I’m sure it’s been said many times round here, but it really is quite startling how much good can come out of playing piccolo for just a short time. Here’s the story:
So Deb (my partner and favourite bassoonist) has had a contrabassoon on approval for a week now. We have it until Wednesday when she either has to buy it or give it back.
So, naturally, we had to play Baroque flute pieces with me on piccolo (6-key Rudall Carter & Co) and Deb on contrabassoon. Well, you would, wouldn’t you?
After an hour’s playing on piccolo, at which point my tone was getting pretty secure and I was able to play even third octave notes neatly and quietly or firm as required, and with clear tone in each case … well, my embouchure was getting tired (I thought). So I picked up my flute instead and we carried on. Boy! Was my embouchure fantastic! Particularly, which was a surprise to me, at the bottom end. The low Ds, and below, were really booming out. It’s something I’m clearly going to have to follow up, now that I’ve discovered it.
Now, the effect didn’t last all that long - about 20 minutes I should think. But what I’m hoping is that, if I play piccolo a bit more, then maybe the effect will start to last longer and longer and I’ll end up reliably getting that lovely, strong, reedy tone at the bottom that I’m aiming for.
Meanwhile, chasps, get yourself a contrabassoon player and play picc with them. There’s nothing like it.
Oh, I agree, maki. Jem’s piccs are great. His are nice, easy blowers, hardly any more effort than a whistle - in fact, after a bit, I find them similar in some ways. And really easy to just pick up and blow. Not to mention, indestructible.
The one I was using, however, was an antique, wooden, simple system, keyed piccolo. They’re a challenge. Well, they are to me, at any rate. But so-o-o-o-o good for me.
On a related note, I had the chance to talk to a family who are friends of friends. They all play instruments. The Mom and Daughter are formally trained flutists, the Dad and Son self taught. Dad and Son can play or figure out any wind instrument you give them and can play any type of flute instruments. Mom and Daughter can only play silver flutes. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
I’ve read fifes are also more difficult for embouchure-- does that mean if I start messing around with one, it’ll be easier for a (simple-system, probably a Tipple) flute later if I decide I want to go that route? (Mind you, right now I haven’t got a “proper” fife-- I have one of the metal ones keyed in C, and have one of the Yamaha “fifes” on order. Just to mess around for cheap; I may get a cheap B-flat fife at some point, not sure.)
Speaking of cross-training, you should try wrapping your lips around that bassoon reed for a bit.
I think it can be difficult making sweeping generalizations. All instruments are not created with the same skill and care as some. Still, piccolo or fife embouchures tend to require a more focused stream of air to keep them going - smaller sweet spot, higher pitch, greater air velocity. That works the mouth muscles which should have a beneficial effect when going back to the larger flute embouchure. I know it works for me. So that’s the theory. YMMV!
The only C metal fife that I know of is made by American Plating. I thought that their quality control was lacking and ended up recycling the two that I had. That being said, you may have lucked out and have a good one if it is one of theirs. From what I remember, a wide bore for a C flute, good for the first two octaves.
For a Bb fife, either get a plastic Cooperman, or spend the money on a Peeler, Healy, Sweet, or other fife. If you just want to play music Jem’s piccolo is the way to go. I am sure there are others out there, but I haven’t played them.
As for the “sweet spot” I don’t find the fife embouchure all that different than the flute, and the Healy embouchure is a bit too easy to blow across…
…and the fife is so much easier on the hands. No stretching, pipers grip, crutches, etc. needed.
Yes, that is what I thought at first too, and it looks like pictures I’ve seen, although the box doesn’t say American Plating. It says “Woodstock Percussion Inc.” but maybe they were a distributor. Anyway, the flute store gave me a good price for it and I decided to mess around with it while waiting for my Yamaha to come in. They said they’d had it for a while, and my guess is that it’s not made anymore.
I can’t tell if the fife is okay or terrible because the player is pretty terrible. Now I think I remember why I finally gave up on and got rid of the plastic fife I had as a kid…
If nothing else, it’s quite heavy and I could keep it bedside to clonk any nighttime intruders… I promise to post the news article if I do. Female Foils Felon with Fife.
Haha. Someone is selling trying to sell one on ebay for $64.99…
The Yamaha flute (fife) can be played and are quite consistent, I found the embouchure to be not all that easy (compared to other fifes), and the fingering is a bit different, but it has the benefit of being cross fingered well for other keys.
Depending on the music, a descant renaissance flute in A could be a nice diversion (but then the tuning is a bit different), but then there is the Basler Fasnacht keyed fifes, and the high pitched band flutes...
I think the Sweetheart instruments in C, A and G are very good. I can’t comment on other keys,
not having much played them–however playing the keys I’ve played does help embouchure.
Bob
