So, I’ve played a D flute for about a year now, and I’ve gotten at least good enough to play a fair amount of tunes on it and be able to play it in sessions. I still sometimes struggle a bit on the D flute, and I’m also wanting to get some other keys of flutes now that I’ve bought a good amount of different key whistles to satisfy the “WhOA” for awhile (High F, Eb, Db, Bb, and I have three D whistles as of Christmas (lovin’ the new Burke!!!) ), but I’m not sure which one would be better to get. I’ve been told the Eb is easier to play, and it sounds cool, but the Bb also sounds pretty awesome, but I know that the finger stretch can be a challenge on those, and as I would also assume, the breath requirements can be tough too. I plan on buying whichever one it is from Doug Tipple, since I don’t have too many ways of getting money right now, and I’ve heard good reviews about his flutes. I’m also trying not to spend too much money, since I’m saving up for some pipes I’m buying from a friend. Would it be better to try an Eb before trying out the Bb, since I still do tend to struggle with the breathing sometimes on the D flute?
This is an easy one to answer…
If you are having any troubles of breath on a D flute, then by all means give a big Bb flute a go. The Bb flute indeed does use somewhat more air, but after getting used to that air requirement, the D flute then becomes a piece of cake.
Why not get a keyed flute? Then, theoretically, you can play in any key?
If you’re having trouble with the D flute, I’d suggest sticking with it and not branching out till you’re comfortable with it. If your urge to branch out is uncontrollable, I’d suggest getting an Eflat body that fits on the head of your D flute. That way at least there’s no adjustment in the embouchure.
All good advice, but here’s mine.
I love my Tipple Eb, better than my D.
It’s a nice flute, looks good, sounds better, and is just that tiny bit smaller that it doesn’t seem to matter that it’s cylindrical. You can spend more, but why?
M
Of course part of your decision depends on whether you are playing with others and what keys they are playing in. If you are playing by yourself then the native sound and feel of the flute is your guiding factor. I love the responsiveness of an Eb flute and the sonorous sound of a Bb. In the whistle realm I love the sound of an A whistle.
When I’m playing with others the “D” flute is out and in play 90% of the time. It is during those few Dm reels/jigs and songs that I find I’m getting out the “C” flute. The lead singer in my band has me occasionally grabbing for the A whistle and even Bb flute.
Here is a list of what keys can be played on various instruments.
If you want the image as a word file, pm me and I’ll send it to you.
Clark
One consideration is that a Tipple Bb is a monster, and you might want to check to see if your fingers would cover the holes. I have very large hands for a woman (I can’t buy gloves that fit me), and thought that I might give a Tipple Bb a try. Doug warned me, and told me that the only way that he could even play it was to use his pinky for the low D hole, but I was willing to take the risk. I gambled and I lost. I ended up selling it to someone on the board, who I hope had better luck with it than I did.
Oops. I was looking at my chart (see above post) and noticed a mistake. Just click on the one below for a larger view of the corrected version.
Clark
When I play with others, I usually play my D flute, but when it’s just me and maybe some bodhran players or guitarists I like using other keys, or if I’m with someone who wouldn’t mind tuning down their fiddles to play in other keys. When I play alone, I prefer weird keys usually(hence the fact that I bought a Db whistle and wrote a tune in G#minor). I like the more haunting sound of a Bb, but also love the happier tone of an Eb, so there’s the part of me that would rather just buy both of them. Anybody have pictures of themselves playing one of his Bb flutes, so I can get a basic idea of what it’s like? I have fairly big hands, or at least, long arms and fingers…
That kind of decision just makes life so much easier!
I tell my students to consider having flutes above and below D. When you play a lower flute, it’s a workout that makes D seem easy by comparison. Think of cyclists training at high altitudes for an athletic analogy. When you play a higher one, it’s showing you what your D flute should sound like when you get it all warmed up and excited (it should of course be easier to get a shorter flute to this state). This is like olympic swimmers in the training pool, being towed by the machine that shows them what one second faster would feel like - shows you what the goal is.
Get 'em both! Cheers,
Rob
I very much enjoy Doug’s higher pitched flutes: his
A flute and his high Bb flute.
Also these pitches (G is worth considering too)
are available from Ralph Sweet too.
Playing higher pitched flutes is great embouchure exercise,
because they’re more demanding.
Also they’re useful. The A gets you the keys of A, D and C.
G gets you G, C, and D.
And they sound really good. With higher pitched flutes
you can get something first rate without paying
lots of money.
Also F flutes are swell.
Ditto what Jim said about high flutes.
With regard to flutes pitched lower than D, I also offer 3-piece flutes in Db, C, B, as well as the low Bb monster flute. Db is not a common key, but the flute does sound good. I have made a number of these flutes for musical shows on Broadway and in Europe. I also have audio files of my low C and low B flutes being played on the Audio Files page at my website (see link below).
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned Casey Burns’ Bb flutes. They sound great and aren’t that hard in terms of stretch.
I have heard great things about Casey’s Bb flute, but have not tried one personally.
I got the impression that JSC Whistler was interested in Doug’s flutes, though, since he is a bit short of funds, evidently, and wanted advice about which Tipple to buy, the Eb or the Bb. He says he’s saving to buy a set of pipes (God knows why!!! 
)
M
Joseph (JSCWhistler) has informed me that he has decided on the Eb flute instead of the low Bb. I haven’t sold many Eb flutes, but I did get an email yesterday from a musician that has been using my flutes for Broadway shows, first “Tarzan” and now “Lion King”. He wrote, “I am using your PVC Eb in Lion King and it works great. The part is very exposed and volume is not a problem. Intonation & sound is great. Traded out the Olwell Eb I used to play.” In all fairness to Patrick Olwell, the flute mentioned above is a one-piece bamboo flute that cannot be tuned with the orchestra.