The one and only

Irish Flute
21

I have a few different instruments, but only one flute that I play Irish music on (well, usually! Ha.) It’s an ABW Terry McGee Rudall Refined (see the usericon, heh) with an improved elliptical embouchure for anyone who’s curious. :wink:

…if I could afford more flutes… well, I love to try many different things, & buying allows a lot more trying time! Alas, I don’t have that kind of money! :slight_smile:

I also have a silver thing (with an extra wooden headjoint, might I add!) for the classical stuff, & a Rod Cameron boxwood one-keyed (again, usericon!) that I use for Baroque music (another music love of mine!)

…I’ve also got an A bamboo flute/bansuri & a kaval (that I will probably sell soon, anyone want it? :smiley:) But.. those are stories for other days…

22

Thanks, Barry. There are very few experts here. The one’s that are getting labeled as experts say themselves that they are not experts. I don’t always agree with their rhetoric but I agree with the ethic.

But I don’t want to turn this thread into another debate.

I play one flute. Who else plays one flute?

23

PLEASE tell us more about the Cameron! What model? Any idea what his waiting list is like these days?

24

PLEASE tell us more about the Cameron! What model? Any idea what his waiting list is like these days?

It’s a Grenser copy, stained boxwood with faux ivory rings & two middle joints (415 & 440), foot register…

I bought it on consignment from von Huene in Boston, so I have no idea the waiting list for Camerons now. I also don’t even know the age of my Cameron! (Any von Huene people out there that might remember this flute & know or have any idea? Heh.) It’s my understanding that he doesn’t put serial numbers on his flutes… :frowning:

I love this flute though! Such a sweet sound. I played on a (presumably) younger Grenser boxwood copy by Cameron as well a few months ago. It was yet another excellent example of Cameron’s remarkable work!

Any other Cameron owners (Irish flutes or otherwise!) out there?

25

i have one. a lovely casey burns flute for little girl hands. :slight_smile:

26

Next week I will have only one, and it will be a 3 Key Blackwood Murray.

27

One keyed (Dulcet Improved)
One keyless (Jon C Mopane Howitzer)

All the rest are being restored, being sold, or gathering dust. My PVC flutes in C and A get played a bit, maybe 2% of the time. The rest is 49/49% between keyed and keyless. I’ve tootled on my new Dulcet Improved Bb fife, but shelved it until my ears stop bleeding.

I agree that limiting oneself to one flute might help embouchure development. Then again, classical saxophonists are expected to play at least two or three of the saxes, and orchestral trumpet players routinely play with different horns and mouthpieces.

I don’t believe that playing two flutes is hurting my development. They’re so different, I play different repertoire on them, but I use each to inform my playing of the other. The air requirements on the Cochran helps me to take full breaths for the Dulcet, and the focussed tone that is fairly easy to get on the Dulcet gives me a goal for the Cochran.

In a way, instruments are like costumes worn on stage. While it’s possible to do Macbeth dressed in a lacy thong, it may not be comfortable. I could play a really aggressive version of Are You Ready Yet? on the Dulcet, but it just feels more appropriate on the Cochran. Then again, I’m sure some virtuoso could rip through Macedonian or Klezmer tunes on the keyless, but I’ll stick with keys for anything other than modes of D and G.

Then again, I’m a chronic gear nut, and more flutes are on the wish-list. I’ll just have to wait for some paychecks from school, pay off the summer bills, Christmas…

28

I’d love to be able to help you fluteress, however there were a number of Cameron’s that went through on consignment while I was there, and to be honest, I was usually so busy making instruments and doing repair/restoration work, that I had little to do with the used instruements that came through the shop unless they needed some work done before being sold.

If you bought the flute in the last year, Sarah would likely remember it. If longer than that, asking Nick might be your best bet, although either one might have knowledge of your particular flute, regardless of when it was purchased. Either way, since it was a consignment, and there should still be a sales ticket, they may be able to give you contact info for the previous owner, who may very well know the flute’s history. Worth a shot if you’re really interested, however you might not want to tell them I suggested it. :laughing:


Loren

29

Thanks, Loren, for the tips! :slight_smile:

I bought early this year, so they might remember it. I did ask but the person on the phone wasn’t positive, they said it was 10 years old or younger. I do remember the name on the tag, but of course I couldn’t have a clue who it could be!

