I just picked up what seems to be an excellent Sam Murray flute. I got it yesterday and have been playing it, thus, for the last couple of days. I recorded it to see what it sounded like and was surprised by its presence on the recording. So I decided to then record the other flutes I’ve been playing recently, an Olwell Pratten with slide (been playing it solid for 2 months), and my Casey Burns Standard without a slide (been playing this for 18 months).
I think I can hear subtle differences between all three, differences that characterize the different natures of each flute. Maybe I’m just reading into it. So, I’d like to hear back from others as to if they can hear differences as well. I think, on the recordings, I sound best on the Murray even though I’ve barely started playing it, but I feel most comfortable on the Burns, naturally.
I also think that many of us wonder about how we might sound on different flutes from different makers. Here is one fluter’s case study.
Wow, I too am surprised at the difference in the sound of the three flutes. No question about which flute comes in first with its deep, full, reedy, clear sound…and a surprise (IMHO) in second place. Thanks for the clips.
Paul
Just to be clear–you’re saying you like the sound of the Olwell best, the Burns second and the Murray last?
I actually like the Murray the best, Olwell second and the Burns last. I like the Murray because it’s so clear and in tune. The rolls are crisp, the flow of the notes even with a strong character. It could be that I hear some of the qualities I really like in John Wynne’s playing, my favorite player, and he plays a Murray. I like the Olwell, but I think I sound flat on the low notes, and the flute is too big for me; I don’t feel fully in control. Also, I like to have more of a sweetness in my tone. And, the low E on the Murray is great, the F# not too flat. The way I play the Olwell, the E is weak and the F# is always too flat for my ear.
So here’s an interesting little quiz. Just to be sure we aren’t hearing what we want to hear (e.g. “I love Olwells, so when I hear the Olwell, it must be the best sounding flute of the three”), I put one of the clips in my signature. Can you tell which flute I used in that clip?
in your initial clips, tonewise, i liked the burn’s the most and the murray the least, but the olwell sounds very close to the burn’s (to me) and a bit more responsive (may have to do with the slide? is the olwell fully lined?).
the tone of the murray is less complex and personally, less interesting.
when you listen to the recordings, is it similar to what you hear when playing?
In my opinion, as played, I prefer the tone of the Olwell, followed by the Burns (although it does seem a little muffled), than the Murray. However, from other clips I’ve heard by other players, I’d come up with a different order anyway.
So you’re asking whether we can tell which flute you’re using in the clip titled “Down the Back Murray”? Hmmm … let me see …
I thought there were clear differences - personally I thought both the Murray and the Burns were kind of ‘woolly’. The Olwell was the only one that had a real ‘pop’ to it, so it stood head and shoulders above the other two, for me at any rate. Tuning issues resolve themselves as one gets used to a particular flute, don’t they? I wouldn’t have thought that was a big issue.
What a cool experiment! I do agree it’s fun to compare different instruments on the same tune by the same player. And the responses show how subjective evaluations are (and therefore not the same preferences). Personally, I liked the Olwell best. It sounded clearer and “brighter” to me, yet full and not thin (which sometimes is perceived as “bright”). For me, Burns second, Murray last, because it sounded too “windy”, though I like a breathiness in flutes, which is one reason I like the sound of wood. Of course, we could probably all disagree about even the meaning and use of each of those adjectives (not that C&F’ers actually ever disagree about anything…
As to your quiz, seemed like the Murray to me.
I did a comparison of the same tune on a brass and a nickel Copeland high D whistle the other day, and put it on Facebook, so a potential buyer could compare the two. I miffed the tune both times through, but it served the purpose, still I took it down (well, it’s available only to “friends” now) because I’d want to get the tune right before inviting “the public” to hear it, and I didn’t have the time that eve to get it right. This inspires me to do more of that!
Thanks!
Jaydoc
Nice playing - I like the tone you get from the Olwell best, prehaps not so surprising if that’s the flute you’ve been playing the most recently. Second the Murray, has a slighly muffled sound, unusual, prehaps because you are not blowing/focusing hard enough, it is after all your newest flute. The Burns sounds too wooly and muffled for my taste so gets third place
I have a Murray & an Olwell Pratten. My Murray has a wonderful wild and edgy tone, but I have to push to get it started, whilst my Olwell is very easy to blow from the get go which is nice, but can get that raw tone if you push it to the next level.
Thanks, Jason. That’s EXACTLY the kind of comparison we’d all like to be able to do, but can’t for logistical reasons.
Nice playing, too! FWIW, the clips appeal to me in the following order: Olwell, Burns, Murray.
That said, I doubt I could pass a blindfold test. They’re all great-sounding instruments, and concentrating on any one would bring out its best. I suspect you’ll get more out of the Murray with more time on it. So, yes…it’s mostly the player. Cheers!
Well, I’ve listened to them once each in quick succession in the order: Burns; Murray; Olwell. They all sound good, but to my ears the Olwell clearly has the rounder, darker, richer voice with a more open feel to it. It has to be my No.1. I too think you are not yet finding all the Murray has to give and are less comfortable on it than the other two, as might well be expected. Ignoring the air-bleed noises due to the less familiar embouchure, I kinda rate them equal on this showing, - one can hear the difference but neither is “better” than the other. But I suspect you are getting near enough all the Burns can give, whereas the Murray has more to explore, find and bring out… but (FWIW) it doesn’t sound to me like it will rival the Olwell - and I’m not sure you’re getting all that can give either!
Perhaps you should do a Murray retake after a few days more intensive acclimatisation? And perhaps a fresh 3-way comparison on a tune with a wider range - more emphasis on the low register especially? There wasn’t very much in the lower 1st 8ve in your chosen tune this time. (e.g. I always think An Phis Fliuch is a good tone-tester…)
I think Steampacket made the most salient point (and, after I posted, so did Jem) - your playing and familiarity on these particular flutes greatly influence your sound and the sound of the recording. You play well on all of them, but the one flute that seems the strongest to me (the Olwell) also is the one you most recently used regularly (it’s also a great flute with a recognized sound we all immediately relate to). These comparisons are useful to a point, but they are really not as even-handed as they seem (same player, same tune, different flute sounds like it should be even-handed, but…).
I’ve also been thinking a lot about how the style of flute influences the actual playing of certain tunes - For example, you said the Olwell is larger, so you (feel) less in control. IMO, so you played a bit more carefully, which made the tune actually seem stronger and more certain, the tone less wavering.
It’d be interesting (if anyone had the time or inclination) to record the same tune one flute that was played exclusively for a week or even longer, and then do the same for the others, each with the exclusive week or more. We’d still all have our favorites, I’m sure, but I’d bet it would be more of a horse race. Moreover, the tune would take on a little less of a mirror-image quality - you’d play a tune the strongest way you know how for that particular flute - instead of comparing nuance to nuance on different beasts.
I am going to echo what the others have already said- wonderful study. Spend some time exclusively with each flute before recording. A week has been suggested. I say, give it a few weeks on each, then record the tune. In my honest opinion, you have not reached the potential of any of the flutes with respect to power and tone. Maybe, just work on getting the maximum tone out of each flute through long note exercises and such. When you’ve reached the tonal ‘edge’ of each instrument, try again.
Playing sounds good. Keep it up!
Arbo
