I have a Cotter 4 keyed flute, the tone of which is nice and it is nicely in tune. Having only recently started taking it out to sessions, I find that it’s a bit on the quiet side and I’m having to play harder than I would normally do. This leaves me a bit short of air, so basically I can play nicely but quietly in sessions. This is fine, all things being equal, as I’m not into having a big, dominant, aggressive sound, and I’m a really laid back player (not into puff, spit, blow playing).
Now, the reference to the Olwell is that I’m on Pat’s waiting list. I’ll probably look at a Nicholson model rather than the Pratten, as maximum volume is not my style. Does anyone who has played or owned an Olwell care to offer an opinion of Blackwood versus Rosewood in terms of volume? Aesthetically, I’d love a boxwood flute so okay, let’s throw it open. How appreciable is the difference in volume between the three timbers? Let’s not get bogged down in tonal comparisons. I have two friends who have boxwood and blackwood Wilkes flutes, both of which sound mighty. Likewise, let’s not compare apples and oranges e.g. Grinters and Olwells.
I haven’t played enough Olwells to have specific answers to your questions, but my observation has been that many flutes are capable of similar volumes, but they are different when it comes to projection. Raw volume can be useful for hearing yourself, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into good projection–what others hear.
Different bores and different tonewoods will affect the tone’s harmonic content, and it’s the player’s manipulation of the harmonic content of the tone that most affects projection.
So I suppose my question is whether you’re interested in a flute that gives more “in your face” volume (so you can hear yourself better) or a flute that lends itself to better projection?
Standard disclaimer: In the end, it’s the player, not the flute.
Paul O’Shaughnessy is playing a boxwood Olwell on the CD that he did with Hardly Bradley a couple of years back- Born for Sport- track 5 & 12. And he certainly has no problem with volume in a session.
I would choose boxwood over rosewood. I have a boxwood Nicholson Olwell that has plenty of volume. If it had a G# key I’d play it more often. That said, I’m off to play it…
Just a wee note. Paul’s boxwood flute has a lined head as far as I can remember. Whatever that has to do with the price of turbot in Killybegs I don’t know but It might affect the feel and sound of said feadóg mhór.
(P.S. I have recently got a boxwood flute made by Sam Murray. It seems to be one of the most remarkable beasts which I’ve ever played. I suppose we are just lucky to have access to such a variety of great materials and people who know how to work with them).
Curious about this. I have a cotter pratten, wonderfully in tune–
but louder n’ hell. Quite up there with the Olwell Pratten.
Don’t know whyyour flute is quiet.
Is it a pratten? Don’t know if he makes anything else.
Blackwood, Boxwood, then Rosewood (of those you mentioned) in that order of “loudness”, but really, it’s much more the player. I’d say you’d be best off to improve you own power and projection, so that playing “louder” requires less effort on your part. The side benefit to this approach (which is basically improving your breathing, embouchure focus, and efficiency) is that your tone will likely improve significantly in the process.
Thanks Loren.
I have a cocobolo De Keyser which is louder and projects better - it’s a massive flute, though - but the tone just doesn’t do it for me. I’m not mad to be the loudest guy in the session, but I don’t want to play me wee heart out and not even able to hear myself. More than anything, I’m interested in the possibilities offered by the various Olwell designs and materials because I don’t expect to have to buy another flute in my lifetime.
Thanks for the observation, Jim. I have heard that Cotters are quite variable both in terms of volume and tunefulness. Certainly, I played one in Canada that was not nicely tuned and played pretty badly, but mine’s great for what I like. Nice tone.
m.d.
Anyhow I agree with everybody above.
The Olwell Nicholson’s with lined headjoints
will have the volume you need, whatever
they’re made of. Great flutes.
Unless you manage to convince Patrick to make you a flute out of an old gym sock, I’m not sure the material will have any effect at all on the volume. That’s up to you, really.
