As regards Stu’s question about cork position and tuning…
I’d about given up playing my old Rudall Rose #2506 in sessions because of tuning problems, even though I love the sound of this flute. It has medium holes and speaks easily and with good volume and projection. A few days ago I thought I’d give it a go because I do love to play it.
I decided to experiment and I moved the cork so far back that it is now a full inch from the center of the embouchure - 25.5 mm. The flute is now in much better tune at A440. Every note is very good, and the flute stays in good tune all the way to the 3rd. octave D. The second octave doesn’t get sharp.
It doesn’t seem to be less responsive and the hard bottom D is still there. I played for a bit last night with my friend the super-critical box-player and he approved of the tuning. The next test will be in a session with the North Clare session group, with fiddle, concertina and pipes.
I’d like to get some input from Jon C and Terry. Wilkes says that he often puts the cork at 21-23 mm in an old flute but that some flutes become less responsive. With the cork at 25 mm this flute feels just right to me.
Well if works… I will have to try that out on a few of the more challenging flutes and see what happens.
I have found that pulling the cork out more makes the second octave flatter, not sharper. So I would say, that your second octave, A and B should be about 30 cents flat from the first octave.
Most of the time it also makes the tone of the flute get kind of mushy.
On my Pratten design I usually set the cork about 21mm, but on the Rudall it is just around 19mm.
My 2 bits worth…
I’ve just checked my old flutes - the Rudall cork is 22mm from the centre of the embouchure hole, the Wylde is 24. Both play well in tune through the 3rd octave. I remember experimenting with each, and the further out the cork was the flatter third octave.
I play both in my local session, although I admit the one tune I shy away from joining is Sweetness of Mary B part.
I’d guess that it’s not just cork position, though, but a combination of that and tone hole geometry, embouchure, shape of jaw, teeth, mouth etc.
p
You might try a suck-test on the headjoint to make sure it’s not leaking.
Hi,
Okay, I tryed out your idea David, and for me it just made the second octave 50 cents flat. Didn’t help or change the lower octave at all. ( I hope this doesn’t jinks your new found tuning) The only way I have found the R&R flutes play better, was adjusting my Embouchure, by blowing more into the flute, as the slide can be closed more. Most of these flutes play best at A=430, so I can’t see cork movement changing the internal tuning that much.
Having the cork that far out (25 mm) made a dramatic change in the second octave, by making it flatter and bringing it into near perfect tune. It didn’t affect the first octave much at all. And the flute is still very responsive.
Over all I am delighted with the way the flute plays now. The point if all this is that the rule of thumb of 19mm – or the Golden Rule: set the cork an equal distance from the center of the embouchure as the width of the head joint tube – can vary quite a bit depending on a particular flute.
That’s right, that is why it is just a bench mark, it is best to adjust the cork placement with a tuner, instead of just setting it at 19mm. Some of the flutes that have a 18.6 mm head bore, may require a much different placement.
Jon, it’s time you were in bed and sound asleep.