Irish Flute on Ebay

kaalee · Post by **kaalee** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 4:20 pm

I saw an Irish Flute on Ebay for $39.95. It is made of rosewood and can be seen at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... =925456831

Is this worth considering for my daughter. She has been playing the flute since 5th grade (she is in 7th currently) and is interested in other instruments (as well as starting a flute collection). Any advice would be appreciated. We are also considering a good pennywhistle. What are your favorites and why?

Thanks.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 4:29 pm

See the thread below on my purchase of the exact same flute:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... forum=2&13.

I should be getting mine Friday or the following Monday. I would not recommend this flute if you're looking for something for your daughter -- I can't think of anything setting back a first time Irish Flute player more than buying a most likely terrible/unplayable instrument. For me, I like to tinker with instruments and see it as a rehab challenge.

Probably the best jump into Irish wooden flute is a Bamboo Olwell Flute in Low D for about $85 - available online at House of Musical Traditions or through Patrick Olwell himself (I don't know his phone nubmer -- perhaps someone else will post it). This is not you're cheap bamboo flute, but one played by professionals as well as commoners...

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 4:46 pm

DO NOT BUY THAT FLUTE FOR YOUR DAUGHTER!!!!!!!!
It'll be a total piece of #&(* and turn her off from playing flute.
Instead, invest in an Olwell bamboo. You can't lose that way.
Best,
Chris

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 4:55 pm

Your daughter's fingers/hands are probably not large enough for her to comfortably play an Olwell bamboo D...try a G or maybe an F first.
Micah

kaalee · Post by **kaalee** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 5:18 pm

Jayhawk - Let me know what you find out about the flute. I don't plan on buying it, but would be interested in what I would have gotten if I hadn't done some checking.

I am now looking at the tinwhistles. I see that it is recommended that a beginner start with a D flute. One of the other responses to my post indicated that my daughter might not be able to handle the fingering on a D Olwell flute. I realize that they are played differently, but why do they recommend the D over any others in the tinwhistle. Is it also recommended in the Olwell flute?

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 5:20 pm

Kalee,
D is the standard key for Irish music. If one has a D whistle or flute he/she could play along with almost all recorded Irish music. Also, when your daughter reaches the point that she wants to play in sessions she will be able to join in with the other musicians since they will also be playing D instruments.
Best,
Chris

CraigMc · Post by **CraigMc** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 5:44 pm

I am considering a Hammilton G beginner flute for when my daughter turns around 6 or so. He made this one specifically for kids who want to start a transverse flute earlier than 10.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~hammie/practice.htm

The practise flute is available in concert pitch - D, or for small children, a much smaller flute in G can be ordered. Normally, children from the age of 10 or so will be able for the concert pitch practise flute.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: CraigMc on 2002-11-26 18:45 ]</font>

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 5:53 pm

Kalee - To add to Chris' response. In whistles, you are looking for a High D not a low D whistle. Luckily, high D is the most common whistle size. Another nice thing about whistles is there are quite a few cheap ones that are nice instruments. I'd recommend starting with either a Clarke Original whistle in D, a Waltons D or a Generation D (sometimes labelled a "folk whistle"). All three come in at around $10 each maximum.

I do not personally have an Olwell Bamboo Low D flute, so I can't measure the hole spacing, but it's not uncommon to have a spread of 1 1/2 inches between the 5th and 6th hole in some low D flutes, so it could be an issue unless your daughter has long fingers. A "G" Olwell bamboo may well be a better choice.

Another option would be a Ralph Sweet (Sweetheart Flute Company) Folk Fife in D. It's a high D, so finger spacing is not an issue.

I will post back in my other thread with a review of the flute when I first receive it.

theweirdscotsman · Post by **theweirdscotsman** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 6:03 pm

As mentioned above,I think it would be wise to get her a D whistle. They're inexpensive and she could learn the basics and a few tunes on it. If she does keep showing interest, the whistle can tide her over until she gets a starter flute. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between the flute and whistle embouchure-wise, but it's a place to start.

kaalee · Post by **kaalee** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 6:21 pm

Do any of you play the silver flute (orchestra flute -- in case there is another type of silver flute out there that I'm unaware of)? Is the bamboo flute embouchure the same? By this I mean, if she can play one, will she have any problems playing the other? How different is the fingering?

Thanks.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 7:12 pm

I was teaching some young kids (7-10 yrs.) with the Hamilton G practice flutes at Scoil Achla in Co.Mayo during the summer and they were knocking great music out of them. I would certainly recommend them for a young beginner. I think the G Olwell would do the same job judging by the quality of his high F flutes although Hamilton's metal option would obviously be sturdier ( the kids in Achill were dropping them, hitting each other with them, hitting ME with them and generally getting their moneys worth!).

Regards, Harry.

MkN · Post by **MkN** » Wed Nov 27, 2002 11:14 am

The embouchre for a wood flute and silver flute are not the same. I play both and when I first started on a wood flute I had some trouble getting used to it. If your daughter plays silver flute she probably will take a while getting used to it, but after a while will be able to swich back and forth.

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Wed Nov 27, 2002 10:44 pm

It's my experience that kids pick up things very quickly. I don't think your daughter would have that tough a time at all ~ know that everyone's experience is different, but I didn't have any trouble at all switching to wooden flute from silver, and back again. Still don't.
Happy Thanksgiving, All!
Mary

kaalee · Post by **kaalee** » Wed Nov 27, 2002 10:51 pm

I'm beginning to think it won't be any problem at all for her. She picked up my husband's old clarinet (It's been at least 30 years since he played it.) and even with the old reed (yuk!) she played it. We went to the band store and got new reeds and a book and is already to the same point that her sister is and she has been playing the oboe since August. I have been looking at the instruments on eriktheflutemaker.com and there are a lot of them that she is interested in and they are affordable, so it looks like that will be the way I go. (They have a deal now where I can get the bamboo sax & clarinet, plus accessories for $99.)