I tried a beuatiful flute made by Pol Jeqekel (spelling?) and loved everything apart from one thing…
the embrouchure was too small for me to get a decent tone. I thought it was one of those days but when I went back to my own a Hamilton (a beautiful fute admittedly) my tone was great so theirs my question is it possible to have a pratten sized embrouchure with rudall size holes and bore
Thanks for the answers
Perhaps not so much a matter of “one of those days” as of “one of those flutes”?
I’ve had a number of flutes pass through my hands, with a variety of bores and fingerhole sizes. Most of the embouchure holes have been about the same dimensions, except a Boehm silver flute, which has the modern, rounded rectangle cut. My Hamilton (Pratten-style) embouchure size and shape (oval/elliptical) compares closely to the Rudall-style flutes I own or have played.
Anything is possible (as my brother always used to say). However, I think it really boils down to what you are used to and what your personal preferences are. Make no mistake though, you can get a beautifully rich and strong tone from Pol’s flutes..the man knows what he is doing. They are very different from a Hamilton though, and it would take some time for you to adjust. One playing session is not nearly enough to judge an instrument’s tonal possibilities; that goes for any flute.
Peter Noy also offers either Rudall or Pratten (or modern) embouchure cut on either large- or small-holed flutes.
How can you tell anything about how the flute plays if you can’t get a decent sound out of it? I wouldn’t think you’d be able to tell anything about the responsiveness, dynamics, etc., without a good sound.
seery flutes have a smaller embouchure cut and larger holes.
also, i have seen many R&R type flutes with embouchure cuts larger then 12mm.
the pratten (j.gallagher)i play now has a smaller embouchure cut and it really works good for me.