Most likely in an attempt to counter my seasonal affective disorder (i.e. - I really hate summer in KC), I find myself again staring at baroque flutes on the internet.
My problems are many, but these directly relate to a baroquish flute:
I don’t really like taking care of wooden flutes.
I really don’t want to spend too much (let’s say $500 max., but less is best).
I’m not really after an authentic baroque flute - I want A=440 and am perfectly OK with a louder than normal baroque flute, but I do want it to be chromatic.
Basically, I’m thinking of either an Aulos Grenser (is the matte black really noticably better than the shiny black one?), Ralph Sweet maple (since they’re treated and I’ve heard they don’t require too much care), and perhaps waiting for Luc Verhoeven to make something in blackwood.
I had the Sweetheart. It was ok as a starter, but not a keeper, at least for me. I had no trouble selling it, though. I think the Aulos may be the better bet. I haven’t seen the matte ones, just the shiny ones, and i thought they were ok. The white ones (A=415) are better, but then i personally prefer Grenser to Stanesby (so i might end up buying the black one anyway).
Caring for wood is not that hard, really. As long as you don’t submerge it, leave it in a hot car, or leave it all wet inside after you play, you’ll be fine.
Don’t expect a Baroque flute to be loud. You really need a shift in attitude, you “breathe into it” more than blow, really; you’re looking for the most efficient use of the air. Baroque flutes are 100% chromatic, but again, it will require some work. It may take a couple of months before you’re comfortable with the fingerings. Taking lessons would be a great help, but it’s not always available (i’m having a lot of trouble finding a teacher in the Chicago area).
Luc is a great guy.
Maybe the Aulos would be a good starter flute for you. If you decide you really want to go Baroque, then there will be time to find something else and you can either keep the Aulos for travelling, or sell it. It should sell easily.
Someone posted a list of resorces recently, which had really great prices for student instruments. If i can locate it, i’ll repost it here.
Good luck! Baroque fluting is a fascinating source of frustration and fun!
Look for Kevin’s post. Check the link he put there. Check all of the makers listed in the section “Learning to Play”. Really, the research is the greater part of the fun. There’s even someone listed there that says he’ll rent you a student model flute. Great deals.
I’ve yet to meet or hear from anyone who has had a chance to play both the matte and the shiny Aulos grenser, so that may be my biggest debate - whether or not the extra cash is worth it.
Technically, I know wood isn’t that terribly hard to care for since I already have a nice antique rosewood 9 key/10 touch flute, but I find myself playing it less than my Seery because of the need to swab it out after playing, the need to periodically oil it, and it takes longer to warm up to its wonderful self than my Seery does - granted, it only takes about 15 minutes for the wooden flute to warm up, but I play a lot of 15 minute snippets while doing things in the evenings during the week or on lunch break. Also, I’ve noticed that my flutes tend to get knocked over, fall off of tables, etc. fairly often, so wood just makes me more nervous than a nice, tough polymer.
So - anyone out there had a chance to compare the shiny vs. the matte Aulos Grenser flute?
Eric, a good source for this would be the Antique Sound Workshop, http://www.aswltd.com The specific link for the Aulos flutes is http://www.aswltd.com/aulosfl.htm I’ve dealt with them on two recorders in the past. They are very knowlegeable and helpful.
That’s the place where it says the matte Aulos sounds better than the shiny one. That’s the only place i know where it says that, BTW.
If you’re looking for the one with soft case (but i think it’s the shiny one), you could get it from http://www.woodenflute.com/shop and help support the woodenflute list.
OK, I’ll be quiet then since you guys already know about that site. After dealing with them in the past, I do believe that they aren’t just saying the matte sounds better to sell the higher priced one. They really do think it sounds better, but that judgement is of course subjective.
No, i think it’s good to know your opinion of them; this definitely gives their assertion more weight (that is, they aren’t just trying to push the more expensive model). It could be a different kind of plastic, or could just be that that matte ones were made with a better mold. Actually i don’t know what process Aulos uses to make the flutes, so maybe mold doesn’t apply.
For whatever reason, the shiny ones seem to be a lot more common in the US than the matte ones.
When I got my Aulos Stanesby jr. model, I got it from Woodwind/Brasswind (www.wwbw.com) in Indiana. Look under “Other flutes.” You might compare the prices. It’s worth it.
(Wow, apparently listed as “Rhythm Band Baroque Flute” in the WWBW site, in the same page as the Jew’s Harp and the Melody Flute; that’s cruel and unusual. Hmm, they will sell it in 6 payments, no interest, no shipping; hard to beat.)
I like the white Aulos a lot. It’s pitched at A-415. It has a soft, very mellow sound. It’s more in tune than the Sweetheart baroque flute in walnut that I had. The embouchure hole is so much smaller than that of an Irish flute or Boehm. That’s normal for Baroque flutes, though, from what I understand. I’ve never played the black Grenser model, so I can’t compare it to that.
I haven’t played it in awhile, since I’ve been playing my Irish flute. I may have to get it out tonight!
While we’re on the topic of Baroque flutes, I’ve got a question for those more experienced with them.
How do you align the embouchure hole with the finger holes? On my Irish flute, I rotate it in towards myself more than on my Boehm. Should Baroque flute be the same? I don’t seem to rotate it inward quite as much. With the small emb. hole, it seems to cut off the sound.
Jeannie, most people turn the blowhole in somewhat, but the degree of turning varies. Looking at some old pictures and your Aulos Stanesby flute, it seems that you should align the far edge of the blowhole with the middle of the finger holes (that’s what happens when you align the Stanesby logos, in your model of flute). That’s what i do. But for some this is too much. In Baroque flute, more than other styles, the real rule is to find what works for you.
That is the advice given by Janice Dockendorff Boland in her ‘Method for the one keyed Flute’.
I think that this book is ESSENTIAL for beginners-like me- to the Baroque style Flute.It’s absolutely crammed with useful information(Historic and Practical),alternate fingerings,ornamentation,exercises and tunes,all put across in an extremely clear manner.
It’s approx A4 size,225pages.I think that I paid about £16 for my copy-making it very good value for a music book, IMHO.
Oh yes, i think that book and the little Hotteterre book are the essential books you should have. Janice’s book has good advice on everything, even on repertory. Hotteterre (sp?) is very good for the articulation and has an easier to read trill chart.
Thanks, Glauber, for the advice about the alignment. I’ve got the Boland book. I guess I just need to work with with my Baroque flute some more! I’ve gotten into Grey Larsen’s Irish flute tome, and haven’t come out!