I keep reading posts about how you only need 6 holes...

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Keep in mind, the main reason for keys on a flute, is to keep it from rolling off the table...

I will order my next flute with some of the blocks only, that'll save me a bundle and keep it low on maintenance

[LorenzoFlute]

I consider myself a flute player

Ok not dumb - if you think you are a flute player while saying that Brian Finnegan isn't then you're deluded and must have a screw loose.

You know, whatever. I can understand people not getting my point, as it is one way of seeing things that isn't standard. But I never implied being offensive to anyone with my statements, while you people seem very eager to do so, the only reason being that you don't agree with what I'm saying.
I'm trying to express my opinion in a direct way, and all people can think of is me being a jerk.

[Gordon]

I consider myself a flute player

Ok not dumb - if you think you are a flute player while saying that Brian Finnegan isn't then you're deluded and must have a screw loose.

You know, whatever. I can understand people not getting my point, as it is one way of seeing things that isn't standard. But I never implied being offensive to anyone with my statements, while you people seem very eager to do so, the only reason being that you don't agree with what I'm saying.
I'm trying to express my opinion in a direct way, and all people can think of is me being a jerk.

No one - I think - believes you are a jerk, and I get what you're after in your point. But your point is somewhat - hmmm... Dubious?

Frankie Gavin is a flute player - a great flute player - although more recognized as a brilliant fiddler. Doesn't mean he's not a flute player. Same with Finnegan - not sure that whistle trumps great flute playing, in any case, no matter how often a player chooses it over the flute. Same with, say, Joe Burke, who - IMO - plays flute at least as well as he does accordian. And many others in ITM. And Ian Anderson is at least as good an acoustic guitarist (among other instruments) as a rock/jazz flute player, and McCartney plays piano and guitar equally well, despite being best known as a bass player. Many people are accomplished at multiple instruments. One title doesn't necessarily fit all.

Regarding keys... Oh, never mind. I've waded in on this one before...

[I.D.10-t]

Okay I'm not getting the reasoning.

Must one be a whistle player or a flute player? So are the two mutually exclusive? Can a flute player be a singer, can a singer be a songwriter, a songwriter a poet*?

Or does the player play the flute like a whistle with the same dynamics and style of a whistle and therefor a whistle player? (And if so could a person be a whistle player or even a pipe player if they only play the flute?)



*(usually very a bad poet, but still...)

[Steve Bliven]

In this world you got your lumpers and your splitters. They see things differently for the purposes of their mental compartmentalization. Nobody's right and nobody's wrong, just different ways of seeing things. (Denny would have said it better)

Best wishes.

Steve

[monkeymonk]

No one - I think - believes you are a jerk

That's right, and if they do it doesn't really matter because they don't know you anyhow.

In this world you got your lumpers and your splitters.

I'm going to have to remember that one!


As far as keys go it's best to temper that desire with a nice long waiting list. I have a keyed flute and as an advanced beginner i have to make a conscious effort to make use of the keys and I haven't yet run up against some sort of a wall where i felt limited playing a keyless flute. The C key is really handy but i prefer the sound of a cross fingered C natural anyhow and F incidentals are super easy to half-hole because the F# tonehole is pretty big on most flutes i've played.

[I.D.10-t]

In this world you got your lumpers and your splitters. They see things differently for the purposes of their mental compartmentalization. Nobody's right and nobody's wrong, just different ways of seeing things. (Denny would have said it better)

Best wishes.

Steve

So if a statement labels everyone together as needing mental compartments and divides them into two groups, under which heading does the statement fall under? Lumper or splitter?

Mostly I'm more curious of the process of the defining than the right or wrong of it.

[Steve Bliven]

In this world you got your lumpers and your splitters. They see things differently for the purposes of their mental compartmentalization. Nobody's right and nobody's wrong, just different ways of seeing things. (Denny would have said it better)

So if a statement labels everyone together as needing mental compartments and divides them into two groups, under which heading does the statement fall under? Lumper or splitter?

More of a rash generalization suggesting the people can look at things in different ways without being "dumb", "delusional", or "having a screw loose".

Best wishes.

Steve

[monkeymonk]

In this world you got your lumpers and your splitters. They see things differently for the purposes of their mental compartmentalization. Nobody's right and nobody's wrong, just different ways of seeing things. (Denny would have said it better)

So if a statement labels everyone together as needing mental compartments and divides them into two groups, under which heading does the statement fall under? Lumper or splitter?

More of a rash generalization suggesting the people can look at things in different ways without being "dumb", "delusional", or "having a screw loose".

Best wishes.

Steve

He already said Denny would have said it better

[I.D.10-t]

I was just having fun with the statement. Its meaning was clear.

When are the tabor pipers going to chime in?
"Six holes!? And who is going to pay for all those extra holes?"

[MarkP]

Have to confess that on the five or six occasions I've sat in the company of the wonderful Mr Hanly in the past three years he's definitely had some keys (maybe four or six, I'm not sure? John Wynn would know) but not on the foot as I recall. Then again it makes not much difference as he plays left handed. You'd get use from a C key (if you're inclined to bother) and a long F is really useful. In the general run of session playing you probably wouldn't miss the others but they all have their uses and I've been glad of foot keys in some tunes I've been playing recently. Horses for courses. I play an 8 key and a keyless, both are great.

PS. Looking at old photos, Patsy played a right handed flute with a long C and long F (couldn't tell if there were others). Can't remember if he used the C key (like John Wynne does on his RH 8 key!)

[MarkP]

...and here's one of Patsy using the long C left handed (little finger)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qh7ksirmi4jl4 ... 9%2008.jpg

[Jon C.]

Keep in mind, the main reason for keys on a flute, is to keep it from rolling off the table...

I will order my next flute with some of the blocks only, that'll save me a bundle and keep it low on maintenance

Thats a great idea, then you won't have all those leaky pads and broken springs! I am just about fed up with trying to get pads to seal well!

[Jon C.]

I wouldn't consider Brian Finnegan a flute player, even though he does play the flute.

??? Huhh - dumb statement

Actually Brian told me that a couple of years ago, that he didn't see himself as a flute player... Not saying he can't honk on the flute, it was more of a job discription!

[Clover]

Keep in mind, the main reason for keys on a flute, is to keep it from rolling off the table...

I will order my next flute with some of the blocks only, that'll save me a bundle and keep it low on maintenance

Thats a great idea, then you won't have all those leaky pads and broken springs! I am just about fed up with trying to get pads to seal well!

Mm-hm, me too on all that. Just give me the holes. I don't need those bothersome keys. It's maintenance I could do without.

Love that boxer cat avatar, Jon C. I have one of my own and he's a devil too