Small Hand Flutes - WAS WTB Burns Pratten or T. McGee GLP...

[david_h]

The quote from Casey Burn's web site above is from the page for the small handed version of his 3-piece flute, not the 2-piece Folk Flute.

Maybe not relevant to the original question, but my small handed Folk Flute measures, from L1 to R3 (top to bottom) 8.5, 8, 6, 7.5, 10, 5.5. That is the side-to-side dimension which seems to be the diameter of the hole. 1-2mm longer on the surface in the other direction.

Spacings: L1-L2 32mm, L2-L3 31mm, R1-R3 30mm, R2-R3 28mm Only L3 and R3 are offset. L3 to R1 is 65mm !!

(Edited to fix typo, but not before it was quoted)

[anniemcu]

SInce the discussion has evolved into a very interesting and uuseful bit on Small Hand Flutes, and my original title no longer is viable, I've altered the title. I hope it doesn't cause any problem.

[Jennie]

Maybe not relevant to the original question, but my small handed Folk Flute measures, from L1 to R3 (top to bottom) 8.5, 8, 6, 7.5, 10, 5.5. That is the side-to-side dimension which seems to be the diameter of the hole. 1-2mm longer on the surface in the other direction.

Spacings: L1-L2 32mm, L2-L3 31mm, R1-R3 30mm, L2-L3 28mm Only L3 and R3 are offset. L3 to R1 is 65mm !!

I have a "regular" CB Pratten-style flute, with L3 and R3 offset, and I found in all kinds of comparisons that the last stretch, from R2 to R3, is significantly less than in other flutes. Mine measures 26 mm from the center of R2 to center of R3, much more comfortable to me than other flutes.

A friend of mine who switched to a similar CB flute did so because the diameter of her Rudall style flute was too small, causing her left index finger to be curled too tightly for comfort.

I don't have small hands. But my hands are sensitive to the stretch between R2 and R3, and I'm really grateful to my CB flute for that detail.

Jennie

[jim stone]

Just an aside:

there is a simple solution to the skinny flute
that curls your index too tightly.

The 'bopep' fashioned from a small piece
of clear plastic hose, available in
most hardware stores.

[david_h]

Since the subject has changed, I will ask something I had been wondering about.

What are the differences in the sound of a small-handed flute compared to a standard one ? Has anyone here done a side by side comparison of normal and small-handed versions of the same makers flute ?

I guess that the holes must be even further from their acoustically optimum position than on a 'standard' flute so increasing the design challenge.

It is of academic interest to me as I have shortish, thickish fingers (10mm hole - no problem) and I am grateful to be able make the reach on a D flute. I am breaking my left hand in even more slowly than I am the flute. One thing I have noticed is a distinctly different embouchure needed for the 1st octave A compared to the B and G, but I have read that this is normal for a simple system flute (hence the Siccama design etc).

[chas]

If the maker simply offsets the (usually third and sixth) holes from in-line, there will be no difference in the sound. However if he moves the holes a little toward the embouchure, then there may very well be a difference in sound. This is probably what you're noticing when you say the embouchure has to be different for the A than for the G or B. Thing is, in moving the third hole up, the diameter also needs to be made smaller, which means less air is getting out of the hole that's most responsible for the A note sounding. That results in a veiled sound, which is usually much more noticeable for E than for A. I had one small-hands flute that I sold for exactly that reason -- I found the E note to be veiled to an extent that I thought detracted from the flow of the music.

[Meadhbh]

Since the subject has changed, I will ask something I had been wondering about.

What are the differences in the sound of a small-handed flute compared to a standard one ? Has anyone here done a side by side comparison of normal and small-handed versions of the same makers flute ?

I own a Casey Burns small handed flute (keyless mopane with tuning slide and rings) and got to play several different flutes while at Augusta...including Jennie's CB. The sound on both CB flutes was quite similar. On my small handed flute I have never had problems with any veiled sounding notes. The tone and tuning (for me) is consistent throughout the range of the instrument. I could tell some minor differences with the ease of attack on Jennie's CB, but her flute is a little older and more broken in than mine. I didn't compare the embouchure hole cuts...but there could have been some minor differences that affected the attack. I have been quite happy with my flute and its fit for my hands (which are smaller than Jennie's) but her flute was also comfortable to play.

[srt19170]

Here are the hole locations (in cm) for my CB small-hands model. It's one of his earlier efforts, but the locations haven't changed significantly:

29.7
26.5
23.4
16.6
13.6
10.7

For comparison, here are the locations for a Tipple:

30.4
26.6
23
17
14.3
10

[sbfluter]

I now own both a Casey Burns small-handed and a Tipple Flute. The Tipple flute is huge both in diameter and in hole size. I've been playing it for 2 days now. I'm starting to figure it out.

My hand-span is 7.5 inches. According to Casey Burns' web site, it's right at the cutoff for what he recommends might benefit from his small handed flutes. I'm a woman and my fingers are not thin but they are not sausage-like, or fat in any way, either.

I can't believe it but I think I can actually play the Tipple. It's not easy, especially with the right hand. The holes are huge and hard to cover all the way. Some of the fingers dip right into the holes. I get a lot of strange, bendy-sounding notes from my right hand, but I'm getting that less and less.

I have found that with all the holes perfectly in-line I have the easiest time of it. I guess you could say my right hand is doing the piper's grip to some extent, but I don't bend my right-hand fingers around the flute. I keep them flat.

So, long story short, if your hands are about like mine, 7.5 inch hand span, about a size 8 ring finger, pretty much an average size, you may not need anything special to be able to play.

[anniemcu]

sbfluter, how are you measuring your hand span?

thumb pad to pinky pad?

[sbfluter]

Spread my hand out, measure from edge of thumb to edge of pinky. Like this:
http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/detail_ ... ndsize.php

[anniemcu]

Spread my hand out, measure from edge of thumb to edge of pinky. Like this:
http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/detail_ ... ndsize.php

That's what I had thought.... I've got an 8.5" spread, and I can handle the Tipple fairly easily, but I don't like much offset.

[david_h]

What are the differences in the sound of a small-handed flute compared to a standard one ?

Since I asked the question I have noticed that Casey says of his small-handed flute " plays as well as the larger holed flutes... ... the smaller holes actually speak a bit quicker ... However... ... slightly reduce the bottom voice of the scale" ( http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/cat_d.php#ergo ).

[jim stone]

I've played Casey's small hands and standard flutes.
Whatever the acoustic difference may really be,
subjectively there was none.

He writes: However, the smaller holes slightly reduce the bottom voice of the scale.

[eskin]

I have tiny hands and play what I've been told is a GLP Terry McGee. Its very comfortable.