For nearly a year, I was spoiled by the Dixon conical flute’s ability to cross finger most accidentals (except, of course, for Eb). Now that the Dixon has been sold, I’ve been working on half-holing accidentals on my Seery. I find it impossible to half-hole low Eb, but I can get a very shadded middle Eb (very passable in faster passages). In general, I’ve noticed that I can half hole higher accidentals much more easily than the lower versions of the same note.
Has anyone else noticed this pattern? With more practice, will I ever get to the point that the low G# or Fnat sounds decent? By the time I get to half-holing Bb, things seem to get easier and clearer.
In my experience it does get better, but often there’s some stuff that’s just kind of funky-sounding, so you work around it. I found that since low Eb involves my right ring finger, which is always the hardest reach on a flute for me anyway (and thus the weakest finger) … all you can do is streeeeeetttttch that finger, and with time it’ll get better. As for G#, I’ve had good luck approaching those via G# rolls (it’s really ugly at first, but you get there), and for low F-nats “The Yellow Tinker” is outstanding (and creates exquisite pain).
Good luck! In my experience, it’s pretty much all about whatever works.
cat.
Hey, Eric! It always is practice, innit? Sorry about the flu; at least you don’t have Mad Cow Disease …
The G# roll just uses G-sharp; otherwise, it’s configured just like a G roll. So it would be G#-A-G#-F#-G#. It’s not something you’d probably ever use (I’ve only come across it once, as I recall) in real life, but it’s really, really good for improving your G# half-holing accuracy.
A simpler way to work up to it might be G#-F#-G# and G#-A-G# triplets; then assemble them into various rolls when you’re ready.
And then, if you really want to hurt yourself, do this: E-roll, F#-roll, G#-roll ascending up the scale in jig rhythm… that’s the passage from 2nd ending of The Handsome Young Maidens, which is the tune (key of A) where this occurs (blame it on Asher Grey).
Anyway, I’ve still not 100% mastered it, and always feel a rather uncomfortable sphincter-clench every time that second ending comes round, but a happy byproduct is that my half-holed G# is much, much better.
You’re right that I’m lucky I don’t have mad cow disease…I am still worried about Kuru, though .
Seriously though, I appreciate the exercise on G#. I think I’ll start with the triplet approach, and I’ll probably try that on all the half-holed notes since it really should improve my skill in that area. I’ll also plan to avoid The Handsome Young Maidens for as long as possible, which should make my wife happy anway .
I’d really like to go to Tionol - I’ve never been before, but I’m not sure this will be the year. We’re putting away all the pennies so we can move to another part of town. I had been hoping to arrange a work trip around that time to save on my costs a bit, but working for the federal goverment with no budget means no work trips, either.
every time that second ending comes round, but a happy byproduct is that my half-holed G# is much, much better.
.
.