Does anyone have success playing D#/Eb on a keyless flute? I find that’s an awfully small hole to half-hole and even when I get an in-tune sound it’s pretty “fluffy”/wimpy. Is it possible and I’m just not there yet or is that a note to be worked around? If you are able to make a reasonable sound, how are you doing it?
Thanks and best wishes.
Steve
This is why in 18th century the first key they put on a flute was an Eb…
… and then the second was a D# … or vice versa … I can never remember …
almost tea time Ben… do ya need a new writer?
It’s difficult but it can be done with practice. I put R 3 down straight, that is, the finger unbent, the
crease of the first joint creasing the hole. As is often the case with half-holed notes the key is better.
Half-holing Eb works OK at speed.
its a rubbish note on a keyless flute but I find I can get it if I cover the hole slightly with the finger tip and lip down. Rather than try and half hole all the way which youre trying now which results in a more muffled note.
works differently on various hole sizes.
Think it’s a Quantz joke, Denny!
So how’s your D#, Jim?
ah…
my post is just a slightly diiferent approach, far from reasonable, only works in quick passages.
I wish all my keyless flutes had at least that key.
worth a shot though.
If you half-hole both, the sum is reasonably accurate.
an’ y’all know how much we’s likes us sum reasonable accuracy…
Yup!
The easiest and most effective way of playing a D# on a keyless flute is to add a key. 
Easy solution: transpose those pesky F dorian tunes and be done with it.
Do some flutes have a thicker wall than others at the bottom? Mine is pretty thick (Copley Delrin) and I’m not having any luck half-holing this one. I will try the suggestion of blowing down.
Yes (and that will have an effect), but…
I will try the suggestion of blowing down.
Dominic’s suggestion is far better!
I’ve only had my flute for 2 weeks but I realize now why keys are important for flutes and why whistles don’t have them. But that’s ok for now, any tune requiring half-holing I can play on the whistle and I can do without sliding from D to E. Some day I’d love to have a flute with keys so that I can play my favorite jazz tunes. And I still might get a bamboo flute so I can do slides (important in hindustani classical music).
No, for me, it’s to just drill an Eb hole right where I rest my pinky so that it’s comfortable, and it works. I haven’t gotten around to the D# hole yet though…