calling inventors: we need a flute drone!

[tin tin]

Some of my favorite music involves drones or sympathetic resonance: pipes, of course, also double-stops and brushed adjacent strings on the fiddle, the Hardanger fiddle, the left-hand buttons on accordions...these instruments all have some sort of self-accompaniment/sonic enhancement option.

But what about the flute? How about a foot-pump operated 'accordion' drone or putting a bowed psaltery near the player or attaching an extra flute tube just below the flute that picks up extraneous breath? Let's figure out how to get flutes in on the drone/sympathetic resonance action!

[Nanohedron]

My flute will set my idle cittern to ringing, especially when I hit the low D note. I always thought of it as evidence that everything was well in tune, of course, but beyond it being an interesting diversion and more often an intrusion, I hadn't considered drone possibilities before...

[tin tin]

Yeah, a DADGAD guitar on my lap will do that, too. But it's pretty soft...

[Nanohedron]

If one were to go the resonance route like that you'd want some top-notch luthiership to get the sensitivity required for the purpose. And you'd still probably want to mike it at least for stage work, anyway.

Does your guitar sympathetically ring any louder if it's on a stand? That might make some difference.

[MTGuru]

I realize this is mostly tongue-in-cheek, but I'll bite. Chomp. Ouch.

I always figure that whenever I have a brilliant idea, someone has already done it. Sadly, I'm usually right.

Obviously, aulos-type multipipe flutes have been around for a while (to say the least), though blowing multiple tubes is a bit problematic with a transverse flute.

More fundamentally, you should tighten up your thinking about this. You're describing three very different phenomena: drones (pipes), sympathetic resonance (Hardanger), and momentary harmonic accompaniment (accordion LH, double stops).

[tin tin]

I realize this is mostly tongue-in-cheek, but I'll bite. Chomp. Ouch.

Well, it's only partially tongue in cheek. I'd really love some sort of sonic augmentation for the flute.

More fundamentally, you should tighten up your thinking about this. You're describing three very different phenomena: drones (pipes), sympathetic resonance (Hardanger), and momentary harmonic accompaniment (accordion LH, double stops).

True, although I'd be up for any of them. Electronics (looping pedals and such) would be one approach, but I'm really curious if there's an acoustic approach, whether it be a drone, sympathetic resonance, or harmonic accompaniment. Given some of the strictures of the transverse flute, this will likely have to be some sort of outboard device.

[Nanohedron]

Electronics (looping pedals and such) would be one approach, but I'm really curious if there's an acoustic approach, whether it be a drone, sympathetic resonance, or harmonic accompaniment. Given some of the strictures of the transverse flute, this will likely have to be some sort of outboard device.

Tanpura? Shruti box?

[kmag]

Vacuum cleaner with a rheostat for tuning.

[kkrell]

Grey Larsen has been using a Shruti Box, like this:



He places (guitar slides?) on the keys, and pumps with his foot.

[Sirchronique]

Grey Larsen has been using a Shruti Box, like this:



He places (guitar slides?) on the keys, and pumps with his foot.

Yeah, I saw a video of the flute maker Billy Miller using something similar. The name of it has slipped my mind, but it's similar to what you have posted. (if not the same thing, but I was thinking it had a different name...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VduVuATcAm8

[MTGuru]

Grey Larsen has been using a Shruti Box, like this

That looks like a harmonium, not a shruti box, Kevin. Unless those button thingies toward the front are drone selectors.

[adamhendey]

If a D drone is all you're after, the 3/4 set app designed by Michael Eskin works pretty well... He essentially recorded samples of his Mike Hubbert drones and regulators, and playing along with the uilleann drone timbre is contextually correct with Irish music (and it sounds pretty good too).

[kkrell]

Grey Larsen has been using a Shruti Box, like this

That looks like a harmonium, not a shruti box, Kevin. Unless those button thingies toward the front are drone selectors.

True, the shruti box is similar to a harmonium - same bellows pumping principle, but usually just for droning. It's really a harmonium that is pictured, with the keyboard, and that is similar to what Grey uses.

Maybe if I went to NAMM I'd be able to tell them apart.

[MTGuru]

Maybe if I went to NAMM I'd be able to tell them apart.

Oh, snap.

(I know, it's not really funny.)

[Sirchronique]

Grey Larsen has been using a Shruti Box, like this

That looks like a harmonium

Harmonium!! That's the word I was looking for and had on the tip of my tongue. That was really bothering me, thanks!