better flute for better flutist?

[Cathy Wilde]

Most people would be amazed how good the flute they have already is.

Well-said! Funny, it kind of works that way with horses, too. Most any horse can be "pushbutton" -- you just have to figure out what the buttons are and when, where, and how best to push them.

[Guinness]

Are we going to not get a superb flute only because we are beginners or anyway not professional flutists?

Let's turn this around for moment. Imagine the doubt or even dismay of a highly accomplished maker when he knows that some of his best work will end up in the hands of a hack or some collector who will never actually play the instrument. There's more than one reason for having a waiting list.

[kkrell]

I have always found it wise to allow the craftsman the freedom and time to work to his own satisfaction, and have never been disappointed.

For instance, does this look like the work of a builder who palmed off inferior product to a hack player?

http://www.worldtrad.org/Unicorn_inlay.jpg
(Zoom in for detail)
Sorry for the bad pic - scanned from an old slide.

The inlay is white mother of pearl, with the ripples simulating musculature. Hooves and horn are gold mother of pearl (note the detail of the twist). Mane, tail, beard and leg feathers are abalone. If you saw my rough sketch, you'd have laughed.

[Guinness]

Nice! And that is good advice. I did see one example of shoddy work from a very well known maker because my buddy kept pressuring him to send the damn thing to him already. Well, at least it played okay.

[Cayden]

I think the juxtaposition of 'shoddy' and 'going the extra mile for a very good player' is a misguided one. There's the difference between your standard instrument and putting the extra detail and effort into the set up of an instrument for a really good player. That's what at issue here.

There's the reward of having something you made played very well and done justice, plain old job satisfaction opposed to putting in your hours to see your instrument go to someone who will never do it justice, who just wants another instrument added to what he already has, who has not made the commitment to playing.

I am talking in more general terms than just about a few flutemakers here (though still within Irish music circles) but in my experience there's a fair amount of frustration with buyers who think they are 'owed the best' just because they have money to burn, noodlers and those who buy instruments just to have them, mantle piece buyers . Makers like to see their instruments played and played well, it's what makes the job worth doing. Most makers I know will go that extra bit for a good player (as opposed to a buyer/owner). And there's a difference between the customer you know and the unknown entity from the backarse of the other side of the world as well. Which doesn't mean these makers will sell something sub-standard but doing the job for some has just that bit more of an incentive and it makes the difference in the endproduct.

[Ro3b]

It doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter at all. If you've got a good instrument -- one that plays in tune and that you can get good tones out of -- then you're set. All you have to do is play it the best you can and work on improving how you play it, and don't obsess over equipment so much. If you worry that "oooh, that guy got a better flute than I did," you're missing the point.

I think Matt Molloy is still playing the instrument that was Patrick's personal flute for a couple of years. I played it a few times before it wound up in Matt's hands, and while I could tell it was a fine instrument, I could make better music with my Olwell. FWIW.

[sbfluter]

It doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter at all. If you've got a good instrument -- one that plays in tune and that you can get good tones out of -- then you're set. All you have to do is play it the best you can and work on improving how you play it, and don't obsess over equipment so much. If you worry that "oooh, that guy got a better flute than I did," you're missing the point.

Maybe that's the difference between players and collectors. I don't envy my fellow session-mate who has an Olwell when I'm playing my Folk Flute. And I actually think I have a prettier flute than he does when I'm playing my boxwood flute.

I do envy his skills, however. Sigh.

[Cayden]

It doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter at all. If you've got a good instrument -- one that plays in tune and that you can get good tones out of -- then you're set. All you have to do is play it the best you can and work on improving how you play it, and don't obsess over equipment so much. If you worry that "oooh, that guy got a better flute than I did," you're missing the point.

I think that's about it, you will get a decent flute fro many of the makers mentioned. If a very experienced player gets more attention and a finer detailed set up, take into consideration there may be nuances involved in that that that player may be able to bring out that are not within reach of the average player.

I still think everybody should aim to collect their flute and play it before buying it. As James likes to point out, not all flutes are equal. I know the situation of for example a local player phoning a flutemaker asking after flutes for the son and two or three pupils. 'Sure' the reply came, 'I just finished a batch and some came out particularly nice, come and play what I have and pick the ones you like, I'll post off the rest to overseas buyers after the weekend'. I mean, by post you get what you get, in person you may be able to pick or at least talk over the new flute and how you like it.

