Do any of you have or know a good source for sheet music that would be appropriate for a flute in Eb/Minor?
-Aaron
Nope, good question though. I just learn tunes in D,G, A,Bb, Dminor, and then play them in other whistle or flute keys.
I’ve been finding that some of the tunes I’ve always played in D sound even better on my low Bb lately.
Most players of Eb flutes play tunes written in “regular” keys for flute, D, G, Em, etc., and are then played on the Eb flute accordingly, using the lowest note (Eb) as if it were a D. The music, is, of course, transposed up one half-step. This is true for Bb fifes, as well – the tunes they play are written out as if the lowest note was a D and not a Bb.
If you really know what the true notes you are playing on an Eb flute and want to play music for that pitch, then I’d look for music composed for F or Bb instruments, like pieces written for an alto recorder, in where most of the pieces are in Eb, Bb, or F.
[ This Message was edited by: Gordon on 2003-01-04 13:59 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Gordon on 2003-01-04 14:07 ]
Thanks Gordon,
This is a flute in the key of Eb minor scale.
The bottom note is thus a C then D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, it then has a seventh hole for Bnat.
So I gues the music gets transposed down a step, and changed to the key of eb?
Eb minor? Well, that’s a horse of a different color!
Eb flutes are major key flutes, therefore will play the Eb equivalent of a major key D flute. In other words, all the notes correspond directly, only up one half-step, including – and this is the problem here – the major third. If your flute is pitched with a minor third, it will not play in a major key that corresponds to tunes on a D flute. This isn’t an Eb minor flute, BTW, its a C minor flute. Who made this thing,and why?
[ This Message was edited by: Gordon on 2003-01-04 20:53 ]
As I said above, this is a C minor flute, as its bass note begins on C.
In any case, since it is not following the major scale, which, starting on C, should go C, D, E (major 3rd), F, G, A, B), and tunes written out in common fingerings for a D flute or whistle would be played with the same on your C flute. But with the minor 3rd, 6th and 7th, you’ve got yourself a minor keyed instrument, which will need other fingerings to play in it’s relative major key, which happens to be Eb. So, if you started your scale on the Eb note, you could play an Eb major scale. Starting on C, what you’ve got is a mode for Eb major.
Again, who made this flute??
[ This Message was edited by: Gordon on 2003-01-04 20:56 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Gordon on 2003-01-04 20:57 ]
Its a Romy Benton Bamboo Flute. Out of Portland, phenominal instruments, loud deep and they practicaly play themselves.
We knew when we were getting it that it was going to be a fairly unique stand-alone creature, but thats alright, as it sounds so wonderful.
I’ve got a few of these “antisocial” flutes, native american 5 and 6 hole, ocharinas, and quena flutes. They are wonderful for instant improvisational melodies.
I was just wondering if this particular one, since Romy makes Irish Flutes as well, was in a common Irish scale, or had any other players out there.
It seems it is not 
Romy also makes some incredible Bass Flutes in Bamboo, I think he does Bamboo Saxophones as well.
Thanks,
Aaron
[ This Message was edited by: Blayloch on 2003-01-05 19:26 ]
Also, this is from Romy Benton’s site, regarding the minor scale flutes:
The primary system for most of my flutes is based on minor scales. That is, the simplest, 6-hole soprano range flute will yield a natural minor scale when the fingers are successively lifted from the flute’s lowest note. There are many advantages of a minor-based system, a few of which are:
The intervals between notes are closer with a minor scale. The finger stretch is reduced by a half-step in the left hand, and the right hand holes fall more naturally under the fingers. Thus, larger flutes can be played more comfortably.
You can still play in a major key with a minor-based flute. The tonic of the major key becomes the third note from the bottom of the instrument’s range. This is melodically useful since, in a major key, we can then dip below the tonic.
The overall musically character of the flute is enhanced in a way I can’t fully explain. This scale layout seems to lend itself peculiarly well to a bamboo flute, evoking a more mystical, or Easternized manner of expression.
For the advanced player, the extreme high register (third octave) is more accessible and complete with this scale.
This scale is well-suited to variation. There are very logical additions or reductions in the number of holes to suit a smaller or larger flute. For instance, almost all flutes in the soprano range have an added thumb hole for the major seventh scale degree – the most usual addition – which is extremely useful. Other more advanced flutes may have as many as nine holes. On the other hand, bass flutes are generally pentatonic, based on the same basic six-hole minor scale, but dropping two of these holes.
All in all, I’ve considered this system superior from the start, and encourage all but the most die-hard major scale devotees to try it!
-Aaron
Aaron, that may be so, but flutes set in a major scale are the basis for traditional playing. It allows for the same fingerings for tunes, regardless of the overall pitch of the flute. D is the standard pitch, and the pitch most tunes are notated in, and then the other flutes shift up or down in direct correlation. Even the Boehm flute, if played from the bottom D, only varies in fingerings on the F/F# and how the Cnat is fingered (and conical fluters have so many variations for that C that it hardly matters).
While there may be advantages to a flute pitched in a minor key (you’re in an Eb major mode – never got the modal names down, this one starting on the C) and you can play in the relative Eb major key, you lose the ability we discussed earlier of simply changing flutes to change key without altering your fingerings for traditional music.
I find that switching from a conical D flute to a Boehm is not that daunting, the mind somehow translating the one or two note differences without much conscious effort. I suppose that with real familiarity on your Cmin flute, you will not have any problems, either, but each tune will have to be played on different fingerings from a major-key based flute, if, of course, you’re used to that as well.
It does sound like an interesting flute, and I’ve no doubt that a cane flute pitched to low C will sound cool. But, in keeping with your original post, I doubt there are too many pieces of music composed in C min. specifically, and certainly not books focused on them.
Gordon,
Thanks for the insight on this. This flute, the C minor/eb minor etc is definately not geared towards traditional playing. I’ll have to post some sound clips when I’ve got the practice in on it.
For the majority of my playing I’m working on a traditional Irish D Keyless in Mopane and a Blackwood 5 key Irish.
It will be interesting to see what this new minor scale is capable of as well.
Thanks again,
Aaron