Well, I’ve been out of action for a long time now what with work and the current financial climate we find ourselves in, but have tried to revive the Irish flute bug by thinking about what I might get as my first keyed flute.
I currently own a Dixon 3-piece polymer (nice little flute) and a DJ Allan lemonwood with tuning slide (absolutely fantastic flute - can’t say enough good about it). I’d gladly ask Dominic Allan to make me one of his keyed flutes, but sadly am not able to pay him what he deserves for one of them.
That having been said, what would you pros recommend to the beginner-intermediate player who wants a keyed flute? And how many keys is good value?
I’d appreciate your feedback and if at all possible a shop or other establishment in the nearish Bristol, England area where I can actually go and play a good, keyed flute.
When I was in the same situation I did research on all the different makers, their prices, reputation, and general opinions of others on the board. I chose Maurice Reviol in New Zealand mainly because of price but also the beauty of the flutes and the positive things I found about them on the net.
The model I wanted was priced at around $3,000 NZD which was about 1/2 that in US Dollars because of the exchange rate at the time. It was a gamble buying a flute sight unseen from a relatively unknown maker but the price difference was so great that I took the chance.
The flute is having it’s finishing keywork done right now. In the meantime, I purchased a “practice flute” from Doc which was a student Reviol model with a resin cast bore. I LOVE IT. It’s so sweet but at the same time piercing and that’s his minimally finished student model. I can only imagine how good the final product will be.
Gabriel and Tommy Kochel have both owned Reviols and speak highly of them. They are much more experienced than I am.
Glen makes a fine flute, as Maurice does. A flute playing colleague from Düsseldorf plays a keyed Watson in blackwood, which is a lovely player. For me the low D is a bit hard to hit, but I’m a Pratten player and tend to overblow low D. Another friend is also getting a keyed Watson in boxwood, she’s flying over to Ireland to collect it in august.
The case shouldn’t have anything to do with the decision to buy a flute. Cases are exchangeable.
Regarding keys, buy as many as you like. I wouldn’t go lower than eight keys, but that’s me. Four make a flute fully chromatic (Eb, F, G#, Bb). Most people are perfectly happy with six of them (them four plus middle C and another F key). You don’t really need two F keys, so if buying new, I would recommend to get only the long F key and learn how to play Fs with your pinkie exclusively, unless you really want the two F’s (I want them ).
There’s an english pair of makers who seem to produce lovely flutes. No idea about prices, though. http://www.holmesmcnaughton.com
Jayhawk: I spoke to Dominic about post mounting keys on my existing flute, but because it’s lemon wood he said it would be too soft to mount keys.
Still, I love this flute dearly and really enjoy playing it.
It will be a while before I get anything like enough money to buy a good keyed flute, but I really appreciate the informed input. I just wish I could find a shop near me here in England that actually stocks good, keyed flutes so I could try one out. I don’t even know what the fingering system is for one!
Does anyone know of a good link to a simple system, keyed flute fingering chart?
I recently had a first encounter with a Doyle 6-key, small holed and I think ergonomically placed tone-holes for a small-handed young lady player - and a very nice, responsive, easily sounded flute it was, with plenty of voice, so far as my short blast on it allowed me to assess. I was impressed.
Bowjest, are you only considering new-made? Depending on your budget and other requirements, I may be able to offer you an 8-keyed antique, and I’m not too far away to arrange a meet-up for trials. PM me if that is any help.
Never fear. It may well take long enough for the flute to be made that you will have the money
well before you receive it. If I may say so, it seems to me the first question you might
pursue is what sort of flute you want to play. What sort of sound, pratten, rudall,
whatever. THEN consider a maker who makes that sort of flute with keys.
Keys are nice to have but the flute itself will make the biggest difference.
You may find, especially if you play ITM, that the keys aren’t
used all that much.
OF course, by all means, try out keys if you can get your mitts on a
keyed flute.
Jim: good advice. If I’m honest, I don’t really know the difference between the Prattens and the Rudall, Rose, Carte flutes.
I have a Pratten copy and it’s a very nice sound, but whether that has got more umpf or is softer/sweeter than a Rudall, I couldn’t say.
Once again, compadres, I place myself in your far more experienced hands.
I will say this: I’m just under 7 feet tall, so have very large hands. Perhaps that is a good thing to bear in mind as I know sound holes differ in size and distance of placement.
They don’t sell them in your local store, but you might want to check out Gilles Lehart’s flutes. I recently got one, and it’s much more than I could ever hope for. They are among the cheaper keyed flutes you come across, but doesn’t lack in quality for that reason.
I decided to go for a 5 key (Long F missing) with custom key placement, because of my pipers grip
OT: Im just wondering. What distance is there across your palm, to the tip of the middle finger? Im about 6 feet 3" and people usually say my hands are quite on the large side. They are approx 9" and quite muscular (like a workers hands, even though I dont do manual labour). I don’t have any problems regarding standard hole or key placement with that size.
).