Bryan Byrne keyless flute for sale: SOLD

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:26 am

eilam wrote:Brad, your playing and the flute sound really beautiful.

I agree with eilam... nice!

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:39 pm

Regarding the sound of Pratten vs. R&R type flutes, I had an interesting experience a few weeks back.....

I had the opportunity to hear a top notch player, I mean someone who's name would be familiar to and respected by virtually anyone here (don't want to name drop though, so I'll leave it at that) play on three very different flutes: A Wilkes R&R, Grinter R&R, and an Olwell Pratten, one right after the other. The Result? They all sounded virtually identical to this listener - huge, complex, and powerful! I found this shocking because I had played these flutes previously, and had just been listening to other players play these flutes, and until Mr. Big Name stepped up, these flutes did sound different from each other, both to me when playing, and when listening to others compare them.

What did I take away from this? Sure, there are differences in tone and playability from one flute style and maker to the next, but more than ever I'm convinced you're going to sound like about the same regardless of what flute you pick-up.

Time to hit the woodshed.....

Loren

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:52 pm

Loren - that does not surprise me very much, I'm sure they were not the same to Mr' big, and that he had his preference among the three.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:06 pm

eilam wrote:Loren - that does not surprise me very much, I'm sure they were not the same to Mr' big, and that he had his preference among the three.

He most certainly did have a preference (and not one bit shy about saying so!

) , and I wouldn't for a moment suspect that the differences, to him, were not significant. Of course my point was that all the flute swapping in the world won't change that fact that you, sound like you. The effect seems to be more pronounced on the listener's end.

My way of telling Jim "Don't expect a radically different tone by switching from one style of flute to the other". Playability is another story entirely, unless you are Mr. Big and then.......well, ya know the whole thing about being able to play great on an empty pop bottle, or whatever.

Loren

chas · Post by **chas** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:15 pm

I was surprised when my teacher told me that I had developed my own sound. This wasn't a compliment nor criticism, and I didn't take it as such, just an observation. I still sound quite different (to me) on the boxwood flute than the other two, which sound largely the same, even when recorded.

Loren, you're in Boston. It's not a pop bottle, it's a tonic bottle.

bang · Post by **bang** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:28 pm

maybe Mr. Big has a sound he wants, & chops to get that sound on just about anything w/ holes, but prefers the flute that gives him his sound with the least effort?

:-) /dan

David Levine · Post by **David Levine** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:42 am

Brad said: "...old-style no-compromise approach to craftmanship." FWIW, Rudalls were pretty much made on an assembly line. There were many workers in the shop. Each worker had an assigned function, which each had been doing since he was very young. Each craftsman was quick and perfect at what he did.
The final fine-tuning was no doubt done by one person, but keys, rings, squaring, first turning, slides, etc, were done by many workers, each of whom specialized in one aspect of flute making. What Bryan is doing is not "old world craftsmanship," but the product of whatever insane compulsion drives an artist to strive for absolute perfection.
Bryan's flutes are lovely. But my Hammy is also lovely and also shows great care in the making. It has a deep, resonant sound. Terrific volume. It has very different dynamic qualities than my Rudall flutes. The Rudall seems to have a greater range of speaking voices and seems to have a slightly quicker response. Olwell flutes bridge the gap and are easy to play, capable of great vilume, and can speak in many voices.
My Grinter is an updated, souped up version of an old Rudall and is very like a Byrne or a Wilkes. I haven't liked every Grinter but I like this keyless D very much. I certainkly think that Bryan's flute is worth the money, as is a Wilkes or a Grinter. None of them is cheap. But I haven't yet met a wealthy flute-maker.
It takes me a few minutes to go from one style of flute( Pratten <> Rudall) to the next. After playing the Hammy I tend to overblow the Olwell or the Grinter. If each of us could afford only one flute and instead concentrated on the music we would never think of having a better flute. At a certain point it all becomes silly. I would trade all of my flutes, and just keep one, if I could perform a successful Fn roll, or a convincing Cn roll. A "better" flute isn't the answer to my playing problems. I am the problem and in me lies the answer.
It is sunny in Ennistymon.
Go Red Sox!

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:35 am

David Levine wrote: It is sunny in Ennistymon.
!

Unfortunately not for long. Going to Doonbeg David, to listen to the Border Collies etc?

