Just one flute

Irish Flute
1

I’ve never agreed with Gordon and others who
say we should play one flute and really get to
know it. Yesterday in John Skelton’s flute class,
somebody brought in about five flutes for sale,
including a new Terry McGee Grey Larsen model
that was very sweet and beautiful.

How could I afford it? Sell the car and walk
everywhere, of course. Why not?
Put in the proper perspective, the McGee flute
was perfectly affordable.

Then John S said (I paraphrase):
It’s best to play one flute. I feel badly when
people come to these workshops with several
flutes of the same key. I would never have
got the tone I have on this flute (his
keyed Olwell cocus) if I hadn’t played
it exclusively for the last two years.

But you’re a professional! I croaked.

He looked at me with compassion:
Yes, amateurs can dabble. Still…

So I still have an automobile.
And Gordon et al are right, I’m now
persuaded. Best

2

We’re not really right, Jim, it is just our opinion. But, it’s not like we just made it up or something.

Welcome to the ranks of the converted, though.

I think something that you have to realize is that any instrument, and I include the whistle in this, is a challenge to play. I was taught by the late Thomas Hammond, once Dean of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice and more recently was chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. Anyway, he liked to say that the simpler an instrument, the harder it is to play well.

I personally think it’s a combination of things, including the difficulties of achieving subtelty on a simple instrument (like a whistle), and not least of which is the fact that many people erroneously think they can pick up a whistle or flute and be a whiz with little or no work. It takes years to be able to play an instrument, any instrument, well.

A lot of folks here on C&F are filled with enthusiasm. Yes, it’s true, it’s really wasy to make a sound on a whistle, and also relatively simple to blow a flute. Quite quickly, a lot of people get to where they can play a few tunes, and then quickly shoot “up” the ranks of the beginners. The thing is, though, that I think a lot of people attracted to Irish music don’t have the musical experience to realize the potential of these simple instruments. Nor the complexities of learning to play them well.

Part of that, too, is compounded by the fact that our sort of modern-post-existential IrTrad flute/whistle and even UP tradition is one of self-instruction ex vacuo. How often are people shot down when they (myself included) say, “You know, you really shouldn’t plunk down $1500 on a flute you’ve never played.” Those posts are always followed with several criticizing us for a lack of compassion for the solo learner. I digress, but I think we have a lot of problems not having respect for what it takes to be a great instrumentalist, and we tend to stress simple system flute rather than simple system flute.

So, part of the recommendation to play one instrument exclusively for years is so that you can really start to learn the instrument. Not only that, but you also will learn a lot about yourself.

Stuart

3

Yay Jim!

I’m proud of you. And you may find that a car is kind of useful in the days and weeks to come :stuck_out_tongue: . Good decision!

Deirdre

Edited to add: I think Sturob is dead on. I think. Although I am kind of tired. I reserve the right to change my mind later or tomorrow :stuck_out_tongue: …

4

I’ve been playing for two years. Playing essentially only one flute, my Doyle. In the last month or so the sounds that have been coming out of it are truly amazing, rich, powerful complex tones. They are starting to come out of it with more and more regularity.

I’ve been mentally “shopping” for a better flute all along. I’ve been coveting a better flute. I’ve been listening to Grey larsen and thinking “Now that’s a flute! Gotta have one of those!” “What great tone! What a great bottem end” I grabbed the ole Doyle and started to play along to try and learn one of Grey’s tunes and lo and behold it sounded almost identical. Not as smooth mind you and not as quite as fast (let’s not forget the man is a professional) but the quality of the sound was virtually identical. Like these two flutes were brothers!

It was a real wake-up moment for me. All this time I’ve been hasseling about something that would sound better and all the time, little by little my embouchre was improving or the flute was aging or something.

I’m still going to get a keyed flute someday but I’m going to stop fussing about my Doyle and start appreciating its huge potential. I look forward to the things it still has to teach me.

