My Forbes arrived today

[Kirk B]

My new Forbes Delrin flute arrived today and I'd like to offer up yet another testimony that it's "all that and a bag of chips". To be fair, I'm new to this and the only other thing I've played is a Dixon 3 piece polymer so that's the only comparison that I can make. But, I can say that the quality and craftsmanship of this flute is top-shelf. I find it to be like a precision instrument as compared to my Dixon. It just feels much better in my hands. It's lighter, better looking, louder, has a stronger lower end and a prettier, more airy upper end.

I was able to pick it up and start hammering away right off the bat. The larger holes do take a bit of getting used to but it's coming quickly. The first 30 seconds were a shocker as I was amazed at how much more responsive it was and how easily it played.

The whole experience of dealing with Rob was smooth and painless and the flute was finished slightly ahead of schedule. Kudos to Rob for delivering a quality product and service.

Regards,

Kirk

[bigyabby]

Eagerly waiting for a 24hour update.

[celticmodes]

The Forbes is just plain easy to play. I've been working on my student Reviol for a few months and it is more fickle in the lower range. The Forbes is very forgiving. So much so that I wrote to Rob after I received mine and told him the lower end plays itself.

That being said, the work I had with it was sweetening up the top end but that may be more my style as I was getting rid of some of that airy sound.

I would always recommend the Forbes as a first "serious" ITM flute because it's low maintenance, has a loud presence, is easy to play, and has that honking low end.

[Kirk B]

Yes Mark, I agree. The low end is fantastic, the top end is more fickle for me but I believe part of that is the embouchure hole being a bit different than my Dixon. I find myself having to keep focused (both in air-stream and mind) a bit more than the Dixon but I think that's a good thing on both counts.

And man this thing just punches it out. Way louder then my Dixon. But then again (in my best Scottish brouge) "Will ya look at the size of the holes in that thing!"

[Aanvil]

Listen,

Now that you have a solid instrument let me share something that helped me considerably.

Don't touch a whistle or any other flute for six months (at least) strictly and practice every single day of that time... even if its just for ten minutes of tune playing.

Do a minute or two of held low tones trying to get a solid even tone from the first attack of the note.

Break them up into shorter even tones.

Do not tongue the attack to get the note started.

Push air in short bursts from the stomach to create attacks.

Then another way to try is to create attacks from the throat glottally.

Like a small short cough.

Oh, Buy a metronome and use it.

Lets us know how you get on.

I'm serious.

Oh, and this isn't my suggestion but it was taught to me by a well regarded player in these parts.

You'll be amazed at your progress.

It works.

Have fun!!!

[Kirk B]

Thanks for the tips Aanvil, I appreciate it. I've been practicing every day for the last 2-1/2 months with the Dixon so now I have to do the same and readjust to the new flute.

And yes I've already determined that playing a whistle mucks with my flute playing. I never could play the whistle worth a crap anyway and in general I find the whistle MUCH harder to play than the flute (for me anyway) so I don't bother with it anymore.

Regards,

Kirk

[Doug_Tipple]

And yes I've already determined that playing a whistle mucks with my flute playing. I never could play the whistle worth a crap anyway and in general I find the whistle MUCH harder to play than the flute (for me anyway) so I don't bother with it anymore.

I suppose there are folks who think that the whistle is MUCH harder to play than a transverse flute, but I'm guessing that most players find it the other way around. In my way of thinking the fixed fipple of the whistle should be very easy to blow if the whiste is well-made. A child can make good tones on the penny whistle without any problems. On the other hand, the side-blown flute embouchure can take months or years to really master, with some of the best-sounding flutes being not that easy to blow, at least in the beginning.

[Kirk B]

And yes I've already determined that playing a whistle mucks with my flute playing. I never could play the whistle worth a crap anyway and in general I find the whistle MUCH harder to play than the flute (for me anyway) so I don't bother with it anymore.

