Hello ~
I’ve been playing tinwhistle for a while and have really grown to love traditional Celtic music. In my searches for music on the internet, I have seen many references to the Irish flute. Having searched for more information on the 'net and asked several musically knowledgeable folks, I became quite confused. Some say the Irish flute is another name for the pennywhistle. Some say it is a pennywhistle played transversely. Others say it is only a variation on the standard band flute, which I also play.
So I figured this was the place to come for solid answers! If someone could even just point me to a clear, helpful website, that would be great. I’m sure I’ve just missed the great information that is out there.
I would also like to know what the differences in playing are between the Irish flute and the “regular” flute I now play… what would I have to grow accustomed to should I take up the Irish flute? Would having experience with my flute give me a head start on playing the Irish one?
Thanks. I didn’t realize how much I would sound like a tourist in a foreign land. 
Campbell
Cool, I get to be the first to take this one on …
It sounds like your “regular” flute is a Boehm-system flute. It’s metal, with keys, right? On these flutes, the “default” key/ scale is C major, and your fingers never actually cover the holes (unless you have an open-keyed variety). An “Irish” flute is really not really Irish at all, it’s just been the catch-all term for the flute most people use to play Irish music. Traditionally, the “Irish” flute is a completely open-holed instrument, fingered just like your whistle, and keyed in D major, and plays the D major diatonic scale (again, just like your whistle).
An Irish flute is not a “pennywhistle played transversely”. Try it on yours – it can’t be done.
If you really want to see some real Irish flutes, find the “Flute porn” thread on this forum. That’s where people put up the pretty pictures of their flutes. That should give you a good start.
And if you just read this forum a lot, you’ll learn more than you could possibly want to know.
http://www.firescribble.net/flute/
This is a great general starting point.
What we call Irish flutes are based on the wooden, keyed transverse flutes used in the prior to Mr. Boehm’s developments. They have a conical rather than a cylindrical bore, a different system of keys, are generally wood rather than metal (though there are exceptions in both cases)and are generally played only in the lower and middle octaves, where a Boehm flute is usually played in the middle and upper octaves. Boehm’s developments were intended to increase the accuracy of the tuning of the upper octave and enable the instrument to compete and be heard in the growning symphony orchestras. It’s part of the movement of music out of the home and into the concert hall. As a result, a lot of the older flutes – often called simple system – were sold for cheap and picked up by the “folk.”
A lot of the early flutes did have keys and were fully chromatic – although not necessarily in an equal tempered scale (that’s a whole 'nother discussion, thank you Herr Bach & co.). Since the keys were a pain to maintain, they were often removed, resulting in a keyless flute. The bottom note that you can reach with all the fingers down is a D (acutally that goes for both simple system and Boehm flutes) low C and C# are played with keys, because the holes are too far away – hence the two open holes on the foot joint of many otherwise keyed simple system flutes, some of which also have low C/C# keys. One of the main differences between the two is the natural scale: on a simple system flute the base scale is D major: where all top hand fingers and the upper bottom hand finger give you an F#, and all fingers off is a C#. On a Boehm, the third note from the bottom D is F natural, and I think the open note is also a C natural (been years since I played my band flute so don’t quote me on that one).
As for playing, if you know pennywhistle fingering and have the basics of a flute embouchure from your Boehm – go for it! There are stylistic and tonal differences between the two types of flute, but you already have the basic mechanics. It’s a matter of refinement and adjustment rather than starting from scratch.
If you want to experiment, Doug Tipple makes PVC flutes for under $100. They are keyless w. a conical bore and have exellent intonation and sound; a real bargin and they are well thought of on this site. I have one of his that I used to make the transition, and I still keep it around to play when I don’t want to worry about assembling, disassembling, wiping etc. my wooden flute. If you want to spend a bit more, Casey Burnes and Ralph Sweet make good starter instruments (I have a Sweet rosewood that sounds wonderful).
As I said earlier – go for it, and ENJOY!!!
Kate, I’m sure you meant “cylindrical” bore, not “conical” here. It’s just regular plumbing pipe, so it has to be cylindrical. And I have one too – and it’s fantastic!
Anyway - just didn’t want the newb to be confused.
I think of it as a Baroque flute on steroids.
This document ought to help, http://www.standingstones.com/irflute.html It should answer pretty much all of your questions.
And here is a picture of an Irish Flute by Australian flutemaker Terry McGee:
Good catch Fyffer! You’re absolutely right, Tipple flutes do indeed have a cylindrical bore. In fact, in honor of their source material I call mine (an original one piece model) my “left handed sewer flute” after an instrument featured on one of Peter Shickle’s early PDQ Bach records – even though it’s not left handed, and I’m very fond of the instrument. My teacher, who plays an Olwell (drool, drool), was really taken with the instrument when I showed it to her last week, and I think is going to contact Doug for one of his new three piece models for her own “grab anytime, play anywhere” instrument.
Wow~ Thanks for all the information. I haven’t read all of the recommended webpages yet, but certainly have much to explore now.
That picture, posted by Henke, is one of the most beautiful instruments I’ve ever seen (perhaps second to my most worn whistle, which is only beautiful to its owner!).
Thanks again for the timely, informative replies! I will certainly be flute shopping in the near future.
But have your heard the Irish flute? This link is a great place to start. It features field recordings of some of the elder statesmen of the tradition.
http://www.lafferty.ca/music/irish/flute-geezers/
Cheers,
Aaron
Yes, I listened to some Irish flute clips elsewhere, which only made me more interested. I like the “earthy” sound of this one in contrast to my Boehm-system (thanks, Fyffer, I forgot!). Not sure how to describe what I love about that sound- same as my old whistle- but it’s easier on the ears than the flute I have. The way I play it anyway.
Buy the Wooden Flute Obsession CDs
They’re a fantastic place to start.
Doc
Just offering some words of encouragement. . .
I just acquired a flute a week ago, after playing GHB and whistle for many years.
Even though I am struggling to get decent sounds out of it and play without passing out, it is so satisfying to be making progress.
Go for it!