Dookin' fur chips

[Jimbaab]

Wonder if I can draw on the experiences of others in relation to a frustrating issue I'm having with a Boosey and Co Pratten Eb flute?
The flute is often very reluctant to sound the lower notes, G down to D. Getting more reluctant nearer D. I'm really struggling to get a good bark out of it down there. Often sounding breathy and weak.
Above the G are strong.
Sometimes below the G comes ok.
I'm consious of having to make a very tight "flute face" to get at the lower notes... sometimes.
It's similar in many ways to my fab Terry MacGee Pratten, except for the stubborn, frustrating reluctance below G...sometimes.
Could it be pads?
Could it be necessary to adopt the visage of a Klingon to get a good tone out of any flute?
Anyone know a good flute repairer near Inverness?
Should I break it over my knee?
Kidding!
Cheers
James

[an seanduine]

First things first: Do a 'Suck Test' to check for pad leaks. Remove the middle barrel. Cover the holes with your fingers with a good seal, place it on a bare knee for a good seal, and suck. . .
If it is air tight, then carefully examine the tenon threading, or alternately, cork. Adjut and grease.
Then, examine your technique. . .

Bob

[LorenzoFlute]

Sometimes below the G comes ok.

Then it must be you...

[an seanduine]

Older flutes with older pads and possibly dodgy threading at the tenons often display intermitant leaks. A 'wet' flute will respond where a 'dry' flute will not. Tend the basics first before you obsess on yer embouchure. . . . . .

Bob

[Thalatta]

If by any chance it's you and not the flute: You may be a very good flute player, but regardless, Prattens are known to be very hard to play, "very demanding instruments" no matter how good the flute player, as Hammy Hamilton has said (and Matt Molloy too). Hammy has also said (in his flute player's handbook book) that many good flute players, rather than opting for a Pratten, would be better off playing a flute that suits them (like a Rudall type) since Pratten's don't suit everyone. This has nothing to do with the flute player's talent: as you know, not every great flute player has automatically chosen to play a Pratten; on the contrary, many have chosen not to, and have chosen instead to play a flute that suits them. You may be suffering from a difficult instrument to play in comparison to what you're used to.

I don't know if everyone agrees with me here?

[LorenzoFlute]

Actually Prattens may be easier to blow than Rudalls, but more tiring and harder to fill properly.
I didn't think that you may have not changed the original pads, it's always the first thing I'd do to an old flute.
You could try to take off the keys, cover the key holes with bluetak and try the low notes again.
If it has 8 keys, first try to remove the last 2 ones (low C# and C), on some flutes it makes a big difference.

[jemtheflute]

Sounds like classic leak symptoms to me. As others have said, do suck tests. Do them systematically on each separate joint (including separating head and barrel) and then assembled neighbouring pairs and then more.... Remember to check the head - stopper-corks can dessicate and crumble and leak; there can even be a leak between wood and liner tube from the embouchure chimney (rare in uncracked heads, but possible); tuning slides can be less than perfectly fitted and airtight; sockets can get hairline cracks; pads can be damaged, badly fitted, hard, gungy; keys can be misaligned or have untoward play, such that sometimes they close accurately and you get a seal, but other times they don't..... ill-adjusted and poorly performing springs can be an element too, as can damaged key-beds. Blow test as well as suck test, and carry out a careful visual inspection, looking at pads with keys both opened and closed and observe the actions and return of the keys.

If that all draws a blank (it won't), then accuse your embouchure and technique.

[s1m0n]

Cover the holes with masking tape or something similar to find out if it's your fingering leaking. If you get a note more easily, trade tape for finger one hole at a time to see if you can isolate where you might be leaking. It's possible that you're slackening an upper hole when you add more fingers, so the leak need not always be in the lowest hole or to correspond to the note where you have trouble.

[Doug_Tipple]

Cover the holes with masking tape or something similar to find out if it's your fingering leaking. If you get a note more easily, trade tape for finger one hole at a time to see if you can isolate where you might be leaking. It's possible that you're slackening an upper hole when you add more fingers, so the leak need not always be in the lowest hole or to correspond to the note where you have trouble.

I heard that Simon is writing a book entitled: "Uses of Masking Tape for Dummies".
Actually, I'm a masking tape fan myself.

[Denny]

[Aanvil]

I regularly wet my pads before playing with, if in the pub, a straw and some water.

I play a Wylde/Rudall and if it's not raining outside it needs a little help otherwise it won't sound properly.

Once wet it rocks.

SoCal is a dry place so even with "proper" keeping it still seems to need a little help.

Make sure you are keeping your flute in a properly humidified environ.

[Thalatta]

Admittedly, the advice concerning the "suck test" to check for leaks (or leeks!) sounds better than blaming it on the Pratten. But has anyone done a Pratten/Rudall-type comparison to see which is easier to sound (on the low and high notes)? Prattens are said to be hard to fill and tiring yes, but some people also say it's hard to hit the lower notes because they require a very specific embouchure. Is this true in anyone's experience? I've only tried one of these once, and not for long enough to get the feel of the flute.

[Denny]

it is not that big a deal....

Might be that a lot of players are not pushing a Pratten as hard as it would like.

[MTGuru]

I'm just disappointed that no one yet has referenced the thread title: Dookin fur chips ... Lookin for tips ... and a mouthful of potatoes ...

[Rob Sharer]

I'm just disappointed that no one yet has referenced the thread title: Dookin fur chips ... Lookin for tips ... and a mouthful of potatoes ...

Why MT, I wasn't aware you spoke jive!



R