From time to time, people ask what are the essential differences between various flute types. It’s a good question, but actually not that easy to answer in any depth. I’ve made a start by drawing together some stuff I already had, and some new stuff, into a series of pages starting at:
As you will see, there are a lot of areas of comparison not yet attempted - I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment with monitoring the construction of our new house and workshop and preparing this house and workshop for sale. But at least the start has been made!
Temperament. equal vs just Probably not even worth more than a note in the scaling section, but I believe that this has changed from the traverses to the modern flute.
Hole venting and size. In addition to what is on your page.
I have heard it stated that large holed flutes can be half holed better, but small holed flutes can be cross fingered better. I have heard no hard evidence for the latter though. I have no idea how this could even be tested though as cross fingering is often different for some notes.
Differences in Embouchure cut would be neat to compare (round vs. square and chimney depth etc) Although you talk about this on your “Development of The Modern Cut Embouchure” page I do wonder if there was differences in blowing edge shape and ability to change pitch of the note. My limited experience has been that the more rectangular embouchures were usually less flexible in pitch. Again, hard to quantify and Probably a footnote at best.
Edit, Oops I thought that you were asking for questions this morning, rather than just making an announcement. Your site is usually the one I look to for detailed info on the flute and find it useful for comparing many aspects of design. Hope the moving is going well.
Chimney depth. As a 30+ year Boehm player before switching to wooden simple system, I’m fascinated by the differences in chimney depth and blowing-edge thickness/angle (as poor David Copley heard last weekend – sorry, David! ). That seems to be a key difference in how the two play to me – a flute with a raised lip plate and riser vs. one without …
Good for you, Terry! It will be a much appreciated and useful resource, knowing how thourough you are in your research.
No hurry-build your house! It will be worth waiting for, and hopefully some of us can help with some input when needed. As you say, you’ve made the first steps, and that is often the most difficult hurdle to overcome!
No worries about further suggestions as to parameters that need investigating, indeed, I’ve incorporated them into the introductory page to remind me when I have some more time.
I think wall thickness is a very important issue.
No Terry! not your house walls - the flutes!
I believe this was an issue for Boehm and others. Wall thickness and resonance. Also, the responsiveness of large tone hole half holing as subject to different wall thicknesses. Compare thin wall bamboo in bansuris and large tone hole responsiveness with relatively thicker walled bamboo of the Far East flutes. The surprising delight of the economy Tipple flutes with relatively thin walled PVC.
Can we have the the advantages of tapered wooden bore with thin walls (meaning the whole flute body is tapered?)
(Incidentally look at the responsiveness of thin walled tin whistles and the success of large tone holes in them).
As a maker you also make heads in different thicknesses.
Yes I move for wall thickness (relative rather than absolute of course).
Do you mean wall thickness, or tone-hole chimney depth? Clinton’s Flute For India (a simple system flute made of thin-walled metal, but with risers for tone-holes) might be the deciding thing. Ebonite and Delrin have made this idea less attractive in the modern world for bomb-proof flutes, but I would love to get my hands on a metal Clinton.
On the subject of large-holed tinwhistles,: scaling the holes on a Feadog up to flute size would result in an unplayable instrument, I think. Might sound good, but the ergonomics would be bizarre without keys. It’s all fun and games 'til someone loses a finger!
Gotcha. What I’m trying to say is, how does one separate the two parameters (wall thickness and chimney depth)?
On thick-walled flutes, the chimney height is sometimes reduced at a couple of tone holes, but I’ve never seen that for all holes.
Just guessing, but I’ll say that wall thickness (apart from chimney height and material) is an even more nebulous variable than flute material. I believe that the differences are more ergonomic and aesthetic than acoustic.
[quote=“talasiga”]
I think wall thickness is a very important issue.
No Terry! not your house walls - the flutes!
I believe this was an issue for Boehm and others. Wall thickness and resonance. Also, the responsiveness of large tone hole half holing as subject to different wall thicknesses. Compare thin wall bamboo in bansuris and large tone hole responsiveness with relatively thicker walled bamboo of the Far East flutes. The surprising delight of the economy Tipple flutes with relatively thin walled PVC.
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I have been expermenting with thinned flute walls. You have tuning issues with a thicker chimney on the tone holes, thinner wall sharper note. Material has a lot to do with any losses, like Terry’s experment with making a soft wood Pratten flute. I have found that a thinner wall makes a more responsive flute, but if you undercut the tone holes, it would give you the same effect. So I wouold say "chimney depth has a lot to do with the subject, as with the boehm flute, where the flute is very thin, but has a raised lip around the tone hole, like Chiffed said with the Indian Clinton flute. If you measure the M&E, he has a chimney hight on his emb. hole about 6mm! I think this is what gives the flute its appealling tone, but the Emb hole is undercut quite a bit. I have some antique flutes that have a 4 mm chimney and the tone is real nice, so go figure?
Two bits worth…
Can we have the the advantages of tapered wooden bore with thin walls (meaning the whole flute body is tapered?)
It really is a different beast all together.
(Incidentally look at the responsiveness of thin walled tin whistles and the success of large tone holes in them).
Thin chimney?
As a maker you also make heads in different thicknesses.
Yes I move for wall thickness (relative rather than absolute of course).
Another factor that may or may not be worth investigating:
What were these flutes used for? The mid 19th C saw many regional orchestral styles and formats. Chamber music as well. What would a quintet or chamber orchestra player be playing? What about those who banged out concerti in front of huge orchestras (this one’s easier - they gots flutes named after 'em)? Any pattern to be found?
). That seems to be a key difference in how the two play to me – a flute with a raised lip plate and riser vs. one without …
