Convert 10-hole Bflat Fife to 6 Hole?

Irish Flute
1

I’ve recently acquired a 10-hole fife - and have been pondering whether it’s possible to tape up the two thumb holes and the two pinkie holes, and just play it as a Bflat 6-hole “piccolo”?

Sounds okay - but I wondered if I’m missing something. Has anyone tried this - or know a reason (tuning etc.) that it’s not a good idea?

thanks,

Pamela

2

To the best of my recollection, the only hole that can be cancelled - taped - would be the left thumb hole. It is only used for certain sharps and flats. The right pinky hole remains open for most diatonic notes. The left pinky hole needs to be open for A and above. So, NO, to closing the other holes.

The advantage of the 10 holes is for the chromatic scale and various nuances and a larger variety of music to be played.

If you have a fax I’ll fax you the finger chart for the 10 hole or I can take a .jpg scan and sent it to you.

BillG

3

Thanks Bill - but I’ve got copies of the fingering chart.

I tried taping up all 4 holes - and thought it sounded all right, but it doesn’t sound as though it will really work.

I’ll just have to get used to the 10 hole fingering, I guess.

p

4

I think that once you learn the fingerings that this will be a very rewarding (and flexible) instrument to play.

Who is the maker of your fife?

5

It’s a Healy - beautifully made in blackwood. I swapped for it with another member of this board.

6

I thought so, a Healy.

Nice, my only complaint my Healy fife is that it is hard to get the cross fingerings to work because the embouchure is not “flexible”? The additional holes make it Abell to play those notes and makes it a great instrument.