I keep reading posts about how you only need 6 holes...

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Thats a great idea, then you won't have all those leaky pads and broken springs! I am just about fed up with trying to get pads to seal well!

Actually i was only half joking.. Sam Murray (and i am sure other makers too) offers the option of adding all blocks regardless of corresponding keys a lá uilleann chanter.
Nice option for the fickle hearted, and one i probably will opt for when/if another flute is on the agenda

[LorenzoFlute]

I wouldn't consider Brian Finnegan a flute player, even though he does play the flute.

??? Huhh - dumb statement

Actually Brian told me that a couple of years ago, that he didn't see himself as a flute player... Not saying he can't honk on the flute, it was more of a job discription!

[MTGuru]

Actually Brian told me that a couple of years ago, that he didn't see himself as a flute player... Not saying he can't honk on the flute, it was more of a job discription!

Well, like many fine musicians, Brian can be very modest about trumpeting his own gifts, especially in personal conversation. But his self-perception is really irrelevant here.

In the context of this thread, the only possible reason for Lorenzo's comment is to disqualify Brian Finnegan as an example of a "serious" flute player who chooses to play keyless instruments. And anyone who actually knows Brian or his music would have to do damage to any reasonable definition of "serious" to make that point stick.

Instead, I'm guessing that Lorenzo is simply not very familiar with Brian's work, and is going on impression or reputation alone, based on his perception of Brian as primarily a whistler.

IIRC, about one-third of the sets of the Finnegan-Coulter concert tour a few years ago featured Brian's fluting. As mentioned above, fluting features prominently on his recent solo album. And there are plenty of examples of his fluting with the various groups and configurations he's played with over the years. Here are a few:

RTÉ(?), 1996: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW18di2WhL4
Boxwood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK8JJFXbCvk
Flook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zG85YOEzKo
Kan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK5HFbgl7PQ

As for why he favors keyless flutes, you'd have to ask him. But that's true of any of the players cited here by Mr. Gumby and others. His flutes include a blackwood with the keys removed (and the key holes originally stopped with raisins!), and various Olwell bamboo flutes in other keys.

I'm not sure why Brian Finnegan is often such a lightning rod for criticism by some. Stylistic reasons, I suppose. But those are, again, irrelevant to the point of this thread and his use as an example here.

[Mr.Gumby]

As for why he favors keyless flutes, you'd have to ask him. But that's true of any of the players cited here by Mr. Gumby

The OP clearly said he never SAW a 'serious' fluteplayer with a keyless flute. I showed a few I have over time spotted playing keyless flutes. But I did so by showing snapshots, without wishing to make any statement about any of the persons illustrated favouring one thing or the other,

[MTGuru]

The OP clearly said he never SAW a 'serious' fluteplayer with a keyless flute. I showed a few I have over time spotted playing keyless flutes. But I did so by showing snapshots, without wishing to make any statement about any of the persons illustrated favouring one thing or the other,

Yes, of course, good point. I'd presume that anyone seen playing a keyless flute is doing so not with a gun to their head, but by choice, at least on that occasion.

[JohnB]

Fair enough he's not a flute player

Does seem strange though that his myspace page describes him as " Front man with the legendary Flook for over 13 years, this maverick flute and tin whistle player....."

or

Flook web page "FLOOK - The flutes of Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen........

or

An interview on Firescribble is mainly about his flute playing - http://www.firescribble.net/flute/finnegan.html

or

Various web pages advertising workshops like this "Brian Finnegan - Flute..." (as well as whistle) - http://www.tradweek.com/english/tutors/tutors2010.html

or

2 albums of his show him holding a flute - When the Party's Over and his latest

or

Youtube clip of him playing what ??? well I suppose it must be a whistle disguised as a flute there can't be any other explanation if he's not a flute player - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... ktPYGYRnb4

and another http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JUrg7qG ... r_embedded

All those times I've seen him playing flute and I didn't realise he wasn't a flute player - the man's a con artist or a good mimer!

