I believe a few folks tried doing something like this on a few flutes (I believe Jem was one) but just went through my emails and noticed a Galway forum post with a link to this:
http://s471.photobucket.com/albums/rr78/kymarto/
I skimmed through the messages but this particular flute is quite interesting with the joint locks, etc. as well as the key setup. Anyone ever see such a thing before? Happy fluting! -Suzie
Very interesting, Suzie - thanks for posting the link. It is pretty clearly a shakuhachi derived mouthpiece on an adapted-for-vertical hold Boehm body. Nice!
Looks very similar in concept to the C.T. Giorgi Patent Flute, I sold it a few years back but should have hung on to it. The fingering was very bizarre, but it did have a nice tone to it. I’ve thought about making a similar flute but with a diatonic scale instead.
I’m rather new to flutes and my ignorance about the instrument is encyclopedic, so sorry if I’m a bit out of topic
that shakuhachi flute reminded me of the flute John Hackett (a flutist who plays with Steve Hackett, ex Genesis guitarrist)
I always wondered if that design is common (maybe to avoid problems in the spine) or just a very rare customization
There seems to be a small industry in setting up
flutes this way, it seems the chief motive
is to alleviate physical problems that flow from
the standard transverse position. Jessie K
got mouthpiece of this sort several years ago.
I believe there is some controversy as to
whether the sound is as good.
It also makes for a damn ugly instrument, IMO.
I agree about the various swan necks and angled bent necks for sure. I think the Giorgi and shakuhachi style ones look fine, just a little strange, but not ugly as such. Still, if you can’t play a normal transverse flute for genuine medical/postural reasons and a funny headpiece lets you keep tooting…
Of course, the Giorgi (and presumably shakuhachi) type heads alter the acoustical properties of the head significantly, whereas a funny bent versions of a normal Boehm head retain something close to the normal effect of the spaces from the embouchure up to and beyond the stopper on the behaviour of the vibrations in the air column and on the timbre.
I think that flute is quite interesting but also looks like a mild headache with the little locking areas and open G# (I’m sure cork would love that setup lol!) but looks different and has long pointed keys much similar to Noblet…
The link to read some more about the flute is at this link: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.flute/browse_thread/thread/050a24d940f0d718?hl=en#