Review: Skip Healy D

Irish Flute
1

A board member has kindly lent me a skip healy
D flute, as part of a flute-hostage swap.

I’ve been playing the Healy a good deal for a couple of
days, enough to feel I have some senseof what it’s about. I post a tentative review,
with the standard reservations–subjective, , FWIW, YMMV,
as might mine if I played it more. I’ve been
playing for five years now, and I’ve played a number
of flutes, so my impressions may have some small
value.

Anyhow the Healy is easy to handle and to finger, I like
the simplicity of the design, the absence of corked/threaded tenons.
It sounds good, it’s a pratten alright with good volume, entirely
serviceable and quite likeable. It is not, so far and in my hands,
in the league of the
Olwell or the Cotter–the sound of these Prattens has a quality
that rather reaches out and
ravishes one (I’ve been playing to a discerning listener
whose impressions match mine).

Part of the thing is the rounded rectangle embouchure hole.
I’ve played one other Irish flute with this, a GLP,
so I have some sense of it. There is a brightness, an ease
and an ‘upfrontness’ about the sound. It’s easy to control.
I didn’t much like
it on the GLP, on the Healy the effect is a good deal less marked,
however I wonder what the Healy would sound like with
a traditional oval embouchure. This is a matter of taste,
of course, and it may be that there is a good deal
more in the Healy than I’ve yet produced.

So I like it, it’s a good deal. By Terry’s sensible maxim–a good flute doesn’t get between you
and the music–it’s definitely good.

2

Interesting review, Jim. How about posting some comparative clips so we can hear what you’re hearing? Cheers,

Rob

3

Jim,

Somehow, I don’t think 2 days of playing should be called a review, nor can it be considered very helpful-at best it’s only a brief moment with a flute in reality, and should only be considered the first thoughts you have about a flute you just started getting to know. Maybe it would be better to say; My first impressions with a Healy.

I’ve had two Healys so far-one with the rectangular embouchure, and one with the elliptical, both in Blackwood. I like both very much, but I don’t know which cut I prefer, not having them both at hand to play side by side (I have the elliptical cut now). The elliptical seems to have more expression in the tone, but the rectangular seems to be a little more responsive, and give a clearer, more open voice. Those are my impressions. What voice someone else gets from them is subjective-and dependent on how you play, and how capable you are in getting different tonal qualities also.

They are as you say, very simple in engineering, with only metal joints, which makes maintenance easier. And they are very light in weight also, without a conventional tuning slide, which makes them easy to hold, besides being slim. Very elegant looking, if that matters, and with a comfortable finger spacing for me also. In fact, the Healy has much in common with the Murray in physical dimensions-tone hole size and layout, slimness, and weight. I too think they are very easy to like, and even better after spending some time with them-for me anyway. Only the player can decide that, however-in other words, you don’t know how you will relate until you have played one yourself, as with any flute. Healys seem to have their own distinctive voice, which may be in part to the shallower chimney depth.

Definitely worth getting to know one, I think, though. But, I’m not an accomplished fluter either, just a punter-so take that into consideration, though I’ve played a lot of flutes in 3 years-it doesn’t mean that you, Matt Molloy or Cocusflute would share my view of them.

4

It takes my lip about a week of daily playing to get used to a different flute.
That said, impressions I get from trying a flute for a minute or two are usually correct in the end.

5

Me too.

I wrote this:

'I’ve been playing the Healy a good deal for a couple of
days, enough to feel I have some senseof what it’s about. I post a tentative review,
with the standard reservations–subjective, , FWIW, YMMV,
as might mine if I played it more. I’ve been
playing for five years now, and I’ve played a number
of flutes, so my impressions may have some small
value. ’

Love to hear from people who have played
these longer. I’ve now been playing the healy a bit
longer myself. Impressed by how well
it handles.

I’m not so sure about the visual aesthetics.
The broad band of silver is to me less attractive
than a traditional design. Appreciate this
flows significantly from the no-tenon design.

