Bnat Flute

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 9:11 am

I have been looking for a not-too-expensive wooden flute in B natural. It seems most makers ignore or avoid this particular key. Anyone know why? I had asked Casey Burns about it when I ordered my D flute, but he just said no, and wouldn't discuss it. Seems to be something terrible about a flute in Bnat, but I have no idea what it is.

I have a set of UPs in Bnat, and thought a bit of B flute would compliment it. UPs in B are quite popular. I had quite a search to find a penny whistle in Bnat as well (Susato makes one).

So what's the deal? What is so terrible about flutes in the key of B?

Thx,

djm

mrosenlof · Post by **mrosenlof** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 9:20 am

Every new key for a wooden flute is going to require a new set of reamers to create the correct bore profile, and a new set of calculations for hole sizes and placements. True, this can often be scaled from a nearby key, but there is still R&D effort required.

My guess is that there just isn't enough demand to justify the effort.

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 9:32 am

That's true if the development is new, but there are flutes in other keys. Why has no-one ever developed one in Bnat? Bnat used to be Cnat at one time, and it is surmised that what we have today as a Bnat UP set was once Cnat. Today there are flutes in many keys, including Bb and Cnat, but they always seem to skip around doing Bnat. Seems a bit weird.

djm

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 9:50 am

djm wrote:That's true if the development is new, but there are flutes in other keys. Why has no-one ever developed one in Bnat? Bnat used to be Cnat at one time, and it is surmised that what we have today as a Bnat UP set was once Cnat. Today there are flutes in many keys, including Bb and Cnat, but they always seem to skip around doing Bnat. Seems a bit weird.

djm

Well, concert pitch flutes are in "D". Bb flutes are useful to play with marching band instruments that are in Bb and F (ditto for F flutes). This pretty much covers all of the pitches that were traditionally available.

Oh, Eb flutes... these are actually D flutes made for high pitch, for millitary bands.

Hammy Hamilton lists C and B flutes in his catalog, BTW.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~hammie/Pitches.htm
So Hammy's your man. Tell him i said hi.

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 9:57 am

Glauber, thanks for the link. Wow! That's not my idea of inexpensive for a keyless wooden flute. I think I keep looking.

djm

chas · Post by **chas** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:19 am

Does anyone know if Olwell does Bnat bamboo flutes? I just ordered an Enat bamboo from him.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:20 am

djm wrote:Glauber, thanks for the link. Wow! That's not my idea of inexpensive for a keyless wooden flute. I think I keep looking.

900 Euro for the B keyless (D keyless is 700 Euro).

Hammy's flutes were easier to buy when the Euro was weaker relative to the dollar.

g

rama · Post by **rama** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:12 pm

flutemaker bryan byrne in vermont makes a Bnat model

wolvy · Post by **wolvy** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:39 pm

A friend of mine recently bought a Bnat flute from Andress Rogge to be able to play with flat pitched pipes in B.

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 4:06 pm

All the links I've found for Bryan Byrne so far come up dead or empty. It seems that he worked at Seth Gallagher's for a while, but Seth is now making his own not-inexpensive flutes. Does anyone have an up-to-date link for Bryan?

Thx,

djm

rama · Post by **rama** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:10 pm

bryan byrne isn't online so you'll have to call him by phone. brad hurley's site probably has his contact info. if not, then i have it somewhere and can dig it out for you.

John S · Post by **John S** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 8:16 am

Whistles made in India and Pakistan are often 1 semitone below the marked Key, I have several B Bansri (Mmarked C) I baught for a pitance and with a bit of re-tuning turned into excelant instruments.
Good luck
John S

NicoMoreno · Post by **NicoMoreno** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:09 pm

DJM --> syn's come in B natural
Come to Elora some friday, and I will play one for you... you have to bring the flat set though, so I can ste... er... hear it again!

As for flutes... I know nothing... sorry!

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:16 pm

"Syns"? You mean like synthesizers, or like "syns of the father"?

djm

NicoMoreno · Post by **NicoMoreno** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 7:54 pm

I mean like <a href = "http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~nlbrown/Ph ... index.html"> syns </a>