I’ve been playing my Tipple low D for about six months, and I’ve stated to get the hang of the spacing and the embouchure, all at the same time.! I’ve also read that Pratten-style flutes have a bit of a reach. How do they compare to a Tipple low D? I will probably keep the Tipple even if (& when) I move to another flute, because it is teaching me to take my time, I get a real feelling of accomplishment when I mange to get a recognizable tune out of it, and I figure if I can play this big flute, I can play anything.
BTW, I also bought a music book, Medieval & Renaissance Music for Flute, by Jessica Walsh. Not Celtic, but a lot of fun neverheless, since even I can play some of the tunes in there!
I have a low D Tipple, and a Seery (Pratten-style) low D.
Held side-by-side, the holes are minutely different in spacing,
so if you can handle the Tipple, a Pratten style won’t be
any problem what-so-ever.
On my Seery, the D and E holes are 36mm apart, center to center, and my Tipple the measurement is right on 42mm apart between the same two bottom holes, center to center.
I’ve just traded my Seery, and have been playing my Tipple (3 piece, 8 hole, speckled bore with wedge) this week, and have been marvelling in just how good it is! Thank you Doug!
Sometimes I flub the low d note, because of the longer stretch of the Tipple, and because I had been always going to the Seery before to grab a tune, and had gotten used to that shorter spacing. But, I’m hitting it more as I again get used to the stretch on the Tipple. So, yes, if you can play the Tipple, any Pratten style flute will probably be easier, because the conical bore allows for shorter spacing between holes.
I do have to say that I will miss my Seery, but I’m very happy to have the Tipple, because with the right lip placement on the embouchure hole, I can make it sound very much like a wooden flute-nice and reedy, or vary my embouchure to sound like a beefy Boehm, nice and round and mellow. Good job, Doug!
Thanks, guys, for the compliments. I will use this as my monthly commercial post. Although my 2-piece flute, with the tunable headjoint and one-piece flute body could be thought of as a “Pratten-style” flute, perhaps my 3-piece flute with the joint between the two hands could also be considered a “Rudall-style” flute, although the finger holes are a wee bit large for a Rudall-style flute. Anyway, where ease of fingering is an important consideration, I think that a flute with a joint between the two hands is the way to go. It also breaks down into smaller pieces for carrying. And, in case you have forgotten, there is no oiling needed or concern for humidity changes and cracking with a polymer flute.
With regard to my Broadway connection, so far I have sold fourteen flutes to the principal flautist and his subs for Disney’s “Tarzan” at the Richard Rogers Theater in NYC. Although the reviews for the show have been mixed, by all accounts the children seem to love it. A show is being prepared in Amsterdam, and a USA touring company is being considered at this point. The principal flautist told me that he is going to enthusiastically recommend my flutes for the tunes that call for an “ethnic flute”. I might add that I have purchased tickets for the Saturday night show on September 16. My friend tried to purchase return airline tickets for Sept. 11, 2006, but I said, “What about trying another date!!!” I’m not superstitious, or anything like that, but I would rather not fly on that day, the five year anniversary of a very sad day in our nation’s history.
I think I’ll add my 2 cents to your monthy advert… its more of a PSA actually , in my opinion.
I LOVE that 3 piece you made me. Ive been playing it constantly over the last two months and I keep it with me sticking out of my laptop bag.
Ive been managing a about two hours a day on it… its so easy to play. Its hard to put down.
Once I got use to finding the sweetspot… dang its loud. I was finding the low end a little weak at first but it was me. Im getting it pretty solid now.
I’ll admit the stretch was a little wide but I have no problem with it now.
I always have trouble with acronyms. I am not sure of the meaning of “PSA” in this context. Wikepedia gives several choices, so help me out please. Here are some choices: “probabalistic safety assesment”, “purse snatcher’s association”, or “persistent sexual arousal syndrome”. I am inclined to throw out the last one as being non-relevant. I am sure that there are imaginative people on the flute forum who can think of others more appropriate.
Dear Doug, I appreciate your cylindrical flutes greatly, but I think it is too far fetched and perhaps even misleading for a new fluteplayer to call your cylindrical flutes as “Pratten-style” and “Rudall-style” respectively, just because of the absence or existence of a joint between left and right hand finger holes. I think no cylindrical flute should ever be called Pratten-style or Rudall-style, because those styles refer to a great extent on the kind of bore taper employed (wider vs narrower) and should only be used with tapered flutes. Sorry for being pedantic on this matter, but the Rudall vs Pratten style thing is already causing enough confusion, without being transferred to cylindrical flutes.
Hope you have a lovely summertime, we enjoy a wonderful warm Scottish summer, as not seen since 1976.
But you have to get in soon, as it closes in about 32 hours. And thanks Doug for donating the flute for the fundraiser, and for my own Tipple that I take a hack at playing a few times a month.
at the risk of letting my pedantic side show…PSA = Public Service Annoucement those free ads for things like getting kids to stop smoking and the local PTA fundraiser
then again, Doug’s flutes could be considered a true public service. What other flute maker gives so much pleasure, to so many people, for so little money…and in so many places?
Well, you folks have sold me on it. My 3-piece, speckled-bore, wedged and lip-plated D flute is on the workshop table today, and due to ship this week! This may be the only product discussed on C&F that’s never met an unkind word. Doug must be doing something right!
Good on ya, Crookedtune! It’s hard to go wrong with Doug’s top of the line! Especially with the lip plate (that I don’t have!)-it’s said to add quite a bit to the wooden flute sound.
It’s a special flute-one to grow on, as I’ve rediscovered recently. Good luck, and have fun with it!
I’ve also read that Pratten-style flutes have a bit of a reach. How do they compare to a Tipple low D? I will probably keep the Tipple even if (& when) I move to another flute, because it is teaching me to take my time, I get a real feelling of accomplishment when I mange to get a recognizable tune out of it, and I figure if I can play this big flute, I can play anything.
