Question for the Makers

[david quinn]

I received a new flute a friend got a loan of it. The low notes are very loud and play easily but he said the high notes take a bit more effort due to the embouchere undercutting being wrong.

What sort of an angle should the embouchere be cut at and should it be undercut twice just wondering what would make the top register play more easily?

David

[Terry McGee]

Hi David

There is no standard embouchure cut, indeed, we have (to my knowledge) no accumulated body of knowledge about what embouchure cuts are routinely in use. It probably amounts to at least about one per maker - I use different cuts on my elliptical, two-semicircles and rounded rectangles embouchures.

I doubt if we'd even have agreement on ways to measure and describe such cuts. Your question comes perhaps 50 years too early!

But, if the bottom octave plays well, it suggests to me the basic embouchure cut (the undercutting) is sound. I'd suggest you look at the degree of rounding off of the "edge" - the top of the side of the embouchure hole opposite the player. Does it appear to be very rounded over (soft)? That can put the upper octave at a disadvantage.

There may be other things that chould be checked, but they are not coming to mind at the moment. I'm assuming the head diameter is about normal (circa 27mm) - too deep a chimney without adequate undercutting can give a stolid upper octave performance. But stolid, rather than hard to play.

An embouchure can be recut, providing the hole isn't getting too big already. And an embouchure hole can be plugged and a new hole cut in it. I always recommend trying the flute with another head. If that produces a significant improvement, it's time to act.

Terry

Still clinging firmly to his Lapsed Catholic belief system ...

[david quinn]

Hi Terry

Thanks for the reply ill send Pm

[david quinn]

Hi Terry and thanks for your reply.

The flute is from Tony Millyard i believe he contacted yourself when he started making flutes. I gave a loan of the flute to a friend in turn he showed it to a Scot who manufactures Iirsh flutes he said the Embouchere could do with a little work but was unwilling to give the Degree which the embouchere is cut at, i will try and post a picture and you can see if anything comes to mind.

I have an old Blackwood b flat crown flute thats embouchere has become really large and this flute will not tune in with the rest. When you say plugged and recut what would this cost or even reusing the original tubing and ferrules and putting new wood on the head?

Regards David