Thanks all for your help with my earlier question about new flute choice. I have decided and ordered Terry McGees Rudall 5088 D Keyless in Blackwood with long D foot, Eccentric Bore Head and tuning slide. BUT, I still cant decide on the embouchure cut, whether to go with the rounded rectangle or the 2 semicircle. I know there are a number of threads on this forum and i have read them all, and still cant decide. I have not and do not have the opportunity to try these, so I am making my choice on Terry’s own comments and those of members of this forum.
I am looking to achieve a dark traditional irish tone and feel, but I am a beginner to the flute, so do not want a cut that will make learning too difficult?
I am currently playing an M&E keyless polymer flute, but I do not know how this compares to Terry’s embouchures, does anyone know?
Is the rounded rectangle much louder? or, much easier to play, so does that make it a better choice for a beginner?
Does the 2 semicircle give a much darker traditional tone?
Libraryman (or anyone) Which of these 2 embouchures do you prefer on your 5088?
Will I ever be able to decide on which one to order, or do I have to save up even more and get two heads!??
I’d recommend an elliptical embouchure hole. Reason: gives you lots of flexibility which you MAY have to pay with additional time to get used to the flute, but it’s worth it.
The cost of one headjoint is acctually not insignificant, at least it wouldn’t be for me.
The M&E you have probably lies closest to the elliptical embouchure (the old style cut). The only McGee I’ve tried had a rounded rectangle embouchure, it was very easy to play and it was very loud, but I found it too bright for my taste. It was a very forgiving flute, for good and for bad. Given your preference, I would probably recomend the 2 semi circles. It would still be easier to play than the M&E, more forgiving, and it might be better in achieving the tone you’re after. But take my advice (as with everyone elses) with a big grain of salt. I have my preferences, this is just a matter of you getting your own.
The best guy to make recomendations for you is probably Terry McGee, but even he can only speculate. But whatever you get it’s bound to be a great flute, and you will probably adapt to it and it will eventually be your preference.
Mmmm, The Glenlivet 16y.o Nadurra is a lovely
whisky
Terry cuts a great embouchure. All three are lovely. My personal McGee flute has the Rounded rectangle but I could die happy with the 2 semi circle (or the elliptical for that matter).
The rounded rectangle is a titch louder, a titch purer and a titch easier for a beginner.
Once you get any good you’ll be able to make either do whatever you want.
Best to spend more time practicing and less time fussing about micro details of a great maker.*
Doc
*Everyone please disregard this statement and continue buying lots of flutes (Sheesh what was I thinkin’?!).
I think you should go for the 2 semi circle cut. I’ve played both this and Terry’s rounded rectangle cut, and also his more traditional elliptical cut. I recommended the rounded rectangle cut to a friend who also plays Boehm flute (for Klezmer in nasty keys) and she’s very happy with it as it’s not too dissimilar to her Boehm. And for myself I’d prefer the elliptical. With the 2 semi circle one you simply can’t go wrong. You probably can’t really go wrong with either of the others but why not start more in the middle of the spectrum?
Others opinions are just as valid as mine.
Cheers
Graeme
I went through exactly the same thing over a year ago when trying to pick a head and cut from Terry. I have one of Terry’s GLP, Eccentric Bore Head with rounded rectangle cut. The main reason I went for it the rounded rectangle was for its ease of playing. The flute plays lovely and does have a sweeter tone as you will probably read. However, you said you want a darker traditional tone which you are going to get with Terry’s elliptical cut not the rounded rectangle. Having said that I can get a dark tone out mine if it if I try, but its not its ‘natural setting’ if that makes any sense?
Last August I met another player who had one of Terry’s flutes with a thinned head and an elliptical cut. We swapped heads to see how our own flutes would sound with different heads / cuts. I found there to be quite a discernable difference. The elliptical did indeed give my flute a darker traditional tone. I liked the sound of my flute a more with the elliptical cut rather than my own rounded rectangle. That is of course a personal preference.
