air somehow.
a few new challenges!