Would it be correct to say that the side of the embouchure hole that is blown upon should have a somewhat sharper edge then the side that is not? Being a beginner I’m ignorant about flute construction, but I’m beginning to suspect that my left-handed keyless flute is in fact a right handed model.
Very difficult to say. I don’t think it nessecarly have to be sharper, in many cases tough it’s less rounded. The side of the embouchure where you put your lip is round and the side you blow on has a shape of a rounded rectangle so it’s acctually almost straight where you blow, but I don’t know about how your flute is constructed. Different makers have different ideas about how the embouchure should be shaped. Offcourse it wouldn’t be very efficient if the edge was very flat.
Different flute makers take different approaches to making a left-handed embouchure hole (or a right-handed one for that matter). Most makers round off the non-blowing edge slightly more than the blowing edge so that the lower lip does not have to be in contact with a sharp corner. Most of the difference between right- and left- handed will be in the undercutting and shaping the inside of the hole. The maker will spend time working on the blowing edge and checking the tone as each adjustment is made. However the differences between the blowing edge and the non-blowing edge may not be all that apparent without detailed measurement.
Dave Copley
Loveland, Ohio
Perhaps “sharp” is not the right description. Looking at the side that is blown on left- handed, it has the same geometry as a tone hole. The wall of the cut is thick and the angle where it interacts with the wall of the flute is steep and abrupt . The side that is blown on right-handed smoothly slopes down to the wall of the flute in what appears to be a V shape, in addition to the edge being thinner (sharper) then the opposite side. This evidence is leading me to conclude that the wrong flute was sent to me
the obvious suggestion, of course, is
to ask the maker. Also, how does it sound?
I’m still waiting for the maker to reply, sent an email and it’s the weekend so no big deal. The thing that made me take a close look at the embouchure hole in the first place was that I noticed how much better the flute sounded when I would play it right handed. Much more volume and a fuller tone. I’ll just have to wait and see what the maker says.
Good luck with it. Best
Good news, I was indeed sent the wrong flute. The maker is sending a new head asap in exchange for the old one.
Thanks for all the help.