Audacity and new Aebi flutes

onkel · Post by **onkel** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:01 am

Hi all,

I've been lurking here for a good while but now I think it's about time to send a message, because... my new flute(s!) have arrived!

I now am a proud owner of a fully keyed Aebi D-flute (Rudall type) and a Bb-Flute of the same maker. Both flutes are just one week old. I am almost frightened at how well-balanced they are... I'll have to balance my own playing now I'm afraid...

The program Audacity caught my mind as I read the glottal triplets thread and I just had to play with it for the craic. My equipment here is really low-tec, I've used the cheap little microphone that came with my computer. So what you'll hear here is me playing concertina and my new d-flute at the same time (but slightly out of sync, I didn't have headphones to play along with my own playing... be warned!):

concertina and flute mp3

And here's my Bb baby just on its own:

Bb Aebi flute

Have fun
Claus

BMFW · Post by **BMFW** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:27 am

The Bb sounds wonderful - have you played a Bb before? There's not many people who would play a Bb at that speed after just a week.

I really enjoyed your playing - and I hope you enjoy the flutes.

Cheers

Graham

Dana · Post by **Dana** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:48 am

Ooh, nice, thanks for letting us hear your new babies. What about posting the D flute by itself?

rama · Post by **rama** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:02 am

You multi-instrumentalists must be from another planet.

The flutes sound wonderful and a fine bit of playing too. Sweet!
Ah, yes another member exposed themself!

You're cranking it on the Bb after 1 week? Yikes! I think it would take me a loooong time to get comfortable on a big stick.

Yeah, I vote for a D flute solo too.

Thanks.
r

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:09 am

The fingerspan on a Bb is smaller than you might think. Your hands are further away from your mouth (i.e., embouchure-to-top-hole distance), but the actuall spread isn't a whole lot more than a D, and certainly not much more than a low D whistle. But, when it comes to ergonomics, I think little distances can mean a lot.

What materials did you choose for your instruments, Onkel Claus? Koennten Sie vielleicht uns Fotos zeigen . . .

?

Stuart

Blackbeer · Post by **Blackbeer** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:38 am

Nice playing. Now will someone please tell me what the little trill at the end of both tunes is called and how it`s done. I have been hearing it on so many tunes and I can`t seem to figure it out.

Tom

Hoed · Post by **Hoed** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:49 am

Wow ...

that Bb piece is probably the best I've ever heard on this board. Very well played! Gives me even more motivation to keep on practicing. I must say the Bb flute has a wonderful tone, nice round and warm. But as they always say: it's not the flute, but the player that makes the tune sound good.

I vote for a D flute solo and pictures of the flutes as well!

herbivore12 · Post by **herbivore12** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 10:07 am

Claus,
Excellent playing, and very nice-sounding instruments. I bet they wouldn't sound nearly so nice in my hands, sadly! Thanks for posting those tunes. Is the Bb the model Aebi designed, that's is apparently entirely conical (even the headjoint)? Does that design have much influence on the size/layout of the flute and toneholes?

Blackbeer,
Finger vibrato. Tap the tonehole about two holes down from the note you're playing to get that effect; that is, if you're playing a G, rapidly (but not too rapidly) cover and uncover the E hole. Different flutes react differently, so you may have to experiment a bit with which holes to tap to achieve vibrato on a particular note. It'll also take practice to get that effect on the lowest notes on the flute; you may have to tap so that only a portion of a hole is covered. I think I've even seen folks tapping the body of the flute with a free finger, away from any holes, but that may have been my imagination in concert with bad lighting . . .

BMFW · Post by **BMFW** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 10:52 am

I think I've just figured out why I like the sound of a Bb so much. If you listen to Claus's recording, when he is playing in the upper register there is still a very strong harmonic from the octave below, which adds a real weight to the tone. I'm not as aware of this on the D flute although I can hear it sometimes when I play.

Perhaps someone who paid more attention in their acoustics lectures than me can enlightem me on this phenomena (and enlighten me as to whether I've spelt phenomena correctly - twice!)

I agree that this is some of the nicest playing we've heard on the board in the last wee while. I would also point you to this recording http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/Au ... hCaraL.mp3 in the clips'n'snips'n'chips'n'dips page - a great tune, really nicely played.

Cheers

Graham

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 11:59 am

One's a phenomenON, two become phenomenA.

I think you're onto something, though, in that the larger flutes seem to be richer in harmonics. Eb flutes tend to sound really pure to me, whereas the Bb is . . . well, sexy. Kathleen Turner's voice. You know.

Stuart

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:03 pm

Had a shot on one of those D Aebi flutes in Dublin some months ago... very nice machines. Now there's a man that can cut an embouchure. Sounding good!

Regards,

H.

onkel · Post by **onkel** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:23 pm

Thanks for all your comments! Your are all very encouraging people!

Graham wrote:The Bb sounds wonderful - have you played a Bb before?

No, but as it actually isn't that much different from playin a d flute, as Stuart pointed out. My girlfriend (who happens to play flute as well) has tried it, and she had no problems playing it even though her hands are much smaller than mine. But I am most stunned at how easy it is to blow. Even bottom notes are no problem at all!

sturob wrote:What materials did you choose for your instruments, Onkel Claus? Koennten Sie vielleicht uns Fotos zeigen . . . ?

They are both blackwood. I don't have a digital camera, but a friend might take a few shots coming weekend, so maybe next week...

herbivore12 wrote: Is the Bb the model Aebi designed, that's is apparently entirely conical (even the headjoint)? Does that design have much influence on the size/layout of the flute and toneholes?

I admittedly don't have a clue about the whole design thing. The Bb does have a tuning slide, so at least that part can't be conical.

And now, since some have asked for it, the d flute alone:

Aebi's Rudall

Not as smooth as the Bb, but I'm working on it...

Claus

rama · Post by **rama** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 1:39 pm

Brilliant! Thanks

carrie · Post by **carrie** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:36 pm

Lovely!

Cara's is beautiful, too!

Thank you both for the clips.

Carol

Michel · Post by **Michel** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:32 pm

lovely stuff indeed!
own too a flute made by Aebi-same "prowness" as yours!!!