The material chosen will affect the tone of the flute, to a certain extent, though not as much as you yourself can affect the tone with how you play. I’m thinking now of a mate of mine who’s been horsing around a huge, loud, Pratten-style blackwood flute for years; he recently acquired an Olwell boxwood Rudall model with very small holes and no tuning slide on which he’s producing a much bigger sound than he ever did on the Pratten. It just suits him better, being easier to fill. Cheers,
I’m definitely thinking about the Nicholson with lined head. Aesthetically, I’d really like a boxwood flute; however, given the length of Pat’s waiting list I’ll worry about this closer to the time i.e. at least another 5 years (if not more!)
m.d.
Unless you’re after a keyed flute (or are joking)
the wait is, what, a bit more than a year. Those
who know better can give a more precise
estimate. But not much longer.
If you want a keyed flute you can get an unkeyed
flute and Pat will retrofit.
The boxwood flute is a bit more expensive,
as you probably know.
I’ve had an ‘itchy lips’ response to the varnish
(or whatever it is)that Pat puts on
his boxwood. Several others have too.
I put some transparent tape under the
blow hole and that fixed it; others
have taken off the varnish (you may
find a discussion if you search).
Meanwhile I told Pat about it and he
may well have fixed it.
I’m definitely thinking about the Nicholson with lined head.
I’ve an Olwell Nicholson on order, and will soon have to decide whether tis better to line or not to line. In your collective experience, will a lined head give a generally brighter, shriller tone vs. a woodier, darker, smokier tone (with hints of peat, orange peel and Old Spice) for the unlined head? I don’t know that it would affect the volume so much (depending on the player), but I do wonder about the effects on the overall tone.
I had a nicholson all wood flute Pat made.
It seemed loud enough but it didn’t project or ‘cut through’
as well as my metal lined flutes.
Also there was trouble tuning it–it
wouldn’t go sharp and sometimes I need to
go sharp, especially when it was cold.
I asked Pat about this–he said he plays with a lined
headjoint in sessions and an unlined one ‘in the studio.’
The former ‘cuts through’ better, he said.
Certainly I, personally, would get a nicholson
with a tuning slide. If there is a slided flute
with an otherwise unlined headjoint, I would get the lined
headjoint–for my purposes, anyhow.
I have recently played one of these
in blackwood. Sounds extraordinarily good;
like, magnificent.
I agree with Jim. I have PO flutes with both unlined head and lined. The sound with the unlined head is richer, more complex in overtones, sonorous. The lined head is clearer and brighter.
If you can afford to, get both. You can always sell one or the other for what you paid. But I bet you’ll want to keep both.
Lately, I’ve been wondering about Patrick’s Rudall model. How’s it’s volume compared to his Nickolson and Pratten models? What’s the tone like? I don’t think I’ve ever heard one, not even on a recording. Is the tone more similar to a Grinter or Murray, or is it just an easier to fill version of his other two, being similar acoutically otherwise?
I agree with Jim. I have PO flutes with both unlined head and lined. The sound with the unlined head is richer, more complex in overtones, sonorous. The lined head is clearer and brighter.
If you can afford to, get both. You can always sell one or the other for what you paid. But I bet you’ll want to keep both.
Oh, NOW you’ve done it. P’rhaps I’ll need to revise my budget upwards. I was also planning on adding a C body for the flute, which I’m guessing would overall be better suited to the unlined treatment, but with two headjoints I’d basically be buying two flutes anyway.
I love to play the C flute with the unlined rather than the lined HJ. The C flute is a bit quieter in any case and the sound is so rich with the unlined HJ that you wish all sessions were in C.
I haven’t played the PO Rudalls ( with smaller holes) enough to make any kind of informed judgment. I do remember that the one time I did play one I thought it was a gorgeous flute with a surprisingly forward sound, and I wanted one. It was a boxwood flute already promised. I still don’t have one. Anybody want to sell me one? Or… trade…?
