my first flute - Patrick Olwell bamboo G [w/pics]

fionnbarra · Post by **fionnbarra** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:28 am

hi there, if anyone has a bamboo olwell in C or Eb that they would wish to part with i would be glad to buy it.

Brewster · Post by **Brewster** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:26 pm

Hi Alepsa (and anyone else who wants to chime in)--I'm also considering taking the plunge into the world of flutes, too. How did you decide which key to buy? Is there a popular key for flute, like D for whistle? Also, where did you get the Olwell--from P.O. himself or from a store?

Thanks.

Brewster

crystalflute · Post by **crystalflute** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 12:35 am

alespa wrote:HOT OFF THE PRESS ***** IT'S HERE!!! *****

A very large diameter tube (4" x 24") with a beautiful brownish bamboo flute in the key of G is in my house. Patrick does lovely work and the stamp of his name on the barrel gives it that touch that says, this is not a toy. This is my FIRST flute, so . . .

I was excited that I got a few notes out of it after playing with my posture, grip, angle of blowing, shape of mouth and so on. I was able to get part of tune into both octaves, but I got a little light headed. Is that normal? Maybe my blood sugar is a little low right now! I haven't eaten for awhile.

Anyway, I'll get around to posting pics next week.

FYI for anyone ordering one of these beauties . . . you can order a cloth carrying case with drawstring for an extra $6 ($8 for Eb and D). I only mention this, because I didn't know.

Talk amongst yourselves, I'll be back after a while. Gotta get ready to go to a birthday dinner for one of my sons.

Congrats to you. It's nice to pick up a fun instrument and make it part of our hum drum lives.. Makes it less... hum drum.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 7:58 am

Brewster wrote:Hi Alepsa (and anyone else who wants to chime in)--I'm also considering taking the plunge into the world of flutes, too. How did you decide which key to buy? Is there a popular key for flute, like D for whistle? Also, where did you get the Olwell--from P.O. himself or from a store?

Thanks.

Brewster

The D flute (as in low D) is the most popular key for Irish music. Second I think would be G or maybe E. F seems to be gaining more popularity as well.

I think Matt ordered his flute directly from Olwell.

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 3:52 pm

monkey587 wrote:
seisflutes wrote:
Hrmm, those look like it too, thought the pics aren't as close up so it's hard to tell. But see, Patrick Olwell is in VA too. So I don't know! What kind of bags do the woodsong ones come in? I forgot to mention that it came in this really ugly tapestry-ish bag.

Yep, that's them.

Olwells have "olwell" engraved on them. I have a high Bb.

Okay, thanks! Now I know!

Woodsong it is then.

Brewster · Post by **Brewster** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:21 am

Thanks for the info, IDAwHOa. I'll keep it in mind when I take the plunge.

monkey587 · Post by **monkey587** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 10:44 am

seisflutes wrote:
monkey587 wrote:
seisflutes wrote:
Hrmm, those look like it too, thought the pics aren't as close up so it's hard to tell. But see, Patrick Olwell is in VA too. So I don't know! What kind of bags do the woodsong ones come in? I forgot to mention that it came in this really ugly tapestry-ish bag.

Yep, that's them.

Olwells have "olwell" engraved on them. I have a high Bb.
Okay, thanks! Now I know! Woodsong it is then.

They make nice instruments. If I could order from them online, I would. I think they're close enough to "as good as" olwell bamboos that most people couldn't really tell the difference.

alespa · Post by **alespa** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:11 am

I've been out a bit, so sorry for the late reply Brewster. IDAwHOa answered it close. I picked the G becuase I had heard from people I trust, that since I play with guitars in non-Irish music, that the key of G was a good one. As it turns out, I still play my low D whistle the most and my C whistle almost as much. So now I'm thinking that if I can get my embrochure down well enough to get a second flute, it will be F or D. I don't know if this helps, but for your needs, I suggest consider the type of music and the key you will play most. I bought mine direct from Pat and it took at least 2 months (I lost count). But it was worth the wait, and it was like opening a Christmas present when it got here

Pat does a beautiful job on these flutes. I'd love to watch him make one, but I'm too far across the country

I was skeptical at first about buying a bamboo flute, but I have to say I love the sound, the looks and smell of this instrument!

