First off, I want to thank everyone who gave me a ton of flute advice over the past few months. I’m putting a check in the mail tomorrow for a new Seery, but there is a slight, 6-10 week wait.
I decided to go with the Seery to give the pratten style a try. Plus, I think I’m leaning more towards that dry sound the Seery has the more I listen to ITM.
Unfortunately, my wife is firm that when the new flute arrives, I’ll have to sell my Dixon which is a shame because I like the Dixon’s versatility (I think it allows for a lot of cross fingerings which are great for playing classical on the side, etc…). It really is a nice flute, and I’m honestly going to compare the Seery with the Dixon during the 21 day return period to make sure I wouldn’t rather return the Seery and keep the Dixon (that may sound odd, but I really think the Dixon is underrated).
I think you made a good choice, hawk. Despite the criticism of some purists about the choice of material, I think that you will find the Seery delrin an excellent flute. It has many of the characteristics of a good Pratten flute, even though it makes you work to get something out of it.
After you have played it a while, you will probably find, as in my case, that the weakest part of the flute is the operator
Ronbo, I agree about the weakest part of the flute being the operator! I’ve progressed so much more since making that confession than I ever did before!
I can’t compare the Seery to the Dixon having never played a Dixon, but I can say that my Seery is a fine flute.
Even though I now have a ‘real’ wooden flute, a Copley, I’m still going to keep my Seery. I leave it assembled on a shelf so I can grab it when I have a few free minutes and I can toss it in my bag without worry of damaging it.
I toyed with the idea of going with wood for my next flute, but I’ve really enjoyed the Dixon’s durability so I wanted the same on my next flute. Being able to toss it in a bag, leave it in my hot/cold car, not panic when my 4 year old plays Zorro with it, take it camping and canoeing are just huge plusses in my life, especially since I can’t afford to have one travel and one home/performance flute.
I’ll post a Seery/Dixon comparison when I get the Seery. I’ve seen so many Seery/M&E comparisons, but very few comparing the Dixon with one of the other polymer flutes.
I think you are making a great choice! My Seery sits on my computer desk at home, along with my M&E R&R, and both still get frequent play when I’m just grabbing a tune or two and don’t have time to play and then clean the Hamilton.
Also, I look forward to your comparison. I’ve never had a chance to play a Dixon, and it’ll be interesting to hear it compared to a flute I’m familiar with.
I’m sure you’re aware that you are one of those folks I was thanking. Over about the past month I’ve gone back and forth deciding between the Seery and the M&E R&R. It was only in the past week that I noticed the flute playing I liked best tended to come from those players using Pratten style flutes…so I thought the Seery the best option right now. Also, your “softly and sweetly” comparison led me to thinking the Seery could do Bach justice.
Unfortunately, I am not patient, and the extra 3-4 week waiting time is going to drive me
I look forward to hearing the comparison clip when your Seery arrives,Eric.
As the Dixon is a small hole model flute,it should be quite instructive to hear the differences between these flutes.
I’ll definitely do a clip. I had one of those really good embouchure nights last night where I had the Dixon singing. I think it will be fun comparing the two since they are so drastically different in hole size (and I assume bore size).
When I use to make bamboo and PVC flutes, I tended to prefer larger holes and had gotten pretty quick on half holing which is something the Dixon is not good for (it’s better for cross fingering). I Think that’s another reason I decided to give the Seery a try.
Oh, I also think it’s one exceptionally attractive flute, too… I guess I’m a little vain!
The Seery is a very attractive flute. Unless you are very close tot he player, it looks like a wooden flute.
Just remember to give yourself some time to adjust to the Seery. It is a hard flute to fill and may not sound all that good or seem all that well-tuned at first.
Hopefully your wife will let you keep the Dixon until your embouchure settles on the Seery…it can take a couple of months to really start making a Seery sing.
I’ll keep that in mind that it takes a bit to adjust to the Seery. I’m hoping I’m like Jim and take to it like a fish to water, but I do recall that to really make the Dixon sing took quite a bit of time and a very focused embouchure (I could get a decent sound easily, but a really good sound took effort).
I can’t believe it’s only been 3 days since I put the check in the mail…that doesn’t bode well!
I got to try a Seery this weekend for the first time, and it is indeed a heck of a flute. I found that blowing it felt almost exactly the same as blowing my Copley (which I absolutely love!), and the sound was pretty similar too, even though the holes were pretty different. I didn’t play it for very long, but I really liked it. Geez, now I gotta save up for one of those to have a really great knock-around flute!
