After playing pretty much just the Hamilton flute for the past month or so, here is what the polymer Seery flute sounds like (MP3, 490k):
http://www.flutesite.com/samples/seerynewcop.mp3
I always liked the Seery, but now have gained an entirely new respect for what this flute can do.
–James
So what do you think has changed in your playing - has your embouchure strengthened or refined by playing the Hammy. I have a Seery as my “two-minute” flute (you know what I mean, grab a quick tune while the kettle boils, or the dinner burns etc) and I wasn’t overly impressed with it straight out of the box. I do feel that it has got better the more I have got used to it - kind of obvious really.
I found the mouth hole very narrow, front to back, requiring the head to be turned further away than my Prowse and requiring less of the mouth hole to be covered.
I would describe it as a competent flute - not spectacular but it serves a purpose. It’s certainly not a beginners flute - I think that honour really rests with the Dixon 3-piece (some also say the Olwell bamboo). The biggest drawback that I find is that unquantifiable property that I would call “response”. The Prowse (or any timber flute I’ve played) just feels a bit more alive below your fingers than polymer.
I remember you saying that playing the Seery helped you out prior to getting the Hammy, it sounds like it’s also working the other way.
Graham
Well, each flute I’ve played has added something to my playing that I’ve been looking for.
The latest step in this never-ending process has come from the Hamilton, and it’s some pretty subtle stuff. How to get that “buzz” without having a “covered” or “closed” sound, how to cut from the second octave on first octave notes as an effect, how to get the little elegant articulatory sounds while still keeping the buzz…those are the main changes, and most of them involve the use of a moderately tight embouchure along with a lot of breath support to intentionally decrease the purity of the sound slightly.
Each of these is a small, subtle change, but the effect of adding them all together makes the playing sound so much more “there.” Of course, there’s still a long way to go, but it does feel good when things come together and you can see progress.
What I’m amazed at is how well this all translates to the Seery. It responds very well to this approach…my preference is definitely the Hamilton, but the Seery is quite good in its own right.
–James
I’m making muchos dollores playing the Seery
on the street. Hard not to like a flute like that.
A timely post, this is something I noticed a week or so ago. I hadn’t played my Seery for while, I’ve not had small increments free (when I mainly play the Seery) but instead hour blocks which is when I pull out the Copley. I noticed that I was getting a much clean and louder sound out of the Seery, although I did have to work for a few seconds on my emboucure.
The Copley is more forgiving.
One thing I did change on the advice of Larry Mallette, a local flute player, was to turn the headjoint even more towards me. Before I would have the far end of the embouchure hole lined up with the center of the tone holes. Now I have it so there is very little overlap beween the holes. There’s less tension on my left wrist and my tone seems to be a little better.
Since I’m putting many late hours here in the office, I’m tempted to buy another polymer flute to keep here, but that may be a bit excessive. 
Are you mad, man! Since when has buying more flutes been considered excessive. That’s the kind of subversive talk I expect from my wife - not a fellow fluter!!! 
Now go away and play The Gold Ring 10 times and reflect on the error of your ways. 
Or I could just buy a M&E to balance out the Seery.
Speaking of temptation, I was in San Francisco this weekend and stopped by the Lark in the Morning store. I was willing to give into temptation, but nothing there really jumped out at me. A few old keyed flutes and a couple new Sam Murray’s, but nothing that looked any better than my Copley. So I walked out with nothing.
I was shocked at myself.
Eddie
James you are sounding really good!
I can’t get that sound out of my Seery yet. Though starting to get an edge
out of my regular flute which sometimes carries over to the Seery, or
maybe its vice-versa, or both. It seems the one feeds the other as far as
lip. But I do all my actual practice on the olwell.
Keep up all the great work.
Neat!
Wow Lark in the Morning sells new Sam Murrays?