I think there are seven of you out there somewhere. Just like to chat with you about your experience playing this flute.
Arbo
I’d like to overhear the conversation!
Terry
The one I had (serial #49) was a very powerful flute with a great tone to it, but for me unplayable at 440Hz. With the slide extended to play at 440Hz for me, overall performance and tuning was totally messed up, C# did not exist. At about 448-452Hz the flute was a dream to play. Workmanship was brilliant, very nicely made. Great real cocuswood.
This is a tangent to your request, I have a Siccama by Hudson before he left to work with Pratten. Gabriel’s post resonated because the Hudson-Siccama has very similar attributes. It was made to play beautifully at 448-449 Hz. In tune with itself, blows easily, can be blown loudly or softly, and has the tonal range from sweet to lots of buzz, at that pitch.
To play at 440 the head has to be pulled out 17 to 20mm which drives the C# down too much for me to lip up. Venting with the Cnat key and blown sharp both pulls it easily up into tune.
The workmanship is outstanding with tight grain cocus and silver. it is a lovely flute. Used instruments post last December here. (Shameless pitch, still for sale at a greatly reduced price.)
L
I suppose my interest in hearing from others has to do with the tuning issues. I haven’t measured how far out I have the hj to play at A=440, but it is the width of a piece of electrical tape for sure. I seem to be able to blow the c# in tune with the hj out that far, but it definitely plays nicer with the hj in some. With the hj in all the way I can play in Eb! Well, close enough for some recordings…
Arbo
Now I think it’s fair to say that almost all flutes play better when pushed further in, so I don’t think we can draw conclusions about intended playing pitch from that. And the flatness of the c# is clearly influencing people’s perceptions. Pratten gives three fingerings for c#:
o,oo ooo , (all off, C key open)
oxx xxx ’ (2nd harmonic of low C#), and
ooo xxx , (LH holes open only)
I imagine that last one is going to be pretty flat, but is probably intended just for quick transitory notes in a run.
If you deploy either of the other two fingerings, does that influence your feelings on what pitch the flute plays most accurately?
Pratten’s fingering chart is available at:
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/PratFing.htm
Interesting to note that Siccama preferred to use the “second harmonic of low C#” approach. I can’t really see it catching on in Irish music at speed!
Terry
Lewis, I note I’m missing two bits of information on your Siccama for my list:
Body + foot length
C#-Eb length
Any chance of getting those off you before it disappears?
If anyone else has an original Siccama not listed, I’d like your data too:
Siccama data list at: http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Sicc_Ext.htm
Arbo, can I get your Hudson C#-D# length?
I’d appreciate entries for any other Hudson owners not listed at:
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Hudson.htm
Terry