David Levine · Post by **David Levine** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 6:48 am

No border collies for me tonight, Peter. Tonight at Kilshanny House we'll be remembering the 10th. anniversary of Michilin Connelin's death. It's a lovely pub and the session should be relaxed and lots of fun as we tell Michilin stories and play his tunes. Michilin was a concertina and accordion player who was loved by everybody. The Roadside, in Lisdoonvarna, still has a portrait of Michilin on its walls.
Michilin kept a small jackeen in his kitchen along with a collection of hats. If you measured all the pints he drank in his lifetime they would stretch all the way from Ireland to America and halfway back again.
If tonight doesn't suit you, Peter, we are meeting tomorrow afternoon to continue the celebration of his life. Hope to see you.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 8:14 am

Ten years already. He was in fact one of the first Clare musicians I had tunes with, 1979 in the Roadside. Some character he was, the time he turned up at the session wearing a sombrero is still remembered.

What time is that on on sunday david, my family is going to Boghill for their open day and they will either leave me at home without the car, or I drop them off and drive down to K'shanny.

David Levine · Post by **David Levine** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 12:23 pm

Yes, and me as well. But it was a Tuesday night at Joseph McHugh's, in Liscannor, around 1980. He taught us how to play, how to drink, and how to play with words.
Lovely picture. Thank you.

bradhurley · Post by **bradhurley** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:19 pm

I didn't think my previous clips captured the sound of this flute very well, so I added a new one that sounds more like it to my ear; check out The Milliner's Daughter clip here:

http://www.firescribble.net/byrneflute.htm

You'll have to boost the volume a bit to hear this, but it sounds much more like the flute actually sounds, there's less of a harsh edge.

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 9:13 pm

Brad, great playing, and great tune.

bradhurley · Post by **bradhurley** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 12:05 pm

FYI, this flute has been sold.

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 2:27 am

Small world or.... Michilin sounds like the box, concertina player that turned up here in Lund, Sweden in 1984 or 85. A strange, surreal turn of events, or so it seemed at the time. There's a cafe here in Lund called Ariman's. It's a very bohemian place where back then , musicians, poets, artists, philosophy students, "creative" people hung out, dress code black. Anyway an acquaintance who books jazz groups but knew of my interest in Irish trad told me that some Irish musicians would be playing at Ariman's as they were travelling as part of a wedding entourage accompanying a girl from Ennystimon who was travelling to Örebro in Sweden to marry a Swedish man. So this booking agent had somehow got word of this and as they would be passing through Lund on the way up to Örebro, he'd arranged for them to do a gig. So I turned up at the cafe around 9 pm and the place was full of folks from Ennyistimon. Seems like they had chartered a plane to Copenhagen and a coach to take them from Copenhagen to the wedding. One bloke was in a wheel chair, he'd recently had a stroke. A great crowd they were and they'd managed to persuade Michilin to come along. It seems Michilin had a a great fear of flying and had turned down offers to perform in the US and Australia because of this. However as just about everyone from Ennystimon was going to the wedding he agree'd to come and play. It was the first time he'd left Ireland to play. Sean Tyrrell came too. He was in great form, singing and playing his mandola. First time I'd seen or heard of him, made a big impression, what a voice. Michilin had on a blue baseball cap and said that he had a collection of hats back in Ireland. There was also a young man playing guitar. I have the whole thing on tape somewhere. Michilin had a box and his concertina with him, he asked me to play, I was playing the concertina back then, but I couldn't, didn't have the heart for it then, it was the beginning of a period when I stopped playing altogether for 5-6 years. What a night of music it was, I left around 1 am as I was working the next day, but I heard afterwards that Michilin was still playing a 3 am in the morning. David you'll have to ask in Ennystimon about the trip to Sweden. I can't remember the name of the Ennystimon girl who married the Swedish guy. Just outside of Lund lives another girl/woman from Ennystimon, Therese, who is married to a Swedish guy. Therese is a great dancer and bodhran player, but it's very hard to get her to play. My memories of Michilin and Sean are of how friendly they were and willing to share their music. Great people, they turned that cafe into a part of Ireland that night with their music and talk.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Bryan Byrne keyless flute for sale: SOLD

"do what i say..."

Continued....

Re: Continued....

Michilin's Weekend

Same thing..