Ahem, not to be espousing a crass commercial message or anything, (but allow me anyway, humble apologies)… one way of dipping into the Eb bliss without a lot of outlay may be to get a custom made bamboo flute in Eb…
I have a couple of nice ones left after doing my Christmas shows. Patrick Olwell, (thanks) has been sending folks my way (he hasn’t really had time to work in bamboo lately) and I haven’t had a complaint yet. There’s actually a review on the board somewhere around here.
My Copeland Irish flute can play in Eb, but you don’t want to hear it!
I just got through making a set of flutes for Mike Duckworth who is touring with the production of “The Lion King” and had to make some odd keys I’ve never attempted before, with good results… including B natural (usually Bb) Ab and F#.
Anyways, I agree that Eb has a certain “something”. I don’t know what… brightness? The high school band stint on alto sax may have something to do with it. Orchestras have been going increasingly sharp for the last 300 years. Are we getting deaf?
I am playing my Tipple Eb a lot at the moment (practising about 2 hours daily on it alone). I am doing a couple of pieces with a lady singer in C harmonic minor.
If you want to play anything C (natural) Minor the Eb pipe is what you need unless you go all the way down to a Bb pipe (and use cross fingering). Of course the harmonic minor has a natural 7th in place of the natural minors flatted 7th so no matter what diatonic instrument you use you are going to have to half hole or cross finger to get it.
I found the Tipple Eb nicely responsive
XOX XOO for the low octave B
XOX OOO for the high octave B
We would have liked to have done the piece in B harmonic minor with my D flute. Unfortunately the various tried cross fingerings to get the Bb either gave a dicky result or a good one but one that was too soft. My singer wants more power from me with that note and so we compromised on lower resgister for fluidity and power.
I have found my Tipple Eb to be very resposive to all sorts of cross fingerings and half holings.
Mark Hoza is currently making me a wooden Eb.
[quote=“yillbrillem”]I just got through making a set of flutes for Mike Duckworth who is touring with the production of “The Lion King” and had to make some odd keys I’ve never attempted before, with good results… including B natural (usually Bb) Ab and F#.
Just to clear up any confusion… hi William… im out working on another project and not currently with “The Lion King” I will be using your wonderful flutes with “Tarzan” here in NY. - Hope that all is well.
Mike Duckworth 