Why open hole?

[Ceara]

You all seem pretty knowledgable so I thought I would ask. From my previous posts of my Gemeinhardt flute, I mentioned that it was open hole.

What is the purpose of the open hole? Why are some flutes open hole and others with a solid key?

Thanks!
Ceara

[glauber]

Open hole is called "French sytem", but it's more popular in the US than in Europe. Basically, the open holes allow you to use some special fingerings, similar to "half-holing" on a simple system flute.

This doesn't affect the majority of people, and it's mostly an issue if you want to play contemporary (i.e.. 20-21th century) music. A lot of the double-stops ("chords"!) that you can play in the flute, for example, require the open holes. Check a flute fingering book, such as James Pellerite's. They also help you do effects such as slides/glissandi.

Other people defend the open holes saying that they sound better, but you know how subjective this is. I've seen at least one person defend the open holes saying that they interfere less with the airflow even when closed, because the keypad is not held in place by a screw. And some people say the open holes are better for students because they force "correct" finger positioning (making it impossible to use "pipers grip", i guess).

So the open or closed holes wouldn't be a deciding factor for me, in choosing a flute. If i had both options, i'd go with open holes. I've had both kinds; my current flute has closed holes and i don't feel any need to change it, since i don't play much contemporary music anyway.

g

[seisflutes]

My Yamaha has open holes,and I like them better than the
closed holes on my Gemeinhardt,even though I don't use
the fact that they're open much.I can feel the air under
my fingers more,I guess.I have the plugs out on all the holes
except L2 and R3.
I think that what flute teachers mean when they say the open
holes force students to keep thier hands in the "correct"
position, is that you have to keep your fingers down on
the keys when the keys are down,or air leaks out.Like,
the reason I have the R2 plug in is that if I don't,and I try
to play the low C,that finger comes up a little,and I don't get a
low C.
Just what I think though,I could be wrong.
-Kelly

[peeplj]

My thoughts pro and con on open holed Boehm-system flutes:

Pro:

--you can half-hole and slide on some notes

--it opens up some special fingerings

--it "feels better"; when you get used to feeling the vibration under your fingertips, a plateau system flute (no open holes) feels a bit "dead"

--it helps the flute project a bit more on some notes

--it helps enforce good hand and finger position

Con:

--open holes are usually in-line, when is harder on the left hand than offset G is

--voicing up and down the flute is usually a bit more consistent with plateau keys

--finger and hand position are not as critical on a plataeu-keyed flute

Also, just one last thought for the road: I think you'd find that using piper's grip for any length of time on either kind of Boehm-system flute will over time cause the keywork to need adjustment as you will be hitting the front of each key with greater force than the rest of the key.

--James

[glauber]

--open holes are usually in-line, when is harder on the left hand than offset G is

This is true, and there's no real reason for it. It happens because open keys and in-line keys are both considered features of "professional flutes" in the US, so they're often seen together. It's like they expect you to start on a closed key offset G flute, then progress to a French system inline. This is silly, of course.

Good point about throwing the keywork out of adjustment too. Boehm keys are really meant to be played with the fingertips, and also not to lift your fingers too much. You should pretend your fingertips are "glued" to the keys. On the other hand, with simple-system flutes you're supposed to lift your fingers more, to vent properly.

g

[Hoovorff]

In my opinion, for Boehms, the best set-up is open-hole with off-set G. All makers (Brannen, Haynes, etc.) offer this option but players often go with open-hole in-line G for no apparent reason. Their hands would thank them for the off-set, I think!

[peeplj]

I think some folks consider the in-line keys to be more attractive visually; to me, it's a toss-up on the looks, but I suppose in-line is more symmetrical, if nothing else.

Another advantage of offset G is that it makes it trivial for the maker to add a switchable split-E option, which also adds an adjustment between the two pads of the G mechanism.

The split-E doesn't bother me but I don't think it's a drastically wonderful thing either; however, that adjustment is a lovely lovely thing, because without it, you (or your repairman) have to shim two pads to hit and seat identically, which on some flutes is the hardest part of the whole repad. You can eat up hours and hours just on that one little mechanism. Split E reduces this to maybe 30 minutes for the whole left hand mechanism.

--James

[Ravelyn]

For what it's worth, the story I've been told about the advent of in-line G keys is that it was a cost-saving measure in the old Louis Lot factory. It was simply easier to make them that way, and his flutes were in such demand that it helped with production. Professional players got used to seeing them that way and this arrangement became associated with "professional" instruments. Now there is greater acknowledgement of the ergonomic benefits of the offset G mechanism, and as the previous post noted, the very best makers are offering that on the professional grade flutes.

I wish I could cite a source for the above story, but I don't really remember where I saw it.

[Dana]

In my opinion, for Boehms, the best set-up is open-hole with off-set G. All makers (Brannen, Haynes, etc.) offer this option but players often go with open-hole in-line G for no apparent reason. Their hands would thank them for the off-set, I think!

Within the last 10-15 years or so, professional makers began to regularly make open hole flutes with offset Gs. I own two like that. My wood Powell has a half-offset G, which I prefer to the full-offset G. As far as student model flutes go, there are probably fewer options.

As to open hole flutes vs. closed hole flutes: I play open hole flutes mostly because that's how professional flutes are made. There are a few things I'd miss with a closed hole flute, but most of us could do just fine without the open holes.

Dana

[brownja]

I opted for open-hole, in line G on my Yamaha because I figured it would better to just learn the hard way and then not have to worry about changing later.
In the same way thay i think it's better to learn to drive on a stick shift than an automatic.....
The simple system flute is open hole, so it shouldn't be any harder on a Boehm, right??? .
I have no trouble with the in-line G. The lever seems a little bit longer to compensate.
All that said, my flute teacher said i should have gone for a closed hole, offset G. Ouch.

Regards,
jb

[illuminatus99]

My gemeinhardt is open hole with the inline G, I had the option of getting an offset G but I noticed that with an offset G it was kind of weird switching back and forth to a wood flute that typically has inline holes. then I got a casey burns flute which has offset holes anyway so it's weird switching anyway.

anyhow, I like the open holes, you can bend notes, and the flute seems a lot louder than the one I had before, then again that could be because the headjoint has really thin walls.