Iriod, generally.
Not a clue, Dave… Maybe he’s sending it in for Pat to make it sound more like your Boosey-Pratten…
I may drop in at O’Neill’s sometime in the next few weeks; I’ll let you know if I find out anything (I’ll wear a trench coat and sunglasses).
Best,
Gordon
I’m assuming you meant IrTrad (for Irish Traditional) by that. If you have ever played an Olwell, a Hamilton, or a Noy, the qualities in those makes (individual as they are) fall within the parameters of what I’d be looking for.
So how bout a closely spaced(easy on the hands), larger holed (bigger sound), bore a little larger than a ruddal (bigger tone) with block mounts & D rings…
I’m a little reluctant on the small D-rings, they look pretty but don’t offer much in the way of preventing cracks. I also have reservations about putting a tenon between the left & right hands. More tenons = more places for the flute to loose air. But if it makes the masses happy than so be it.
How about emb holes, rectangular or oval?
Alpha (if I may call you that), you’ll find so many different preferences about embouchure that I think you would do well to either settle on a particular type that best suits your own ideals and serves as a signature of your particular craftsmanship, or otherwise offer your clients a run of options to choose from. As long as your embouchure cuts are good (and I don’t know how to guide you on this), that’s most of the battle other that ensuring that your flutes are well in tune with themselves.
Issues such as a slightly flat bottom D or not will be up to you, depending on how you set everything up. I prefer the flattened low D because laying into it (presuming a responsive embouchure cut) sharpens it and gives it a hard, reedy tone. Other players may not want that.
I think that options are a good thing in general; your market is broadened that way, as long as the end product is satisfactory in all cases. Some flutemakers make small-hands flutes as an option available to those who desire it.
Not sure what you mean by small D-rings…do you mean the ferrule on the footjoint?