I am a 7-8 year whistle player wanting to branch out into flute.
I bought a Copeland keyless and found it difficult for my weak whistle lungs , even after a year. That last year I’ve been dipping my feet in. Now I’ve had enough. I’m gonna say “screw it” & jump in! But I have sold my Copeland to buy …more whistles Now I need another one.
I’ve tried a friend’s McGee flute (not the Larsen) and found it much easier to play.
Recently I heard of the new Grey Larsen model. It is recommended for whistle players because it takes less air. It is recommended for women as it is easier for smaller hands.
Does anyone have this flute? I’m looking for further advice. I know no one who owns one or has tried it.
Hi Gaelic Gal-congrats on getting back into the flute. You’ll love it! McGee has many models to choose from, some being easier on the hands than others. The Rudall & Rose and Grey Larsen Preferred models will be easier on your hands than a Pratten Perfected, and easier to fill. You’d be better off talking with Terry though and checking out his website if you haven’t already. It is filled with an amazing amount of info on the subject. Casey Burns also has a couple of models that are easy on the hands-his flutes are easy to fill as well. I currently own a folk flute of his making and it is extremely easy to get great tone from it. Good luck in your search!
I have one. The Grey Larsen Preferred is exceptionally easy to play. I had both a McGee GLP and a McGee Rudall Refined at the same time and switched back and forth every day for a couple of weeks. The Refined was pretty effortless but the GLP was even more so. I’ve also played a McGee Rudall Perfected (large holes). The GLP is just so quick and effortless and fun to play, for me. The downside is that it’s not as loud and powerful as a big flute. It’s not quiet by any means, it can be fairly loud, but it’s not a big session flute. I love mine.
I’ve also owned a Burns Folk flute and liked it very much. It’s a great flute for the price. Mine had a fantastic low end but it was fairly hard to play the top few notes of the second octave.
The GLP I have has the elliptical embouchure and the Refined had the modern cut square embouchure. I loved the modern cut on the GLP. It made the flute louder and more focused. This combination really sang for me, and in fact I ordered a GLP with the modern cut square embouchure. I found the modern cut to be very flexible, more so than the elliptical. It was easy to play with an open, pure tone or a reedy, darker trad tone. The GLP with the square cut is easily the quickest, most effortless flute I’ve ever played. I’m getting the thinned head, but if you want a traditional look there is the eccentric head.
Just wanted to clarify a few points in my above post. I hope it was obvious that I was switching the heads back and forth between the GLP and Refined. Both of them had the minimum disruption tenon (MDT) and the fit was perfect. I like the MDT, works great.
The GLP is exceptionally easy to play both in terms of fingering and blowing. I can make the finger stretch on any D flute I’ve tried, but the GLP is so easy and comfortable. My hands stay more relaxed and I can play for longer periods on it. I also find it easier to do finger articulations because of the finger stretch and small holes (the narrow bore probably helps too). This is a fairly big deal for me. This flute is so easy to play cleanly and fast.
The GLP is very easy to fill with air. With the modern cut embouchure it’s even more so. Compared to a big bored and holed flute this is a pretty dramatic difference.
Read about embouchures on the McGee site. My experience is the same as what Terry wrote. It’s not a dramatic, night and day difference, (I’m very used to traditional elliptical embouchures and can play them just fine) but when switching back and forth it’s very obvious. I don’t think having an elliptical or square embouchure makes as much of a difference on a big session flute, but for me, on the GLP it made a good low end into an excellent, louder, stronger low end. It also makes it even easier to play at the top range of the flute. It’s very easy to play quietly and expressively at the top of the second octave with the square cut GLP. This combo also plays easily well into the third octave, something I’ve never experienced with any other trad flute.
I’m a fairly experienced flute player and have played most of the makers flutes out there. I’ve owned a couple of Pratten derived flutes and quite a few Rudall derived ones. I much prefer Rudalls over Prattens, and obviously prefer smaller holes and bores over big. I value response, ease of play and tone more than volume. I don’t play at big sessions but do often play with a couple of friends on a variety of instruments.
The GLP is a lovely flute. After trying and owning numerous flutes, this is the one that works for me. It is nimble, great tone, economical with air requirements and is comfortable for someone with small hands. Some have said it’s not as loud as some cannons out there…so? Volume won’t be an issue unless you are playing in a really big session. I’ve played it in smaller groups and I’m always trying to play it a bit softer so as not to offend the fiddle sensibilities. If for some reason in the future it doesn’t fit your needs, it will still be holding its value for resale.
Finding a flute whose embouchure (the hole you blow at) allows a satisfying tone with a comfortable level of windforce is part of the puzzle.
The rest of the puzzle is your own embouchure (what you do with your lips). Learn to use your lips instead of your lungs and you’ll find that the flute doesn’t take much more power than a whistle.
Having a flute that you can play with an undeveloped embouchure can reduce the frustration that is part of the process of developing your embouchure.
I played a GLP with rounded rectangle embouchure some weeks ago. It was by far the easiest flute I played so far, and it was suprisingly loud and reedy/barking. I guess that the reason for that is the very large bore, which, despite of the smallish holes, produces a quite huge sound.
Well, probably not w/o a deposit Best to get the details from him directly. At any rate he can probably give you some quotes on what he might have available.
Regarding the rounded rectangle embouchure, I have a McGee Rudall Perfected with the RR and I wouldn’t have anything else. Terry certainly knows how to cut an embouchure.
Granted, mine is a large hole Rudall, still, the RR really makes for an easy player; loud if you want it; plus a pure tone or reedy, dark and edgy.
Doc is great to deal with. He sent me flutes to try and I was only out for the shipping. Cheers, Cyril.
I too have tried a McGee flute at a session and compared it to my Phil Bleazey : it seemed a bit louder but required more air (the embouchure seemed wider).
I am primarily a (easy blower) whistle player and found the Phil Bleazey very easy to blow.
It is also suited to small handed people which was also a concern to me.
I have the blackwood model. The mopane model seems much louder and more suited for sessions though.
, even after a year. That last year I’ve been dipping my feet in. Now I’ve had enough. I’m gonna say “screw it” & jump in! But I have sold my Copeland to buy …more whistles 
Now I need another one.
Best to get the details from him directly. At any rate he can probably give you some quotes on what he might have available.