The Bates Street Folk N’Blues Band played yesterday
at the Day in Dogtown streetfair in St. Louis. We were amplified by
somebody who knew what he was doing.
Gee, the flute
is a different instrument amplified.
It becomes this powerful, singing thing.
Also, because the lead singer was amplified, I
didn’t have to hold back so much when he was
singing, so as not to drown him out.
I’ve also found at my wife’s university in
Illinois a long tunnel that underpasses a street.
Playiing in there is a trip, the reverbs are
lovely.
Prattens have the same potential for presence and volume as RRs. Some elecronic analysis I’ve come across show Pratten volume to be slightly stronger, but probably indiscernibly so in most situations. I play both. Well, I play RR right now; my Pratten’s in the hospital getting a new head. He’ll be called Frankenflute when he gets home.
When it comes to amplification, of which I know little, I had to figure out the hard way that for trad flute, the bass needs to be toned down to almost nil on the flute’s amp settings. Otherwise, the tone becomes boomingly hollow, and the reediness and overtones get lost. Just my $.02USD.
