Finding my Octave Balance

Irish Flute
1

Hi All,

It is my first time to post here in a flute forum,
but no longer a noob on C&F.

I was fluting already since I was 13 years old, but not a Trad Flute, just a bamboo.
I “engulfed” :laughing: the whistle for about a year now… and saw a lot of improvement on my 6/8 and fast 4/4 rhythm and dexterity.

I temporarily skipped :cry: on training Trad Music but focused on Improvisation, composition and accompaniment in our church band.

I would like to inquire some preference regarding the tuning
and want to confirm if my instinct is correct.

I have been tooting around with my Polymer Flute Dixon D Tunable for about 2-3 months already.
I think my model is not a Tapered Bore as my 2nd octave is flat, though I have expected that on many flutes.

(Well, it is the only model I can afford for now, but I have to say I am impressed with the embouchure
as it totally rock out of the box. It is like the embo is made just for me.)

I have no problems with the first octave. I normally lip the second octave and blow a little harder to make it somehow sharp, decreasing the flatness from -25 to -10, which I find to be tolerable somehow.

However the case is different on an E body. In both Whistle and Flute configuration
the second octave is extremely flat. Without a tuner, It can definitely raise my eyebrows.

I tried to lip it with all the might that I have but I can only raise it to -25 flatness, which I find soo non-tolerable.

Adjusting the tuning slide forward the body makes the second octave in tune, but the first octave extremely sharp.

Im trying to find an equilibrium that it is not too sharp on the first octave and not too flat on the second octave and try to cheat it on my lips.

I was a little frustrated about that because their D is quite nice, and their E is O well.
As per Tony Dixon, they have discontinued the Low Eb-E-F as the supplier has altered the dimensions of the product, and they do not want to issue a low quality instrument.

Can you give me an advice on this? Is it the flute or is it me?

I have read on some books that in classical flutes they tune the second octave A and just lip the first octave.

I still find it a little imbalance to lighten the breath on the first octave.

I need guidance… and Prayers…lol :wink:

2

Im trying to find an equilibrium that it is not too sharp on the first octave and not too flat on the second octave and try to cheat it on my lips.

As for all-cylindrical instruments, I guess that’s all you can do… but I’ve got a tapered bore flute by Dixon (the cheap one piece model), and it’s still quite out of tune across the registers. And as it is untunable, they made exactly what you said: a compromise… :-/

3

I played one of those cylindrical Dixons last week. The best thing you can do is buy a different flute… You’d be much better off with a Doug Tipple flute with lip plate, better tuning and nicer sound: http://tippleflutes.com/