Brother Jim, I think you’re on to something. :slight_smile:

Doc

5

I hate to be in agreement with you Suart but I am and I hear what your saying Jim, I realy do but as hard as I try I just CANT! Today I picked up my rosewood Dixon which is my always go to flute and I played for hours just to hear all the voices it is capable of and then the neighbor kid came by and said he had put a flute and some other mail in my truck while I was away training horses. Well the flute was a Benson bamboo flute I bought on ebay for next to nothing (30 bucks). It is a D but with small holes and no stretch to get to them. My other D bamboo flute doesnt get played much cause of the stretch for the bottom D. Well this Benson is just a killer flute. Beautiful tone and timber and as easy to play as the Dixon. What can I do, I havent got a chance. And what about my magic Eb 8 key, it needs me to play it, it yearns to be played to show off its many attributes. I know that, in order to utilize all the craft and skill that has gone into, say the Dixon, I should play it exclusively and I hope one day to be able to but god help me I CANT. Maybe when I finally get my dream flute, that elusive Rudall that may be waiting for me at the end or the middle of this summer and may be in the hands of Mr. Magoya as we speak, maybe then I could show some restraint but then what, get rid of everybody? I think not. I am playing the Dixon more and more all the time because I love it and it feels so good in my hands but I cant turn my head from my other girls. I just CANT. :boggle:

Tom

6

All issues of cost, wait time, and availability set aside, I have seen two many high-end Boehm-system flutes damaged / destroyed by beginners learning to play on them, not just kids either.

Simple-system flutes, especially keyed ones are no less delicate; arguably, more so, since they are made of wood and can crack.

I think it’s best for folks to start on something a bit more durable, and move up when they and / or their teacher feel they’ve earned it and are ready. Also by then they have a better idea what kind of high-end flute they may be after, and why the long wait and expense are worth it.

–James

7

It’s OK Tom we didn’t mean it. :laughing:


Doc

8

Want to try something scary? Go to Terry McGee’s website and listen to Grey Larsen play the Larsen-Preferred flute ($1423). Then go to Casey Burns’ site and listen to Grey play the samr tune on the Burns folk flute ($250).


Very frightening!

It ain’t just the flute gang. It’s the mouth!

Time to stop shopping and start practicing. :roll:


Doc

9

At the end of the day there is a great desire
to substitute buying new flutes for
learning to play the flute.
Getting a new flute is ecstasy, ya know.
Learning is work.

Now what do I do with my 37 flutes?
Oh, by the way, I finally played an
Olwell at the festival and…it was
wonderful. Stop me, Stop me!
I’m going to buy again!

10

I’m too friggin old for waiting lists!
I need to have 'em now!

11

Jim I agree with this also.

Only one flute per key.
Unlock the Muse within
waiting to be freed.

12

Hey Jim, When you get your Olwell I’ll buy your Larsen from ya! :boggle:


Doc

13

Well if you have a good flute in each key,
you must have 25 spare I reckon.

So have you got good spares in the following keys
G, A, F, Eb and Bb?

Hmmm?

14

my flute teacher told me, that in my case, no flute is even better :smiley:


so I have no teacher, and many flutes :laughing:

15

Well Mr. Stone, I knew you were a hopless case. Those platitudes dont fool me. And by the way how can I cross finger that A flat or sharp or what ever it is when you half hole on Favorite Things. My Dixon will not be half holed for that note. I cant have any fun with that tune until that note works.

Tom

16

:smiley:

17

Well, I’m guilty of having two flutes - one keyed, one keyless. I’d originally thought of selling the keyless when I got the keyed, but it’s an antique, the keyless is a Seery delrin, and I like that I can take that Seery anywhere.

I have toyed with the idea of getting the Seery keyed and selling the old german flute, but there is something unique about playing an old piece of wood like that…

However, overall, I tend to feel that less is best in the number of instruments arena for playing that is…collecting is another issue, but I don’t like the thought of unplayed flutes laying around (it just seems sad to think of an unplayed flute).

Eric

18

just like kiki dee said ,you have the music in you. the music is your friend, the instrument can be your enemy. make both of them your friend.

19

I guess I’m lucky. I can only afford one flute, so the choice was made for me! :smiley: This way I’ll really get to know my Dixon 3-piece.

A.J.

20

Hey, Jim!

I was there; which of us droolers were you?

(But it was that $3000 cocus Hall I can’t stop thinking about!)

Did you notice John didn’t even LOOK at them? What a stoic.

Anyway, I think the magic bullet desire is totally human. But also, I think we can’t help appreciating great workmanship, sound, etc.

Meanwhile, home to the Hammy and another slog along the Sunny Banks. :slight_smile:

It was fun, wasn’t it?

cat.