6

It sounds good, it’s a pratten alright with good volume, entirely
serviceable and quite likeable. It is not, so far and in my hands,
in the league of the
Olwell or the Cotter–the sound of these Prattens has a quality
that rather reaches out and
ravishes one

Jim can you post sound clips to give readers the context of your descriptions/reviews?
Thanks,
Sven

7

Rob asked me this too. I PMed him this:

I don’t have the equipment to post clips, the money to buy it
or the know how to use it. Only dimly know what it is.
I once took a test to become
a computer programmer and they told me not to try.
If it wasn’t for my wife I don’t think I’d be online.
I seem to have a peculiar brain.

Also when I do have money, I spend it on
instruments! About to get a retrofitted keyed Olwell,
get it in a few months, that is. …

I do hope to post clips one day. Meanwhile I
enjoy listening to you.

Which certainly means listening to you too, Blackwood!

Best wishes, Jim

8

Jim,
Understood.
If you ever want to record flute clips I would recommend getting an Edirol recorder from Roland. Records directly into mp3, easy as snow, USB to your computer, stereo mics built-in, works really well, not too expensive, great for session recordings.

Check it out:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Edirol-R09-24Bit-WaveMP3-Recorder?sku=240219&src=3SOSWXXA

9

Anyone live near enough to Jim to go hit him with a microphone?


Jim, you can pick up a 2nd hand minidisc recorder for about U$50, I’d think, and a stereo microphone for it for less than another 10, plus some blank discs. They record a fantastic sound quality - worth having for session use etc. as well as recording yourself for assorted potential uses. They are now semi-obsolete (digital memory recorders are taking over), so can be acquired cheap.

EDIT: aaagh, cross-posted with Blackwood - he’s right, I’m sure - I haven’t tried one of those things yet - but they are a much dearer option than I was suggesting - and you can get freeware recorder software to transfer tracks from the MD to mp3 (or whatever file form you prefer) on computer (if you don’t get an “internet ready” one).

10

Thanks, fellas. You understand i’m living on a pension,
I’m already in way over my head in expenditures
and what you are describing can be accomplished
only by the direct intervention of the Deity or
my wife (granting the distinction for argument’s sake).

I’m grateful for this and will
take it seriously. I do mean to get the capacity to
post clips,
though when is unsure. There are other
things I’m working on too.

In the end I mean to have a 4 track,
to play flute, whistle, mandolin and guitar,
make CDs, post them in various places.

P.S. when I was in highschool and they started
showing us graphs in math, I lost consciousness
in 30 seconds. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I’m low average mechanically but
computers and I are cognitively
incompatible. things you’all do without
thinking much are nearly beyond me.
On the other hand I learned in India
how to eat in my sleep. I bet YOU
can’t do that, can you?

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

11

LOL! Jim, you’ve made my day.

12

I busted a gut on that one too. :laughing:

Doc

13

Deity, CFO, wife…whatever :laughing:

14

Otherwise known as “'er indoors” (Yorkshire etc.) or “She who must be obeyed” (Rider Haggard…).

15

here’s what i use fwiw:

it’s $25 mic from radio shack. just plug it into the back of my computer (into the ‘mic’ slot). it’s great for low income folks like me! i used my computer’s own sound card for starters, simply press ‘record’ and then play away. hope this isn’t too confusing. just ask questions and we can help you get started.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102927&cp=2032057.2032187.2032192&pg=2&searchSort=TRUE&retainProdsInSession=1&y=16&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&x=17&parentPage=family

16

Lay off poor Jim. He’s not going to post any clips. Period.

A Woman has spoken.

17

I do want post some clips but it won’t be for awhile.
I appreciate you’re joking, Diane, and
I want to emphasize how much I appreciate
this good advice from people.

I learn a lot from you’all and it means
a good deal to me. Thanks.