http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=82930
Aebi is justifiably proud of his Bb flutes. More here: http://aebi-flutes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=58&lang=en
Julia, I think that it’s a beautiful flute at a great price. I’m curious about the location of the one key. It seems to me that there are other notes where a key would be more helpful rather than at a note that usually half holes quite easily. For example, I would rather have the long key to play the half tone above the fundamental low Bb. With the tiny hole for R3 there is no way that you could half-hole that note.
PM/email sent…
please respond.
Arbo
Hi. You mean a Tom Aebi flute? (flute pictured is definitely not a Morvan flute, Stephane is almost never using boxwood for flutes and there is Tom’s signature on each joint).
2 great makers making very different instruments.
http://www.morvanflutes.com
http://www.aebi-flutes.com/
Yes, but the C nat (D fingering terminology) is far more important for trad music, and it is problematic. If the cross fingered C nat is accurate, the C# is flat, and that is even more problematic on a Bb flute. The key will help to vent the C# and bring it into tune. Anyway, that is my understanding, gained from my own Aebi Bb flute, which has an additional C nat thumb hole.
No doubt you are correct about the importance of a good C natural note, Hans. However, looking at Tom Aebi’s website, I don’t see where he currently suggests this one C natural key Bb flute, although he may still offer it as a custom flute. For 2 keys his standard is a short F and G#. For 4 keys he does list a long C key, but only as an option. From his key offerings I would conclude that he feels that the C natural key is not as important as the other standard offerings. Of course, I may easily be wrong in my conclusion.
My apologies for confusing Thomas Aebi and Stephane Morvan. Thanks for pointing this out to me. I am an idiot.
This flute is smarter than I am and it’s only a piece of wood.
So is there a story about the C nat key?
What can I say…nothing I guess
Yeah, me too! 