I suppose there are folks who think that the whistle is MUCH harder to play than a transverse flute, but I'm guessing that most players find it the other way around. In my way of thinking the fixed fipple of the whistle should be very easy to blow if the whiste is well-made. A child can make good tones on the penny whistle without any problems. On the other hand, the side-blown flute embouchure can take months or years to really master, with some of the best-sounding flutes being not that easy to blow, at least in the beginning.

Exactly, and most would agree that playing a whistle is far easier. The best way I can explain why it isn't as easy for me is to recall a time years ago when I popped into a pub after work to grab a beer. I hadn't been in this place before and unbeknownst to me they used plastic mugs, ugh. They looked just like glass only far lighter. When I took the first sip I damn near hit myself in the forehead with the mug, expecting something much heavier. In the same way, the whistle just seems far too easy to overpower and I get an effervescent melange of squaks, squeaks and general tripping over my own fingers when I try to play one.

I never had any trouble getting tones out of the flute from day one, but to be fair I played other woodwinds all through my school years, including the Boehm flute for a very short while so I'm sure that helped.

Regards,

Kirk

[Maeloc]

Listen,

Now that you have a solid instrument let me share something that helped me considerably.

Don't touch a whistle or any other flute for six months (at least) strictly and practice every single day of that time... even if its just for ten minutes of tune playing.

Do a minute or two of held low tones trying to get a solid even tone from the first attack of the note.

Break them up into shorter even tones.

Do not tongue the attack to get the note started.

Push air in short bursts from the stomach to create attacks.

Then another way to try is to create attacks from the throat glottally.

Like a small short cough.

Oh, Buy a metronome and use it.

Lets us know how you get on.

I'm serious.

Oh, and this isn't my suggestion but it was taught to me by a well regarded player in these parts.

You'll be amazed at your progress.

It works.

Have fun!!!

Hope Kirk doen't mind if I take that advise too (thank you Aanvil)

[bigyabby]

Hi again Kirk. How are you going with the Forbes today. Just interested.

[Kirk B]

Hi again Kirk. How are you going with the Forbes today. Just interested.

Oops, sorry I didn't reply to your last post. Well, I'm still loving it and getting comfy with at a rapid pace. One of the first things I noticed is that it's definitely more sensitive to subtle changes than the Dixon is, but I think that will only force me to be a better player. The upper octave was tougher to "keep up there" at first but I'm getting used to it very quickly now. I also find that I don't have to roll the head joint in (toward me) as much. Lining the center of the hole up straight with the finger holes or just a tad to the outside seems to work best for me.

I don't notice it being any harder to fill than the small-holed Dixon. However, I've worked hard over the past few months to get a focused embouchure and I think my economy of air is pretty good right now. As far as ergonomics go, It felt really good in my hands right out of the gate (and still does). I'm getting my speed up pretty quickly despite the difference in hole size.

The biggest problem I'm having is that I don't want to put it down and I'm playing my lips numb!

Regards,

Kirk

[Denny]

I don't want to put it down and I'm playing my lips numb!

bit like weight training fer yer lips, innit....

I's likin' mine a bunch, although I'm kind of looking forward to winter and getting back to the wooden flutes....

[Kirk B]

I'm kind of looking forward to winter and getting back to the wooden flutes....

Ah yes, dry in the PNW in summer, plenty wet in winter. I lived in PDX for 13yrs. Love it out there but I'm I glad missed this summer's heat wave.

[Denny]

94% humidity right now

I'm just outside too much for wood and
I need both hands too often.
I can stick a plastic keyless though a belt loop or
chuck it far enough away that it's reasonably safe.

The 100+ temp bit was over the top
I spent a few years in the San Joaquin valley
I know how to spend time under the sprinkler.

....course there were a few horses in with me

[MeaghanEryn]

Ah yes, dry in the PNW in summer, plenty wet in winter.

It's the opposite here...but what our oboe-playing local repairman suggested is to put wooden instruments in a plastic bag, along with a damp sponge in a plastic container with holes in it, from ~October/November to April/May. Fortunately I'm in Ottawa this summer....much more humid here!