(and don't confuse the low whistle with the flute)

Damn - here was I thinking they were the same instrument

[MTGuru]

Yes, JohnB, I think and hope the point's been made. And the subtext of my above posts was: "Let's please move on."

[LorenzoFlute]

In the context of this thread, the only possible reason for Lorenzo's comment is to disqualify Brian Finnegan as an example of a "serious" flute player who chooses to play keyless instruments.

What I'm saying is that, since (as Jon confirmed) Brian defines himself a whistle player, he translates his whistle music on the flute, rather than the other way around. The fact that his translation is excellent doesn't change a thing IMO. My English isn't perfect, but even if it was I wouldn't say "I'm English", I'd still be Italian. Though, I've heard many foreigners speaking English better than many that speak it as a first language. I'd never disqualify Brian's ability on the flute, and my opinion on his style has nothing to do with what I'm saying here. I mentioned Frankie Gavin for this reason, I LOVE his flute album, some of the best flute playing I've ever heard, but I still think of him as a fiddle player.
We all know that whistles are keyless, so it makes sense that also the flute Brian plays is keyless. This is why I thought he wasn't the example we were looking for, but there are many others, like Fintan Vallely, Seamus Tansey, John Skelton (I think), and many of the ones mentioned before (NOT Patsy Hanly! )
By the way, I'm done with this thread

[jim stone]

Anyhow people who play keyed flutes often are more serious--they're seriously concerned about how they will pay
for the instrument, whether they can get their spouse to come back, all kinds of stuff.

[Ronnie]

Good questions, Clover. People often make a big fuss about keyed flutes, making them seem like better instruments, but a flute isn't going to be better because it has keys. (People oooh and ahhh over keyed Olwells, for instance. But that's because they're attractive, involve a long wait, and cost more. However, they're just as good as his more common unkeyed flutes.)

I have never heard friends fluters making a fuss over keyed flutes. Dragging PatrickOlwell into this discussion is wrong In my humble opinion. Olwell is one of the best flute makers so saying that people oooh and aaah over his keyed flutes only because they are attractive is the understatement of the century. If you have heard the sound of an Olwell you will know this. Or do I read this wrong?
Its simple : if you have keys, you will play much more easier and you will use them. If you find it too expensive than nobody will judge you when you play an unkeyed flute.
@Lorenzo : I understand what you mean, but the same goes for Michael Flatley. Is he a fluteplayer or a dancer? It depends on what you see or hear him do the most I guess. You're expressing your opinion and that's good. If you'll see me in Corofin next week give us a shout, we'll chat about it.

[MTGuru]

[jim stone]

OK, MF is BOTH a flooter and a dancer.

To be a serious flooter is to make (or have made and still profit from) a sincere and earnest effort to play the flute well.
Finnegan is a serious flooter.

It is not required to be a serious flooter that one is not serious about another instrument or artistic activity,
nor is it required that flooting is the activity one is MOST serious about. Seriousness is a matter of degree
and someone might be more serious about the whistle, say, and still be serious about the flute.

Of course the OP surely meant to imply that a serious flooter was good on the flute, too.

We have surely established that many serious flooters play unkeyed flutes.

(See my forthcoming opus, The Critique of Pure Drool, in which matters like these are sorted out
to the nth degree of detail)

[Steve Bliven]

And Shimmer is a floor wax and a desert topping....

Best wishes.

Steve

[Clover]

Anyhow people who play keyed flutes often are more serious--they're seriously concerned about how they will pay
for the instrument, whether they can get their spouse to come back, all kinds of stuff.

[Jon C.]

Anyhow people who play keyed flutes often are more serious--they're seriously concerned about how they will pay
for the instrument, whether they can get their spouse to come back, all kinds of stuff.

It is quite true, you wouldn't believe how many potential flute buyers, were quaking in their boots about what their wife would say! I have even smuggled keyed flute in, past the unsuspecting spouses, for the clients.