I’ve been thinking about some of the recent posts about not a lot going on on this forum in the month of August and had an idea on the way to work this morning: how about if a new forum were set up where those among us who repair or make flutes did a sort of running log of projects?
It would ideally include before and after pictures (of repairs) or “Here’s what the wood looks like at the start” and then capture the various stages of construction. It wouldn’t have to be War and Peace as far as the text goes - just enough to help inform, educate, and entertain.
Probably no need to quote the original post, but I only recently figured out how to quote at all…now I’m just facinated with doing it.
Personally I think this is a superb idea. I imagine it would be a certain amount of extra work and effort for those people who have this kind of ability and the knowledge to go with it, but I am quite sure that any such contributions would be very gratefully soaked up by those of us who do not. It would also have the effect of making this particularly first class contributor go very quiet for long periods of time. Win win really…except for those who have to do the work.
I think it would be a great idea to keep flute makers out of this site. Keep out good players, too - those who haven’t already withdrawn on their own accord. They know something about flutes. They would speak with such authority that nobody would have anything to contribute. Habitual posters would be reduced to repeating such puerile questions as “Do I really need keys?” or “Is a Pratten really louder than a Nicholson?” or “What color are Matt Molloy’s underpants?” People might start to practice the flute, rather than spend hours posting and arguing trivia, and they might then become good players, and hence withdraw from the forum.
And then there would be no site. No C&F. You see the problem.
Maintain, by all means, the current level of discourse.
I kind of lean the other way, JD. I say let’s allow only flute makers and expert players and kick the rabble, beginners, casual players, and hoi polloi out. Makers can submit their best wares to our blue ribbon panel of experts for certification. Players can submit proof of All-Ireland or a CCE regional contest win. Or they can come to the annual Fleadh Chiff and audition for a place on the Chiffboard.
As for the newbies, fugeddaboutit. Now that I’ve gotten to the level I’m at, I’ll be damned if I’m going to share what I know, or have any patience for their stupid newbie questions, misunderstandings, enthusiasms, repetitious ramblings and sometimes even willful ignorance. I’m much too good for that. I’d rather spend my valuable time slagging people on The Session, debating esoterica like the warts on Paddy Carty’s fingers with elite players like me, and complaining about the Chiffboard. I might even play some music now and then.
And I’ll bet you don’t know the color of Mr. Molloy’s undies either. So you’re just covering up your embarrassment.
P.S. I’m not so sure you’re living up the the “laconic” part of your description …
P.P.S. To others: Ms. Delaney and I are friends, so don’t take this banter for worse than it is.
If this is the direction we may head, I’d like to put word out to flute makers that I would be most agreeable to any flute maker developing a line of “mutepointe flutes” so that I could keep my place on the board. If necessary, I would lower my expectation to “mutepointe whistles” but there is no way I would accept “mutepointe bagpipes”. PM me.
Well, if he’s been reading this forum lately they may be yellow or brown depending upon his base reaction to the discussion on his trousers.
Haven’t we tried the makers forum thing here a few times? There was even a simple flute makers forum set up lasy summer which evaporated in about two months. The current flutemakers forum (and whistlemakers) on yahoo have been serving this purpose and keeping interested participants well informed for some time now. The history of posts there are an encyclopedia of knowledge. It would be counterproductive, IMO, to try to replicate that here.
Efforts to formalize “whistle tech topics” on the whistle forum didn’t fair too well either (IMO). Posting about making whistles still goes on there with no noticeable disruption to the serious discussion of playing the music.
There is good participation on both boards by well know makers. And the hobbyists among us always help each other out. Questions always get answered. Seems to work.
I notice that several flutemakers and repairers of vintage instruments (participating members of C&F) have been putting detailed repair photos on facebook, where it is very easy to upload and present a photo. J & J (Jem and Jon) come to mind. And if you are into concertina repair, Jack has offered detailed photos of the process. I, on the other hand, have been posting pictures of flowers on my FB wall.
