Newbie here so excuse me if this is in the wrong forum.
I recently got a piccolo for my school band. Ive been practicing since early August. So far, things are coming out ok. The brand is a Grand. Ive done some research on the interenet for these to get proper information on how to care for it, and more. But nothing is coming up in my searches. I think I should have this looked at but when I try to play a Gb (T 123|–3Eb), the first key on the lower half goes down. Im not sure if Im pressing the wrong keys or if I need to get it repaired. I also read that no matter how much you try, a piccolo can never be perfectly in tune. Is this true?
Thanks and any and all help would be greatly appriciated.
Yep! We’re descended from a tin whistle forum with a heavy emphasis on Irish Traditional music… There are a few fifers about and I’m sure there is a piccolo or two somewhere.
www.fluteland.com has a flute and piccolo forum. I’ve played a piccolo a few times, but I don’t have one. I want one, though. I play flute (and I guess you do, too, if you play piccolo).
If the old cork is still there, measure it and use that measurement.
As you go up in octaves, it becomes more apparent that you are out of tune with others because, unlike a tuba, it takes very little time to tell is you are out of tune with other players. Piccolo needs a good ear. Role in, role out.
The nice thing is, that you will rarely find two piccolo players in the same song. Usually one is more than enough. (With fife players you need to have at least five in a brick round tower to play something “nice”)
I was speaking of advice in general, Denny. We have lost several young persons to the compelling lure of Tweaking Syndrome lately.
Yes, superglue. It has been advised as an allergy preventive for embouchures, for stuffing up cracks, and, when mixed with baking soda, as a pad substrate. Among other things. I’m sure it’s excellent for all those purposes, but possibly not for a piccolo.
See, the bad thing is that there are 3 piccolos playing in my schools honor band. So are you suggesting I should shoot one of them because one is very competitive with me about playing the piccolo
Is there a certain mesurement that I should know to find out if Im the one thats out of tune or the piccolo?
You should definitely shoot the competetive piccolo player.
As the the Gb with the extra key coming down. When you play a Gg, does it sound like a Gb? Or does it sound like an F? If it sounds like an F, then it is too far off from just saying the picc is not in tune. I am an oboist, but one of my friends is a flute/picc player in the Army Reserves, and I’ll check with her to see what is going on with her picc for you.
When I try to play a Gb, an extra key goes down and it sounds like an F. It sounds perfectly normal when I play it using T 1-3|–3 but when I play it T 123|–3, it goes like this T 123|1-3 if that makes any sense.
Anybody know where I could find a tuner thats cheap but still good. Looking between the $0-$30 range. Im sure after the amount of money that Ive put into playing the flute/piccolo, they are at least $50.
Thank you all for helping me! I want to get as much information as possible to sound the best I can so I dont sound like crap when our assessment comes up. Really harsh critics there.
never mind… I remember now.