A comparison between two flutes

Irish Flute
1

This was played on an eight key simple system Holmes & McNaughton - Pink Ivory flute; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG1MVcWhanQ&list=UU9aOnR4MQNId__t1KEunNsg

This was played on an identical flute only made of African Blackwood; https://app.box.com/s/hxmscv5ttdmto0mugah8

(Edit) Same comparison, recorded on same mic and system, same day, same position etc. No reverb, no compression and using the same flutes as in the above recordings Blackwood first followed by Pink Ivory; https://app.box.com/s/qrtpcpuo3bndsyp2253x

H

2

Very nice playing! :thumbsup:
Terrible comparison, the settings and recording environment are just too different.
/M

3

Maybe but that is how people use flutes,

I’ve edited the original posting to include a sample of the two flutes recorded in a more controlled environment and may be more representative.

H


4

I definitely like the blackwood better. Felt the same with both sets of recordings. The blackwood seems more consistent tonally and a bit brighter which I prefer.

5

In the first example, I chose the AFB.

In the 2nd comparison, I feel they’re pretty close to identical, maybe I still lean a little toward the AFB.

6

… and I definitely like the Pink Ivory better. Probably for the same reasons that Akiba prefers the blackwood. The Pink Ivory flute seems to have a warmer tone, a bit buttery, like boxwood. The blackwood sounded harder to me - a glassier, more strident tone. Nice, but not as sweet as the Pink Ivory. And I prefer sweet.

I’ve never tried a flute made of Pink Ivory, but is it a similar wood to boxwood? I mean, I’m just off to Google, but you’ll actually know, Norman. :slight_smile:

7

I agree with Ben, I like the softer tone of the Pink Ivory flute. But then we could get in the discussion of the effects on tonality of different materials… :smiling_imp: Does the head joint have a liner or unlined, what is the finish of the bore, etc…