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:52 pm

Jack Bradshaw wrote:....
PS...I beleive the smell is from burning the holes....

...........

Yes, any torching of bamboo will evince that smell.
It reminds me of a fecund mangrove. Its beautiful.

My first flute, about 35 years ago, was an F bansuri (a cheapie) and it had that smell and so have all bamboo flutes that have been fire holed or fire tweaked. Not bamboo that has not been fired. Heavy oiling may somewhat subdue it over a period of time.

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 7:25 am

As far as popular keys, E and G are popular keys for tunes, but not for instruments. The popular keys for instruments, in some sort of approximate order (you are all welcome to add your inputs) are:
D, Eb/Bb, C, F... that about covers it.

Chris

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:04 am

ChrisLaughlin wrote:As far as popular keys, E and G are popular keys for tunes, but not for instruments. The popular keys for instruments, in some sort of approximate order (you are all welcome to add your inputs) are:
D, Eb/Bb, C, F... that about covers it.

Chris

Amen to your quote, Chris!
"Loose Lips, Pink Slips."
www.moveon.org

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 1:35 am

ChrisLaughlin wrote:As far as popular keys, E and G are popular keys for tunes, but not for instruments. The popular keys for instruments, in some sort of approximate order (you are all welcome to add your inputs) are:
D, Eb/Bb, C, F... that about covers it.

Chris

This is only the beginning of a useful post if its about the Irish trad.
Chris doesn't explain why the D flute is the most popular in Irish tradition (currently), a tradition in which the E and G keys (as in keynotes or tonics) are the "most popular".

It is because, in ITM G Ionian (Major Scale) and the E Aeolian (Natural Minor Scale) figure a lot. You will be able to get these scales respectively from the following keynote positions on the D flute
XXX OOO
and XXX XXO
and both will require xfingereing or half holing for the natural C required in each of them.

On the basis of the info. given in Chris's post and my elaboration you will now see why a G flute will mostly satisfy the current keynote requirements of Irish music - namely, a standard run on the G flute will give you G major
and a run from XOO OO will give you your E natural Minor - both possible on this flute without any xfingering.

For the G flute I said "mostly" because (and Chris hasn't mentioned this) A keynote is fairly common on Irish D flute playing and, from what I can see, most of it is for A Mixolydian Mode (a type of major scale which has a minor 7th). You cannot get an A Mixolydian on a G flute unless you half hole the D vent to get C#
as XXC OOO.

In another topic some time ago Brad Hurley talked about "A minor" pieces on a D flute by which he meant a run of notes from A but with the 3rd xfingered. He couldnt explain to me why this was traditionally called A minor. A minor in current pop. usage refers to A natural minor and is a shortcut way of expressing that but you cannot call the series of notes on a D flute from A to A+ with a cross fingered C - ( A B C D E F# G A+) you cannot call that A nat minor ( A B C D E F G A+)- it is A Dorian whcih is a MINOR scale in the broad sense of the term but not THE (natural) minor scale in terms of staff notation oriented usage of western music.

Incidentally, Bloomfield, in an ITM forum topic about the Harmonic Minor Scale, if I recall correctly, point blank told me that there is no or very little Dorian Mode in ITM. However, on the basis of Brad Hurley's comments about there being a scale with the notes A B C D E F# G A+ , I am curious as to the names ofthese ITM pieces which are inDorian Mode.

Eivind · Post by **Eivind** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:45 am

Hi all,
suppose this goes for any flute; but I just recently discovered how important it is where you keep the flute, and that you clean it out and let it dry whenever you have played.

I discovered mill-dew just beneath the emb.hole in my bamboo D. I had failed to clean/dry it properly before putting it back into the pouch; and there it was.
These things grow really fast, so at the first blow, there was a small but considerable cloud of little spores flying out of the far end

On Patrick's advice, I killed it with Tea-tree oil. After this, it smells heavily of tea-tree oil, but I hope it will dry out soon. BTW, if you try the same, be sure to use a thinned one, usually available in health-food stores. The concentrated stuff bought at pharmacies is very poisonous and the smell is very strong.

Just my $0.02...

Chiff and Fipple Forums

my first flute - Patrick Olwell bamboo G [w/pics]

Re: my first flute - Patrick Olwell bamboo G [w/pics]

EEEElaborations

Mill-dew and bamboo flutes