Spurred on by Jem's experiment...

[ImNotIrish]

I am intrigued by the comment on Jem's thread that he sounds like Jem on all the various flute combinations. I am wondering if I sound like me on my various flutes. Just curious if people would be willing to indulge me playing the same tune on three different flutes: Seery Delrin (modeled after a Hudson Pratten), an original Hudson Pratten, and a Firth, Pond and Co. flute w/ Jon C. hj and barrel? If it sounds interesting I would gladly put together some clips. For those of you concerned, I shall not use reverb.
Arbo

[jemtheflute]

Arbo, with the greatest respect, whilst we might well discern some differences between the flutes' own qualities in your hands, (especially sans undue engineered distortion!), I do not think there is the slightest shadow of a doubt what the outcome would be in terms of how you have phrased your proposal!

[Sigurthr]

I'd be willing to listen, but I also happen to like listening to prominent chiffers . I do not doubt that you would sound like you in the end though. For better or worse, most of us end up sounding like ourselves when all is said and done. At the very best/wost, we end up sounding like ourselves trying to sound like someone else!

[ImNotIrish]

Okay, so that's a 'thank you, but no thank you?'
arbo

[ImNotIrish]

I'd be willing to listen, but I also happen to like listening to prominent chiffers . I do not doubt that you would sound like you in the end though. For better or worse, most of us end up sounding like ourselves when all is said and done. At the very best/wost, we end up sounding like ourselves trying to sound like someone else!

I have no desire to sound like anyone but me....
Arbo.

[ImNotIrish]

What the 'L'?

Flute A; http://www.box.net/shared/ngf2dojlj5
Flute B: http://www.box.net/shared/vzsszk07r7
Flute C: http://www.box.net/shared/2bbqcx9sz2


You figure it out..
Arbo

[kkrell]

I'll guess:

A=Firth
B=Seery
C=Hudson

[Jon C.]

Okay, I'll bite...
A= Hudson
B= Seery
C= Firth

[benhall.1]

I listened, decided ... and came up with the same order as Jon C. FWIW, I think you sound most 'like you' on flute A.

[jemtheflute]

Okay, so that's a 'thank you, but no thank you?'
arbo

Not at all. Just unsure quite what the point is as you framed things. You have a very distinctive sound and style which could only be you on every clip of yours I have listened to! In the OP of my thread I wrote that I knew all my clips sounded like me; that others have agreed is no surprise but wasn't at all the point of my exercise. However, I think that in a crowd of comparable moderately competent players I would be unlikely to stand out. You would!

I'm in work today so can't listen to your clips until this-evening. Will do so later.

[LorenzoFlute]

A=Firth
B=Seery
C=Hudson

[radcliff]

mmm
FL A - Strong & nice sound, placement no.2 - Silver Medal
FL B - Sometimes weak, sometimes nice, placement no.3 - Bronze medal
FL C - Nice compromise, nice tone, nice sound - 1' & Winner

Arbo, confirmed: through those kind of recordings (mp3-pcSpeakers) You sound like "You" on all the flutes...

[jemtheflute]

OK, I've listened to all 3 in full, then quick bursts of the starts. I was fully prepared to have a go at guessing IDs, but I honestly haven't the faintest. FWIW, A sounds "biggest", most powerful, open, colourful. I think you seem progressively to lose your embouchure through B & C, or at least, not to find it on those flutes (as I didn't on my mystery flutes). That makes it rather hard to really asssess their (potential) sounds. I kinda expected (oh, the preconceptions!) to hear two obvious Prattens and one narrower bore/smaller hole, more refined type sound, but these clips give one biggy (I guess not the FHP) and two constricted (to my ears). The best, biggest sound ought to be from the Hudson, but I think you've been using the Seery a lot of late...... I expected to be able to spot the FHP and have to gamble on the other two, but that ain't so. This may be just because you've Arbo'd them all so effectively it really doesn't matter what you play? For sure, you do sound just like Arbo (who he? ) on all of 'em. I will guess that you've been playing A most most recently, whichever it is. I don't think your performances put the flutes on a level enough playing field - that may be a problem with my set of clips too. Or my ears just ain't up to the task.

Cop out! I wanted to do it, but I just can't.......

BTW, Arbo, you going to have a punt on my thread now (not just the ID guessing game, which I think is relatively trivial, though fun)?

[Latticino]

Took a quick listen, and on the surface they all sound like a Seery to me (but then I have a Seery so am familiar with the tone it is capable of. I've never played a original Hudson Pratten, but would assume the Firth Pond & Co would be more similar to my antique Wm Hall & sons). Any minor variations (and I didn't listen to them often enough, or simultaneously, to notice those) could easily be attributed to the human element.

While I always feel that my different flutes sound very dissimilar when I'm playing them, this experiment makes me believe that it may not be as perceptable from a couple of feet away, or perhaps just that I haven't developed my flute playing enough to get the sound I'm looking for out of any reasonable conical simple system flute the way more advanced players have. I know it feels like I can "lean into" the notes on a large hole, large bore, Pratten style a lot further before they flip up an octave than on a small tone hole Rudall style, and feel that I get slightly more volume in general from the former as well.

Interesting post, thanks for sharing.

[ImNotIrish]

Thanks all for listening and playing along!
Jem, I think you are right about fatigue! I did play the flutes cold, well....with one run through. Flute A was the first one I played, and fair play to you.... it is probably the one I have been playing the most recently. I think by the third time through I was relaxing some with the tune and not playing as loudly or aggressively.

Arbo

p.s.
Jem, I have listened to your experiment once all the way through one right after the other. Need a few more passes, maybe listening two at a time.