Like the topic says, I recently ordered my first Irish flute from Rob Forbes, a Delrin flute with offset finger holes.. If all goes well, I should have it in 1-2 months. I’ve been messing around with the whistle for a long time, so I’ll have the fingering down. But my question is this: I’ve been playing Boehm flute since last year, and I have the embouchure down (for the most part, of course). So, how much of a learning curve will there be when I get the Irish flute? Is the embouchure so much the same on the two instruments that I’ll basically be able to take my flute out of the box and play a tune, or is there a big difference? Also, how hard is it to get the low D and E as compared to Boehm?
Is the embouchure so much the same on the two instruments that I’ll basically be able to take my flute out of the box and play a tune, or is there a big difference?
If you have the basic embouchure on your Boehm down pat, it should not be a big step, you may (will!!) find that you make subtle little adjustments to your embouchure to get the airstream hitting the sweet spot on your new flute. The same rule should apply with all other flutes you try, it is a matter of rolling the flute around, a bit ‘out’, a bit ‘in’, and lowering and raising it slightly until you find that sweet spot.
Don’t expect a big fat tone straight off, it is a long slow process, and is never ending… but hey, that’s all part of the fun and half the reason we play anyway!!
Congratulations or ordering up your new flute - feel’s great doesn’t it? I got my Forbes at the beginning of January and I’m lov’n it. give yourself a bit of time to acclimate and I’ll wager you’ll be fine with it. FYI - I was able to play tunes right out of the box with decent tone, but I came from a PVC Tipple to the Forbes, not the Bohem. If you play daily you should acclimate in a few days I’d guess. Took me a bit to get used to the finger spacing & since then just been building speed & tone incrementally. I play daily so I think that’s important to see improvemment. anyhow - best of luck with it.
I played silver as a kid and picked it up again for a few months in my 20’s. Now I’m in my 40’s and started the whistle eventually moving to Irish flute. I remember thinking the same thing when waiting for my Forbes. I wrote him when it came telling him how happy I was what I was able to hit that low D right off and push it to reedy without breaking into the upper octave. I think it’s easier to hit a low D on a Forbes than on a silver flute but I may have been victim of old pads on my flute.
My learning curve (so far) is as follows:
Generally, my tone was mushy and out of tune at first. I also seemed to be using a LOT of air. As time went on and my embouchure developed, I found that I needed less air and my tuning got better as I learned the instrument. It was my first conical flute so I would play along with an accomplished fluter on an air or slower reel and adjust to match their tuning.
Now on good days I can use a very small embouchure and get very clear tone either sweet or reedy as I like. On most days, it’s hit or miss
I actually heard myself on a recording last night for the first time playing both whistle and flute. Parts of the flute playing I thought sounded almost professional…others not so much :-p I was a little disappointed at first but then I remembered that if I was suddenly a master of all of my instruments, I would get very bored.
Ooooo… I think I’d have to go with the pads thing on this one - but the Forbes does have an easy D for a simple system flute! I know getting a Forbes was a giant step towards flute-joy for me.
Some folks say the anticipation is the best part of getting a new instrument… I’m not one of those. The best part was the first time I assembled the Forbes and pushed air through it; hearing those lovely tones.
I’ve played the Boehm flute for 30 years and I’ve found the transition to a 6-key Irish flute just dreadful! I thought I could dive right in but it isn’t proving so at all, though I practice every day. The embouchure is rounder on an Irish flute and not so tight so going back and forth between one and the other is difficult for me. I also find that after about 30 minutes or so the sound drops right out, as if the flute has suddenly become stuffed with wet wool. I thought I could do this on my own but I’m really beginning to feel like I need a teacher (and impossibility in the area in which I live–300 miles from anywhere!).
Anyway, I hope you have better luck than I’m having. (I’m playing a Terry McGee “Grey Larsen Preferred” flute as I have very small hands.)
When I do hit the sweet spots, though…I know why I keep up with this. I’m just so impatient to get to a real session and play fast…
Caitlin, as a former Böhm flute player, when I began playing Irish flute, I also had a longer adjustment period than I anticipated, especially in terms of tone/embouchure. I think it’s almost a different instrument. Just give it time…there will be a point where things will start to click and become consistent. For me, that began happening a couple of years into the simple-system flute adventure.
The sound drop-out could be a condensation issue–due to the tapered bore, condensation can cause some significant disruptions to the air column. Mop out as needed!
Thanks, Tintin! I just had a really good night of playing music with my husband, who is learning the guitar. I managed to get through a whole set of tunes without suffering the dropping out so much. I also find that playing slowly helps immensely, as does swabbing frequently.
