I’m new to flute and even newer to the forum. I’ve been playing just over a year now, and I’m thinking of venturing into keyed flute world. Currently, I play ITM at a local session almost exclusively, but I’d like to branch out to other styles of folk music.
I currently own a keyless Olwell in Blackwood and a keyless Sweetheart in Rosewood (Resonance model).
I love the raw power and bark of the Sweetheart, and find it suits the session well. The Olwell has a more refined, sweet and clear tone, but of course does great at the session, too. I’m thinking that if I’m going to go the route of a keyed flute, I would swap out the Olwell. I know I’m opening a huge can of worms, but…
What would you recommend for a keyed flute to compliment the unlined, raw-sounding session machine that is my Sweetheart? I’m currently looking at a Copeland 4 key in Rosewood and an older Burns 6 key in Blackwood.
For the record, my current dream flute is a 6-key Olwell, Boxwood, Rudall style, possibly French head joint. And yes, I am on Pat’s waiting list…so 2022 is gonna be a great year
I’ll be honest, I would normally think of the attributes you’ve assigned to each flute being reversed, as it were, so I’ll just mention that if you’ve only been playing about a year, you may not yet be in a position to fully evaluate the tonal capabilities of each flute. Is the Olwell their small holed model? Have you tried many flutes?
It’s probably best to just play one of those flutes for a few years and then decide what you want after trying different kinds. That said, keys are great (I use all 8 ) and a used and/or antique flute isn’t a bad way to get into keys. I bought an antique Wylde and I have another antique (D’Almaine) being fixed up. There are loads of great makers out there, so it might just be a matter of taking a plunge and trying something. Often with the new makers the flute can be sold for the same or similar price to what you paid.
If you do end up getting a keyed flute and are looking to sell the Olwell, I’m interested in purchasing (I’m on a waiting list for a headjoint for my Wylde).
Thanks for the advice. I guess I’m pretty new to the world of wooden flutes, so I might not have the lingo down. I think what I the raw power of the sweetheart I was referring to is rougher, woody sound of the unlined head. It does also have a nice strong low d. The Olwell on the other hand, is their large hole model, and can certainly cut with sharpness and clarity, but the overall sound seems mellower. When I really get cooking on it, the cuts and stronger blasts of air really bring out the overtones, and I’m certain it can be heard above the din of the session, and definitely sings louder than the Sweetheart.
That said, I only paid $400 for the Sweetheart and it sounds pretty darn good. Seems like, though the Olwell is a superior flute, my money would be better invested in a used keyed flute at this stage.
I see you’re in Detroit. Maybe we ought to find a time to meet up and play flute for a bit? I’d be willing to part with the Olwell, if you’re looking for a pratten. I’m trying to make it downstate for a Grey Larsen house concert in Ann Arbor this weekend, so I might be close enough to swing over.
My guess is that you haven’t developed your embouchure enough yet (it can take a few years of playing) to be able to tap into the Olwell’s potential (which is along the lines of some other comments above). Have you had any more experienced players try your Olwell to see what sound they can get out of it? That can be eye-opening.
While the Pratten style flutes are often described as “loud,” they can also sound unfocused if you haven’t developed your embouchure enough yet. The analogy I like to use is a spray-paint can: if you hold the can a foot or two away from the wall, you’ll get a fairly broad, diffuse patch of paint; if instead you hold it 3 inches away you’ll get a very concentrated dot. I hear lots of flute players who get a loud but unfocused sound out of their flutes, which actually makes them harder to hear clearly when playing with other instruments. You want to aim for that concentrated dot; have a listen to the tone of an Olwell player like June McCormack, for example, who gets a razor-sharp clear tone from her flute. Developing that tone can take years.
I’ve been playing flute since the mid 1980s and thought I was getting a good sound out of my own flutes until we had a visit at our house by a virtuoso flute player from Brittany who tried each of my flutes. I had no idea my flutes could sound like that, and it made me realize that I still have plenty of work to do on my own embouchure after all these years.
Yes, one of the nice things about flute is that, once it comes online, embouchure improves indefinitely and with it the beauty of
one’s sound. About the Olwell, Pat O is sometimes called ‘the Stradivarius’ of contemporary
flute makers. Even people who disagree will probably understand why someone would say this. Pat’s flutes are hard to come by. Many of us
kick ourselves over flutes we sold prematurely. You really don’t want to wake in the night screaming…
Thanks for the advice! I definitely have a ways to go in developing my embouchure. I’ll post some clips of me playing both flutes. It would be great to see what words you use to describe the tone. And yes I do feel that the Olwell is a superior instrument…it’s just that I’m gigging now and playing with a singer, so I’m starting to feel the lack of keys.
But I do have fears of waking in the night screaming… It’s just tough not to consider getting a nice strong Burns 6 key for less than the cost of my keyless Olwell.
(The PM function, that is.)