As for ease of playing, I found the elliptical no harder to play than my rounded rectangle and I’m fairly new to the flute. And the volume? Both I and the other player thought the elliptical cut sounded loader than the rounded rectangle. We didn’t have a sound meter so can’t really say that is true, it may just have been our perception or the acoustics in the room. I liked the elliptical cut so much that I have ordered a new head from Terry!
A new head is not cheap so it would be good to make the right choice first time around. So in summary - from my experience, if you are looking for the dark traditional tone, go with the elliptical cut. I found it no more difficult to play than the rounded rectangle and didn’t notice any decrease in volume. Either way, Terry makes a great flute and every one who has played mine has commented on good it is.
It is all a matter of taste, but I have the GLP with an elliptical embouchure and it is very good. I also play Boehm and have tried Terry’s RAF (roving ambasssador) flute with the rectangular embouchure. The rectangle does play very easily and is similar to the Boehm but I got the wooden flute so that I could have something different… And it is.
Yes. But this is all very subjective. The elliptical cut works better for some than for others. I myself am part of the first cathegory just like you in this case. That doesn’t mean that this fellow would find it as easy to play, in fact I think most people doesn’t. I think most people could learn if they wanted to, but the rounded rectange cut is generally easier to play, that’s why we have it. I am myself curious how Terry’s two semi circles embouchure would work for me, if it’s a good trade off between the two.
I could make that quite a big drop of water. Remarkable how much this dram can take without breaking up. I usually like some high octane in my cask strength drams (except when doing a tasting), but this one really does benefit from a little dilution. But then it is a CS, 100% American barrel
whisky
Yes totally agree, it’s all very subjective. As I said in my post, preferring the elliptical over the rounded rectangle is a personal thing. I think you have said something worth serious consideration in your post Henke - that most people could learn to play the elliptical if they wanted to. I would agree with you on this (although we may be wrong). If this is true, Ade has said he wants a dark trad sound and the elliptical will give him this.
As I’ve said, you can get that sound out of the rounded rectangle but its not its ‘natural setting’. Terry, if your following this, do you think it would be ‘easier’ to get a dark sound out of the rounded rectangle or to play the elliptical at its ‘natural setting’? Probably difficult to answer that and is probably subjective again. However, you are more likely to know the answer than the rest of us!
I guess the only way to truly know which is best for yourself is to play the different cuts which is probably impossible unless you know someone who has them. Where do you live Ade? You are welcome to come and have a go of my flute to see if it feels right to you. I will probably have the elliptical cut by the end of Feb so you can comare it with the rounded rectangle if you can wait that long. Perhaps Terry could start work on the rest of the flute and cut the embouchre last? Ask him, he’s a very helpful guy.
Many thanks to you all for the very helpful advice. I think that trying to make a choice on written descriptions is very diffficult, but the advice seems to be that the sound I am seeking from the flute might best be achieved with the improved elliptical cut. My only concern is that this will be more difficult to learn on.
Thanks Karl for your very kind offer. I live in Norfolk, UK. Where are you?
I have now orderd the flute and spoken to Terry. He is happy for me to delay in deciding on the cut aspect. He actually suggested I take all three and return two, so it may come to doing just that. Terry is very helpful, and patient!
Now I have a slight concern as to whether the eccentric head that I have ordered is also the best choice for the trad. dark sound I seek, or is the classic head better?? This is probably yet another thread question…and probably another question to terry as well!?
Thanks again all, I do realise that this is such a subjective issue that it is almost impossible to glean an answer, but it does all help!
Just a point to add to my last reply, having done a lot of searching through this forum for views on this issue I have noticed that they is little in the way of comment about the 2semicircle embouchure. The debate is usually between the rounded rectangle v the improved elliptical cut. Which I thought was odd, as given the the difficulty of choice, people might opt for the compromise. If indeed they have, then very few have commented on it??? I am quite certain they are all good cuts however.
It would be good to hear from people who have opted for the 2semicircle and why?
the eccentric head will give a bit more chimney depth,
so do a search on chimney depth
all of your questions beg subjective answers
until you have played long enough to develop your own sound
you can not make a correct decision on what is right for you
