favorite flute key?

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:36 pm

As flutes in keys other than D become increasingly popular and available, what's your favorite...and why?

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:01 pm

Other than D, my favorite key is F. Something magic about F flutes.

Doc

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:42 pm

D, for obvious reasons.

However I like A very well, especially as it gets me D.
Also G, which gets me C.
And Bb--all of these being higher pitched, not lower.

I think the higher keyed flutes are underrated.
They're fun to play, sound great, they're easy to finger, and they
improve your embouchure too. Also they don't need
to cost a lot to sound great. Different voices welcome,
they can add something fresh to ensembles.

LorenzoFlute · Post by **LorenzoFlute** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:56 am

Maybe you shouldn't have put the D key as an option, it's quite obvious that most people will choose that...
anyway, my favourite key is Bb, there's something magic in the sound of low flutes. I never heard a low A (conical) flute though...

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:34 am

Bb, but they kill my freakin' already messed up left wrist/forearm.

Loren

Romulo · Post by **Romulo** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:42 am

Othannen wrote:Maybe you shouldn't have put the D key as an option, it's quite obvious that most people will choose that...
anyway, my favourite key is Bb, there's something magic in the sound of low flutes. I never heard a low A (conical) flute though...

Ronan Browne plays a Bb Woof pulled out to A here(listen to "The Big Bull Flute")

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... =125375085

Bothrops · Post by **Bothrops** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:54 am

Key of D, of course.

Why?, just listen the CD: "'d' flute" of Kevin Crawford, and you tell me!

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:55 pm

Its difficult to compare apples with mandarins or avocados.
For instance, at present, my favourite key flute is any of these:-
a) with the lowest bell note with big sound
b) with the lowest bell note with the greatest glissandi (therefore, microtonal) possibilities
c) with the lowest bell note of small flutes that allow whistle like digit dexterity

So for the first one my favourite is my Chu C bamboo flute with bamboo lip plate. It honks and its deep. With cylindrical bore I asked the maker to use 2 thumbholes for 2 of the 6 tone holes for to facilitate reach.
Now, if I could afford it, I'd order a low Bb flute (probably in boxwood) and that would become my favourite key.

For the second one that is my bansuri with C# bell note. Its cyclindrical so the reach is a bit more difficult than one would imagine if one is thinking along lines of a tapered bore instrument. Bansuri-s are glissandi or slide technique wind instruments par excellence. This is the largest bansuri I can comfortably handle BUT as I improve in the bansuri reach and grip etc I hope to progress to the B key one and then THAT will become my favourite key.

For the third one that is my little G bamboo flute. I think once you go below G (say to F) you are getting away from small and lose a bit on speed and dexterity. I lot of people don't like F. I guess its neither big enough to be deep nor small enough for to be nimble in the hands of a lot of us.

So, you see everything's relative (once again).

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:41 am

D. And Bb. And F. And Eb. Oh, and C.

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:12 am

Eb and Bb for me. I like F a lot, too, but the Eb seems just right voicewise to me. And of course, who couldn't love the sexy Bb with its come-hither rumble?

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:43 am

Taking an idea from Talasiga of comparing "apples with mandarins or avacados", the organist, Anthony Newman, presents an interesting concept on his CD, "Toning". This is a CD from my collection that I have listened to many times. His basic idea is to play a piece in all of the 12 tones of the musical scale (not all at once, of course). He uses an organ pedal tone as a drone on each of the selections. You can listen to each piece and begin to get the feel of the particular key. Some keys may be especially appealing, while others may have a different effect, although the 25 second samples are hardly enough to pass judgement.
Amazon ad for "Toning"

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:29 am

@ Doug
apples and oranges and avos wasn't just about diffrent pitches but more about diffrent flute makes/types. eg. how many are comparing an Eb with a D and an F by the same maker
* in the same material
* with the same style mouth hole
* with same type of tone holes
etc etc.
?

matahari_1946 · Post by **matahari_1946** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:12 am

I've only every played D and C flutes but my favorite flute key to listen to is Bb. I love the, what was it, "come-hither rumble."

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