I’m going to buy my first irish flute, and at the moment I’m thinking about two options: Casy Burns folk flute or M&E delrin flute. Both are instruments that I can afford at the moment, and apparently are good rated in this an other forums…
I’d like to ask a pair of questions, for users of this flutes:
Casey Burns folk flutes:
Is it possible playing C natural with the standard whistle crossfinger oxxooo? (in the web it only appears another crossfinger: oxoxxx)
Are they sessionable? Not having tuning slide and all…
M&E:
Air requirements. Some posts speak about high air requirements. Has anyone compared it with the Casey Burns folk flute? Do you think this air requirements make them a bad instrument for beginners?
Other flutes that I have considered are Seery flutes, which seem to be also highly rated, but so far haven’t found any site with a contact e-mail or anything. Apparently the web site - http://www.worldtrad.org/Seery/ - just has a pic with the flutes, but no else information. If anyone knows more about this instruments or contact information it would be very appreciated…
I can speak for the CB folk flute, I bought one from another C&F member last year. It is tunable by sliding the headjoint out, and I used it without any difficulty at my 1st session last month (well, maybe that’s not quite true…but any difficulty I had cannot be blamed on the flute). As for the C natural, both fingerings work…in fact I was using the oxxooo until reading your post. Upon trying it, oxoxxx does sound better.
I recently bought one of Terry McGee’s GLP flutes, and intended to sell my folk flute to help fund the purchase, but just can’t seem to let it go.
I have this incredible feeling of deja vu reading your post.
Many have asked before, but I don’t think it really matters which one you get. One person will say the Burns, another will say the M&E (no, it doesn’t take too much air - seemed about the same as the two Burns’ flutes I’ve played). The Seery is a great flute, too, although it, IMHO, does take a more focused embouchure - it’s not that a beginner can’t start off on one, but it might take more work.
Both are good flutes. Just get the one you like, and practice, practice, practice.
air requirements are about the same with FF and ME. big difference is FF is more mellow while the ME is more edgy and chirpy. FF A LOT LIGHTER than ME as well. FF definitely tunable. FF might be easier for a beginner in terms of embouchure requirement. I’d take either FF or ME (I have a CB Standard and ME) over a Seery. cross finger oxx C works well on both flutes.
Too much is made of this “air requirements” thing, especially by beginners. Any flute will require loads of air if you’re letting most of it spill out into space over the top of the instrument, by virtue of not having your embouchure together. Conversely, the Rootin’est, Tootin’est, Shootin’est Pratten East of the Pecos should require no more air to play than does talking in a normal voice. Should, that is.
Thank you very much for the comments, they have really helped me to make a decision. Being both tunable and sessionable and supporting the trad. fingering for C - I already have to change fingerings when I change from the whistles to my bagpipe, don’t want to add more fingerings, for a third instrument, if possible…- the most important thing is the sound. Thank you @Akiba for the point about the edgy and chirpy sound in M&E flutes vs. a more mellow sound in Casey’s flute. After reading your comment I’ve been listening to both flutes, and certainly, that seems to me like an accurate description. I’ve liked more the mellow sound of the Folk Flute, so I’ll finally order one instead of the M&E, though the M&E seems also a very good flute for the price…