Interestingly enough, the same guy who had the Seery also let me try out his 4-key Copeland (the older version, not the ones he’s just started making again). I could hardly get a sound out of it! Just a very different beast, I guess, and it would take me a while to get used to it. It was a very fine flute in his hands, though!
it’s nice to hear such good feedback about the Seery. 5 days and waiting…you all are going to hate me by the end of 10 weeks if it goes the full distance.
Actually, you should all be eternally grateful that I didn’t order a flute with a year long wait - I would really drive everyone crazy
Well, the difference between the Dixon and the
Seery is exactly what one expects–the advantage
is to the Seery, which sounds like a Pratten.
I continue to like my Seery a great deal;
the Copley is definitely better, but the Seery
is impressive; I use it a lot on the street.
I’ve found that the Seery plays much better
warm, by the way. It sounds quite good
anyold way, but it becomes a different
instrument warm. Of course on the street
not warm often means frigid. I’m up in
the third octave a fair amount, too,
and the intonation on those notes
is better warm. If you want to hear
something striking, leave your
Seery in the sun for a bit.
I think you’ll be glad you got it and
you can sell it one day…
If there is any hope of buying
a wooden flute, you might get
on a list…cause you may have
the money by the time one
is ready. I’m an ‘impurist,’
cause I’m really glad to have
a delrin flute, but I know
why the purists are so excited. Best
Well, the difference between the Dixon and the
Seery is exactly what one expects–the advantage
is to the Seery, which sounds like a Pratten.
I continue to like my Seery a great deal;
the Copley is definitely better, but the Seery
is impressive; I use it a lot on the street.
I’ve found that the Seery plays much better
warm, by the way. It sounds quite good
anyold way, but it becomes a different
instrument warm. Of course on the street
not warm often means frigid. I’m up in
the third octave a fair amount, too,
and the intonation on those notes
is better warm. If you want to hear
something striking, leave your
Seery in the sun for a bit.
I think you’ll be glad you got it and
you can sell it one day…
If there is any hope of buying
a wooden flute, you might get
on a list…cause you may have
the money by the time one
is ready. I’m an ‘impurist,’
cause I’m really glad to have
a delrin flute, but I know
why the purists are so excited. Best
Well, the difference between the Dixon and the
Seery is exactly what one expects–the advantage
is to the Seery, which sounds like a Pratten.
I continue to like my Seery a great deal;
the Copley is definitely better, but the Seery
is impressive; I use it a lot on the street.
I’ve found that the Seery plays much better
warm, by the way. It sounds quite good
anyold way, but it becomes a different
instrument warm. Of course on the street
not warm often means frigid. I’m up in
the third octave a fair amount, too,
and the intonation on those notes
is better warm. If you want to hear
something striking, leave your
Seery in the sun for a bit.
I think you’ll be glad you got it and
you can sell it one day…
If there is any hope of buying
a wooden flute, you might get
on a list…cause you may have
the money by the time one
is ready. I’m an ‘impurist,’
cause I’m really glad to have
a delrin flute, but I know
why the purists are so excited. Best
I think you are absolutely correct about the Seery playing its best when warm.
Every instrument I have, flute and whistle (and other), plays better when warm.
On some instruments the difference can be profound: the raw power and volume you can get from a Hamilton flute when it’s nicely warmed up contrasts nicely with the squeaky little Oak whistle that, when warmed, is sweet and easy and responsive.
I think you are absolutely correct about the Seery playing its best when warm.
Every instrument I have, flute and whistle (and other), plays better when warm.
On some instruments the difference can be profound: the raw power and volume you can get from a Hamilton flute when it’s nicely warmed up contrasts nicely with the squeaky little Oak whistle that, when warmed, is sweet and easy and responsive.
I think you are absolutely correct about the Seery playing its best when warm.
Every instrument I have, flute and whistle (and other), plays better when warm.
On some instruments the difference can be profound: the raw power and volume you can get from a Hamilton flute when it’s nicely warmed up contrasts nicely with the squeaky little Oak whistle that, when warmed, is sweet and easy and responsive.
wait.
I’ve progressed so much more since making that confession than I ever did before!
My Seery sits on my computer desk at home, along with my M&E R&R, and both still get frequent play when I’m just grabbing a tune or two and don’t have time to play and then clean the Hamilton.
Over about the past month I’ve gone back and forth deciding between the Seery and the M&E R&R. It was only in the past week that I noticed the flute playing I liked best tended to come from those players using Pratten style flutes…so I thought the Seery the best option right now. Also, your “softly and sweetly” comparison led me to thinking the Seery could do Bach justice.