Hello. I’ve got a couple of questions and could use a little advice.
First: I suffer with psoriatic arthritis. I’m only in my late 30s, so I’ve got plenty of playing years left. It doesn’t seem to be degenerative, but it is painful. Does anybody have experience with how something like this might be affected by flute? How taxing is holding up a flute for a few tunes? I am a 10 year fiddle player who has dabbled with whistles a bit. Sometimes I can’t play fiddle much due to various joints in pain. Should I just consider sticking with fiddle and whistle?
Second: A local pawn shop has a Copley and Boegli keyless flute in blackwood for sale @ $425. It is a 5 piece (Rudall?) It is well-used but in decent condition. Is this a fair price? Is it a decent instrument to start on?
Can’t speak to the physical issues. Holding a flute isn’t taxing for most, but your situation might not fit the “most” category. Perhaps you could borrow a flute for a bit and test the situation.
As to the other question; A Copley flute is an excellent flute for both beginners and beyond. That’s a nice price, if it is in the condition you describe, and would be great to start on. (If you don’t buy it, perhaps you’ll let us know where the pawn shop is so someone else can swoop in.
From http://www.copleyflutes.com/about.html:
‘Our instruments are tapered bore “simple system” flutes based on originals made in England during the 1800’s, with the greatest influence being the flutes made by Hawkes and Son of London.’
Which possibly puts them closer to Prattens than Rudalls but, yes, it’s a decent instrument to start on and a decent instrument to play forever. As for your arthritis, don’t want to fall foul of C&F Consolidated Concordat on Policy #10 (Medical Advice), but I’d still get the flute if I were you!
I experimented by holding a 2-foot long length of broom handle, with markers for where the mouth and fingers go, before spending money on a flute. Flutes differ in weight, balance and diameter but it gives an idea how it feels.
One of the experts here jokingly suggested I have a “princess and the pea” syndrome but I reckon the left wrist and hand do significant work holding a flute up witha ‘three point hold’.
This might seem like throwing money away, but ask how much they would buy it back for. Consider the difference in cost as a lesson and whether it is worth the cost to you.
I’m guessing someone here on the list would pay the equivalent of the pawn shop price if the OP decided it wasn’t working for him/her and wanted to pass it on…
How taxing is holding up a flute for a few tunes? I am a 10 year fiddle player who has dabbled with whistles a bit
You’ll obviously be holding the flute up for more than a few tunes - like hours of practise, if you can finger for the whistle then it’s probably down to whether can maintain the grip on the flute with your thumb and the base of your first finger on the left hand (if right handed) at least those are the pressure points the way I hold it.
When I tried the fiddle I found the contortions with the fingering hand more uncomfortable than holding a flute but as david-h suggested try the broom handle.
Next you’re going to recommend drilling fingerholes so I can get fingering practice too. And you’ll no doubt suggest reaming a bore so I can also work on my tone. Great plan! By the time I get a flute, I’ll already know how to play!!!
I’m not sure how much this will help, but I started out with a Tipple flute that’s super light. I don’t have anything like arthritis to use an excuse but I still found it hard (and painful eventually) to hold it up for a while. After months of practicing and several progressively heavier flutes later, the Tipple now feels way too light and I don’t have much problem holding the much heavier flutes up for half an hour or so.
I guess that’s a long winded way to say you won’t really be able to tell at first, it takes practice to build up your muscles and find a comfortable position. I’m pretty sure just holding up your arms in a flute gripping position with no flute for 30 minutes or so would be pretty hard at first. The find a comfortable position bit is important too, there are definitely ways to hold the flute that cause a lot more strain than others. Ideally get someone who actually knows what they’re doing to help you, it’s hard to know where to even start with lining up the pieces of the flute and where to grip it by yourself. (I’m not smart enough to heed my own advice.)
I’m pretty much a beginner, so take this advice with a healthy grain of salt.
Hello Aaron, Can I start with your second point, as it is a no - brainer “Second: A local pawn shop has a Copley and Boegli keyless flute in blackwood for sale @ $425.”
This is a great price for a flute of it’s type, and if it does not work out for you, it will probably make more when you resell it.
Your first point is obviously a much more complex issue, the answer to which - you yourself will have the best idea. Flute playing, I imagine, is a far more arduous affair than playing a high pitched whistle, for example on many levels, but personally speaking, is also a lot more rewarding. If the flute proves to be too much, because of the stance/posture ( arms raised for prolonged periods ) then seeing as you can cope with them already - low pitched whistles might well be a good option.
Good Luck With Your Exploits - Owen.
Even boxers have trouble with this as they move up the ranks and have to box more rounds. They’re holding up boxing gloves, but I don’t think those are very heavy.
At least flute players don’t have people trying to punch them in the face - if they do, they’re playing VERY badly!
I have arthritis in my hands. I’ve had trouble with large-holed flutes. But I have a Copley Delrin (I think it’s about the same hole sizes and positions as his wood flutes), and have no problem playing it for an hour or so at a time.
The flute is now mine. I thought it was in playable condition at first, but then the cork on one of the tenons disintegrated. In the meantime, I cleaned it up as best I could. Somebody had used what appeared to be gray lipstick for tuning slide lube. And the same substance was on the next joint as well…yuck. The problem is that this was no longer lubricating (if it ever was) and was causing things to stick. I removed it as best I could, but some of it is still up inside the head where I can’t get at it. But the tuning slide moves almost normally now. I can feel it stick just a tiny bit, but once I lube it up with the much-touted toilet wax, it should do even better. Also oiled the wood it since it obviously hadn’t had maintenance in a few years. Yes, I know there is debate about oiling instruments; no need to rehash here. I think I’ll only do one oil application for now and let it sit overnight to absorb. I want to get this up and running in the next couple of days.
We’ll see how I’m feeling tomorrow evening. I might tackle the corks. I’ll probably just do them all so they’re fresh. Once it becomes playable, I’ll try and post pics.
I do have a question: The end plug is threaded as if there is supposed to be a rod that connects to the cork. But there is no cork to stop the air. There is, however, a metal? plug that appears to be permanently affixed inside. Is the end plug (or whatever the technical name is) purely cosmetic in this case?
I kind of feel bad for whoever isn’t playing it anymore. It seems as if some down-on-their-luck aspiring musician needed money worse than they needed music. I feel in a way that I’m helping take advantage of some poor soul somewhere.
