Hi,
I’m not a flutist. So maybe someone in this forum could help me.
I’m working in an orchestration, and I have two flutes. One of them plays also the piccolo. I have a passage where the piccolo plays and then the player needs to take the flute and continue playing. There are some rests between this. My question is if he has really the time to change from piccolo to flute ( he has more or less 6 seconds) is this enough?
Thanks
Should be plenty of time. 6 seconds gives you more time than you would think.
That was quick, thanks.
Are you sure? Someone told me it’s not possible that’s why I ask you again. Do you know any orcherstral examples where I could check this. I’ve been looking and I didn’t find.
That was quick, thanks.
Are you sure? Someone told me it’s not possible that’s why I ask you again. Do you know any orcherstral examples where I could check this. I’ve been looking and I didn’t find.
6 seconds should be enough time. Obviously the flute needs to be within easy reach, ideally on a stand. There are lots of instrumentalists who switch during playing.
If you aren’t sure 6 seconds is enough just try it yourself. Start counting, reach to pick something up. 6 seconds should be fine.
Obviously, the player needs to be good enough to mentally make the adjustment and perhaps change his embouchure, but that should be a natural for someone that regularly plays both.
I used to do this a lot while playing trumpet and fugal horn.
As somebody that does this frequently, 6 seconds is pushing it. Most of us play with the unused instrument on a stand. So you have to place one instrument on the stand (which can take longer than you might expect), and pick up the other one from the stand, plus get ready to play. Sometimes if there’s not enough time to switch, we’ll mark in the previous section something like “keep flute in lap”, to let us know there’s a quick switch coming up.
Dana
Bravo!
IMO, Dana gets the award for “Most Accurate Representation”.
After all, it’s just not like the triangle player, who could wait…, and wait…, and wait…
Here is a related question. I’m not in an orchestra, just in the folk group of my church. How does one keep multiple instruments warm so that a instrument can just be picked up, played, and be in tune? And what about if a person was playing outside in questionable weather? Would you place your instruments on a heating pad or would you have a roadie hold the instruments to keep them warm?
While wearing my guitar, I can keep harmonicas and whistles tucked in pockets ready for action and I can even play a crystal flute left-handed while wearing my guitar but I can not play a silver flute while wearing a guitar.
@ mutepointe
Try a hot water bottle positioned near your feet, or more than one, end on end, and maybe a small “blanket”, too, to keep the flute warm.
BTW, you probably could play a silver flute while wearing a guitar, on a strap, but don’t try playing a guitar while wearing a silver flute!