All I know is, I love that instrument & am glad I found it! :slight_smile:

30

You’re welcome. :slight_smile: I’m glad the flute found a loving home. :wink:



Loren

31

What can I say, I’m a ho. :smiley:

Keyless blackwood Murray
4-key boxwood Murray soon to be restored to its former 6-key glory
6-key blackwood McGee Pratten
6-key Eb cocus Hamilton
Coming soon, oh I hope, I can’t wait!!! … Keyless Bb from John Gallagher
4-key blackwood Ormiston – a lovely small-holed flute which really needs to find a new home; if anyone’s interested, holler :slight_smile:

The Murrays are my darlings, the McGee is my noble warhorse.

32

I have one flute, a Casey Burns blackwood. But I cannot claim the virtue of faithfulness, as I have been lusting after other flutes. When the occasion presents itself, I even have brief dalliances with other people’s flutes. :astonished:

Anyhow, I’ve been playing for about a year and a half. My tone is still inconsistent. After messing around with some other flutes briefly this summer, I’ve decided to stick with the one I have for a while. Keys get in the way of my right hand’s curve, so I’ll most likely stay keyless unless my hands grow.

Another ten years on this flute and I should be really playing!

Jennie

33

Does it count that I can only play one flute at a time?

I’ve been leaning more towards the original Jon C. R&R blackwood. Its a nice player, and a great tone.

34

My impression is that the longer one plays and the better
one gets, the longer it seems one will have to keep at
it to be any good. Those young enough to have lots
of years are fortunate.

35

I’ve got an Ironwood McGee GLP keyless. It’s got the eccentric head and an elliptical embouchure. It’s also got a C natural hole. I love this flute. Cathy and Jennie have both played it (Hey Cathy and Jennie!), and both play much better than I do, so I’ve got something to work toward, :slight_smile: . I"ve also got a Tipple that I leave out to noodle around on.

36

My main flute these days is my Hamilton blackwood 6-key, and it’s a wonderful flute! It easily gets the most play.

In a non-IrTrad vein, I’ve been working on some old jazz standards using my Gemeinhardt silver flute, so it’s been getting played at least a couple of times a week as well.

I keep both Seery and M&E R&R flutes assembled on my computer desk so that I can grab a quick tune if I have a minute but not really long enough to break out a wooden flute. Of these two polymer flutes, it seems the Seery gets grabbed more often, which is more a function of the fact that it’s typically closer on the desk than the M&E.

My old German 8-key gets played from time to time, it’s the flute that got me into this obsession with wooden flutes and Irish dance music, and I enjoy playing it, though it doesn’t have the power or the elegance of the Hammy.

I have a 6-key M&E that gets broken out when I have a tune I want to try that needs keys, but don’t have the time to break out the Hammy. Also, the 6-key M&E gets played with I’m playing classical or early music because of a unique tone that I can achieve on it far more easily than on my other flutes. It’ll also easily produce a hard-edged “driven” sound that works well with Irish tunes.

My old Sweet Baroque flute almost never gets played anymore; also my recorders are rarely played. I wish I had more time where I could break them out more often.

My Sweet Bb fife only sees play anymore for funeral duty. Here lately, it’s been getting played way too often. :frowning:

I have a little high-F piccolo which Michael Cronnolly made me which plays and is fun but rarely gets played as it is very hard to control and is very shrill.

I have a Hall pyrex flute which almost never gets played and usually lives in the back of a closet, safely tucked away in its padded case.

And of course, I have my whistles, but that’s getting to be OT, so there ya go.

–James

37

My one and only is a 6-key mopane Copley & Boegli.
That’s it…I don’t even play the whistle anymore, although I’ve got one on hand for emergencies.

38

My one and only is a Dave Williams 8-key Rudall in blackwood, but I will admit to occasional opportunistic dalliances with the Tipples that live in my car (an old 1 piece) and by my desk (3 piece grey w. wedge). I also have a rosewood Sweet which is being neglected, and bunch of recorders that likewise lanquish unplayed.

39

Speaking of, I did get to do penance for all my sins last Thursday … I stayed at the office too late to get home, so had to play 2 hours in our Thursday night session with the ‘emergency’ instruments I keep in the car - a formerly duct-taped-together Generation green top whistle and a Dixon Duo 2-piece flute.

Now, THAT’S love. :laughing:

40

Only one which is an early Chris Wilkes keyed - great flute, a Bb would be nice - was thinking of an Eb but there don’t seem to be any Eb sessions these days.

John

London