[Denny]

If a very experienced player gets more attention and a finer detailed set up, take into consideration there may be nuances involved in that that that player may be able to bring out that are not within reach of the average player.

It might be that the experienced player is better able to articulate the preferred nuances involved than the average player. This would aid the maker in choosing a more appropriate flute from a batch.

[johnkerr]

[I still think everybody should aim to collect their flute and play it before buying it. As James likes to point out, not all flutes are equal. I know the situation of for example a local player phoning a flutemaker asking after flutes for the son and two or three pupils. 'Sure' the reply came, 'I just finished a batch and some came out particularly nice, come and play what I have and pick the ones you like, I'll post off the rest to overseas buyers after the weekend'. I mean, by post you get what you get, in person you may be able to pick or at least talk over the new flute and how you like it.

And that can work the other way, too. Many years ago while at Willie Week I was asked by a woman staying in the B&B if I would come down with her to a local flute maker's shop and try a flute for her, since she was a raw beginner herself. (I'll not mention the maker's name, but I know he's not in Miltown Malbay any more and he may very well not be making flutes any more either.) I tried a couple of the guy's flutes and told her that honestly I wasn't much impressed with them. Based on that, I don't think she bought a flute from him. But if she had been one to just rely on a maker's availablity and lack of bad press to buy through the post, she might well have bought one of those mediocre flutes not knowing any better.

[brotherwind]

All you have to do is play it the best you can and work on improving how you play it, and don't obsess over equipment so much.

I feel this is absolutely right.

However, I am forcing myself not to be obsessive about "material". Just why does it seem to be so difficult?

And hey guys, I am sure I am not the only materialistic one around.
Any idea handy?

[sbfluter]

However, I am forcing myself not to be obsessive about "material". Just why does it seem to be so difficult?

I believe our culture saturates us with this idea. The whole "New and Improved" business. Planned obsolescence. Throw out perfectly good stuff when the next new thing comes out just because it's supposed to be newer and better (and sometimes isn't.)

[Ro3b]

Heh. This all reminded me of something Molloy said in an interview on Brad Hurley's site:

<blockquote>'I'm into boats; I have a boat. I was talking to my brother, who is into boats as well. Now you know, I've in mind the perfect boat. It's a 33 foot, I could handle this on my own, it's the right size. Couple of feet bigger than the one I have already, you see. That's it, I am going to get a really good one. I'm going to pay the money for it, and that's going to see me out, do me for 10 or 15 years, and I won't be interested after that, so that's it. And he says, "Well, you know what the perfect boat is?" "No, what?" "It's the one that's 2 feet longer than the one you already have." '</blockquote>

[Akiba]

We're not alone as fluters looking for the "Excalibur", the "Silver Bullet" of flutes, thinking that a special flute will make up for our shortcomings and instantly make us better players. When I played golf seriously, I kept buying drivers and putters, like most of other golfers do as well (even the pros), in search of that driver that will give me a few more yards, more consistency, and a putter that will sink a few more putts. Tennis--I have 5 rackets.

I am reminded of two champions:

Pete Sampras used the same style racket his whole career.

James Galway wrote this (though he speaks of Boehm flutes, I think it's absolutely applicable to Irish flutes as well)--"I personally have never played around with the flutes I played on. Instead of wasting time changing holes and messing with headjoints I just practiced on what I had. I guess I did more practice than most of my colleagues. Just think of it like this: as they were hacking around I was practising! And do you think all this made any difference to the intonation of people changing the holes on the flute?

Mr. Cooper made enough progress on the scale of the flute to make it easier to play. None of these flutes are perfect and one just has to get used to the imperfections of the instrument, get flexible and overcome the difficulties presented at all times."

All that said, I have another flute on the way

jason

[LorenzoFlute]

Thanks for all the answers guys, i hoped you would have said such things, and i'm happy about them
just to reply somebody's thought, surely i'd never think that a better flute would make me suddenly become a better player, and even on a medium quality flute people could improve their playing a lot, maybe until it will sound just like a great flute.

about mr galway's thoughts, i can certainly agree with them, but hell is just so cool to think about these stuff!