Seriously, folks, I received an email today from a potential customer in Denmark. He wrote, “I play in a rather large band, 9 - 10 violins, 7-8 accordions, so I need as much sound as possible. Would that be one of your flutes?”
I replied that I didn’t envy him and that I doubted any Irish flute would be able to break through that din. Was I being too pessimistic? What would be your suggestion for this chap? Try the washboard played with thimbles on the fingertips? But that is oldtime, isn’t it?
Mike it !
As you’ve probably found, a big rounded rectangle embouchure with heavy undercut on a flute to your design is stinkin’ loud. It doesn’t sound like a Tipple, but it can peel paint.
A Hamilton would probably come closest…they are a real cannon of a flute but of course it takes more than just a loud flute to play loud.
The player has something to do with it, too.
–James
I am making a prototype dizi flute for a C & F’er. A dizi is a traditional oriental flute that has an extra hole covered with a membrane between the embouchure hole and the first finger hole. By email he wrote, “It may not be what this customer is looking for, but I can tell you that the dizi membrane on bamboo and wood flutes acts like a built in amplification system. I don’t see why PVC wouldn’t be the same - the sympathetic vibration creates a huge increase in volume that really cuts through…”
Join another band! Or round up another 10 flute buddies. Either way, I’m not buying the CD.
“9 - 10 violins, 7-8 accordions”?
Thats no band… that is a heavy mechanized unit.
I suggest a large bore instrument… like a MaDuce mounted to a Humvee.
Shock and Awe!!! 
Hey! Tipples are already .824 Cal, compared to a mere .50 Cal for Ma Deuce.
If all else fails, he should get an agony bag and a Marshall Stack.
Oh come on man, even Flatters couldn’t overcome that lot. 
i too, was thinking of Hammy, but now that i’m writing this, i had a Pratten McGee that by far was the loudest cannon i have ever played.
eilam.
I had a Pratten Aebi that was incredibly powerful.
It was the main reason why I quit smoking, though…
Hi
I must admidt that it’s me , I’m the guy who wrote to Dough Tipple.
The band I’m playing in is what’s called a “spillemandslaug” (a translation would be something like “fiddlers guild”). We are playing traditional danish folkdanse music. We are all amatures and not all, especially the accordionplayers, are playing as loud as the instrument is capable of. When we are out playing we do have a soundsystem and our soundman is doing a great job placing the mikes stratigely and adjusting the sound. So, it’s not that impossible a job, as some of you might think.
Since I started playing the whistle, a year ago, I’ve introduced the Susato high D in the band and together with the Recordplayer, next to me, we can realy be heard. My resent whistle buy is an Adler-Heinrich wood whistle and it’s even louder than the Susato and with a very nice warm deep tone. When it’s played in I’m planning on bringing that to the band.
In the last year I’ve tryed some Irish Flutes: The John C. tour flute, What an Instrument, the best flute I’ve ever played but, sadly, to expensive for me. A Hammie Hamilton practis flute, well, proberbly a good flute but there’s something about it thats just not me. Buy the way, It’s for sale. A Moore & Co. plastic flute, cheap, black, not very good.
I really enjoy playing the keyles flutes and since most of the trad. danish music like ITM is in D and G and since Duogh Tipples flutes have gotten very good revieuws in this forum, and his prices are manageble. I thought that I would have a try of one of his flutes, as a replacement/supplement for my Böehm system flute. I really hope that Dough can help to a good flute.
Not all danish music is played in “bigbands”, every wednesday we are three people, violin, piano and me, who play in the local folkdancesociety. Totally different way of playing, close, intimet, easy to be heard, room for waryations/ornamentations. There I don’t bring the Susato, I’ve got a nice litle Dixon black polymer that sounds great in that gymnasium.
Peter Juul
Have you thought of using a piccolo?
The stage will probably collapse before they get a note out.
No, hasn’t done yet 
But one of the accordionplayers chair came once too far back, so he ended up tumbling down the stage , luckely nothing happened to him, except a good laugh.
Peter
I think you’ll enjoy the standard Tipple, pjuuldk.
Just a thought: if the keys of your music allow, a G flute would cut through quite nicely. Doug makes a bunch of different keys.
I hope so, I just ordered his 3-piece, low D, speckled bore with a wedge.
Doug tells me that he probably will post it friday or saturday, so with a litle luck I might have it around newyear. 
I’m so excided 
Peter
That’s just a challenge. Gives you a chance to blow the spit out of your flute.
That’s all.
I wish that many fiddlers and accordians would shew up to my sessions.
I learned to play loud by default. I thought that was the way you did it.
I come from a low brass background. Moving air isn’t a problem.
Bass Bone? Maybe we should design a trigger flute: D to low A. Maybe G with an interchangable crook.
I hear you about air. Every impulse in my body wants to use more air than a flute will take. I’m going so far as to play more on a Goulding (little roundish hole) than on the Jon C. Pratten (big elipse) just for training.
It’s hard to believe that I used to play gigs with my little German 4-key. Seems so terribly quiet now…