Take a look at this guys and girls

johnkerr · Post by **johnkerr** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:04 am

I clearly see now what has been holding me back in my own attempts to become a decent flute player. I mistakenly was thinking I needed to leave my shirt on while playing. Obviously it's having the chest exposed that enables the player to summon all that power. It has nothing to do with the type of flute being played.

The leather vest helps a lot too in focusing the skin exposure towards the lung area and the diaphragm. Also, it conveniently conceals any love handles on the player, which can detract from the visual aesthetic. I hear Patrick Olwell has a few prototype vests going and will be selling them soon. Already there's a three year waiting list, though. Bummer. Us older guys need to have the hope of being able to wear one sometime before we develop man boobs.

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:30 am

John, have you developed a theory for the mylar tape? Is it some sort of substitute for hose clamps?

sponge · Post by **sponge** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:38 am

So am I right in thinking the rest of you male chiffers are not always clad in leather with you chest hanging out when playing the flute

And back to the question, so far Jim would compare his Byrne to Flatleys flute as being close to the tone, I know there are a few guys out there with original Rudalls, how do your models compare to Mr Flatleys.

sponge

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:21 am

Aanvil wrote:

Ya don't suppose that there might be a little syncing going on do ya?

Just a wee bit meeby?

Yep, my thoughts also. I also wonder whether that the object in his hand is a flute at all but, more likely, a flute-like-object with silver tape, one that he converts into a twirling baton at the end of the performance. Can you see someone twirling their blackwood Olwell flute like that? OK, I'll take off my Scrouge outfit now. Gosh, everything looks much nicer with these rose-colored glasses. .

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:10 am

All these Celtic Tiger clips led me to the inevitable strip tease:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=F1AfRJ-YS8w

People don't seem to realize that real dancers don't have any body fat.
Go see Zoomanity or the Mulin Rouge, and you'll know what I'm talking
about.

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:11 am

I have a whole new respect for the man now that I know he puts his Teflon tape on just like the rest of us. (Although I definitely must try the dangly-bit idea and see if that improves my playing)

I saw keys there. I also saw heard the thing rattling around loose in that nice leather briefcase.

Erm, one more question ... isn't he from Chicago? Never met someone from Chicago who sounds like that .... ?

Brilliant flute player nonetheless, and a heck of a performer, too.

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:18 am

I like how he handled that first G roll & the rest of the A part rolls/rhythm on the Crooked Road.

Smart! Cool! (And DUH! to me -- I've always been a bit flummoxed by the rhythm there.) That seems to give the tune the punch I've never been able to give it.

Thanks, Mr. Flatley!

And my apologies for the jokes.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:52 am

Doug_Tipple wrote:
Aanvil wrote:

Ya don't suppose that there might be a little syncing going on do ya?

Just a wee bit meeby?

Yep, my thoughts also. I also wonder whether that the object in his hand is a flute at all but, more likely, a flute-like-object with silver tape, one that he converts into a twirling baton at the end of the performance. Can you see someone twirling their blackwood Olwell flute like that? OK, I'll take off my Scrouge outfit now. Gosh, everything looks much nicer with these rose-colored glasses. .

Certainly MF is capable of covering an Olwell
Pratten with silver tape and twirling it like a baton. (Maybe
he wouldn't do it with a keyed version.) Madness,
no question, but hey, that's show biz!

This guy is extraordinarily gifted on several fronts.
As to his being a ham, well, as Will Durant said about
Attila the Hun, he's the sort of man he needs to
be to do the things he does.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:58 am

sponge wrote:So am I right in thinking the rest of you male chiffers are not always clad in leather with you chest hanging out when playing the flute

And back to the question, so far Jim would compare his Byrne to Flatleys flute as being close to the tone, I know there are a few guys out there with original Rudalls, how do your models compare to Mr Flatleys.

sponge

As to the first question, you ain't tried nothin till you've tried
busking nekkid.

As to the second, well, a revision of it--Rod Cameron's flutes
are very close copies of 19th century rudalls. He copied
Chris Norman's rudall for Chris and it does what the
original did. Maybe even an improvement.

cocusflute · Post by **cocusflute** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:19 am

Flatley is admired and respected by Matt Molloy and by Mike Rafferty.
The man's a genius - that's clear to me if not to ye slackers.
Give the guy a break. You don't have to love him.
If you lived in Italy wouldn't you try to sound like an Italian?
What's wrong with trying to sound like an Irishman? The rhythms are lovely, speaking as well as playing.
And do you really think Flatley needs to lip sync?

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:33 am

Now, now .... What good is being a punter if you don't get the odd kick now and again?

Feadoggie · Post by **Feadoggie** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:46 pm

Gabriel wrote:His flute must be brutally loud. Or can anyone spot a microphone?

Mr. Flately is dressed for sound in the video linked to by Henke. He is wearing wireless in-ear monitors as well as a wireless micro headset microphone. The mic is on the left side of his face with the capsule just under his left cheekbone.

Feadoggie

Tony McGinley · Post by **Tony McGinley** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:06 pm

cocusflute wrote:Flatley is admired and respected by Matt Molloy and by Mike Rafferty.
The man's a genius - that's clear to me if not to ye slackers.
Give the guy a break. You don't have to love him.
If you lived in Italy wouldn't you try to sound like an Italian?
What's wrong with trying to sound like an Irishman? The rhythms are lovely, speaking as well as playing.
And do you really think Flatley needs to lip sync?

What I cannot figure at all, as much as I attempt to understand
or to calculate, is how MF can maintain a vertical position.

.

jmccain · Post by **jmccain** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:57 am

Jon C. wrote:Elvis reborn!

He wishes. I've always thought of him as a Liberace type. Looks like him, too.

matahari_1946 · Post by **matahari_1946** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:33 am

Doug_Tipple wrote:
Aanvil wrote:

Ya don't suppose that there might be a little syncing going on do ya?

Just a wee bit meeby?

Yep, my thoughts also. I also wonder whether that the object in his hand is a flute at all but, more likely, a flute-like-object with silver tape, one that he converts into a twirling baton at the end of the performance. Can you see someone twirling their blackwood Olwell flute like that? OK, I'll take off my Scrouge outfit now. Gosh, everything looks much nicer with these rose-colored glasses. .

I would venture to say that's his real flute he's taped and is twirling about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Lv1y2l ... re=related

~Tiff