Hello to all… I’m planning to take the plunge into a keyed flute and can afford up to 4 keys now for what I’m looking at. Given that my purpose is to extend the range of tunes that I can play primarily by myself, rather than the session scene - I play mostly Irtrad, but am interested in expanding to other genres as well… I’d love to hear what the thoughts are for which 4 keys to get…bear in mind that manual deterity isn’t my strength either :roll: . Thanks for ideas…
Tod
Well, first if you want to be completly chromatic, you need Eb, G sharp and Bb, and since you’re probably used to play Cnat oxx ooo, you don’t really need the Cnat key.
Now, since the short Fnat key is something quite impossible to use (like to pass from D to Fnat fastly), I would go for the long F nat key since you can use it in all occasions.
My ideas!
Leo
Here’s what Mr. McGee says. . .
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/keys.html
Most makers with developed web sites will have a similar page.
I use the Cnat key the most, followed by G#, long F and Bflat. I mainly use Eflat for ornamentation, and to vent the high notes - so if you could run to 5 keys, you would have the lot, might be worth it!
I personnaly prefer the short F. The long is not that handy, I use it only for D-F passages, I do all the other ones with the short…
My ideas ! 
I’m a short F person myself, so Eb, Bb, G# and short Fnat allow for full chromatacism.
Cnat is so personal…I can’t even imagine using the key when there are so many crossfingerings, they’re usually easy and they allow so many shadings. I love crossfingering Cnat…
Eric
I agree with Leonard…get the D#(Eb), long F, G#, and Bb.
It is possible on most flutes to cross-finger a passable Bb too, so if you wanted the long C instead you could go for that. I only use the long C for the high C and some ornamentation, and I agree with the poster who said that the cross-fingered C has more character even if it’s typically less in tune.
We’ve gone through the short F versus long F debate here before; there’s another thread devoted to that. If you could only choose one, I personally would go for the long F because (as Leonard said) you’ll be able to go directly from F to D and vice versa without sounding a note in between…it’s possible but difficult to do that with the short F.
Brad’s converted! Halleluja!
At least he’s now saying that it’s POSSIBLE to go from D to Fnat with the short key . . .
And there is a whole thread devoted to it. I think short F is useful and long F is useless . . . if it’s Irish music you want, at least. Look at pipe chanters (no long F). If you want to play something else, like Breton music, where it might be more relevant to be able to play more legato from D to Fnat, then perhaps a long F would be useful as well.
Stuart
I wouldn’t want to do without either F natural, meself. I use the F natural to ornament F# quite a bit, and it’s physically more difficult to do this with the long F. I’d say go for the two Fs, G#, and E flat (since there’s a good cross-fingering for B flat).
What do you know about that Bb!! When I was a beginning player, I tried to find a cross finger Bb, and it sounded pretty bad. So I have always assumed that you can’t get a cross-finger Bb, and always wished for one of the side Bb’s that you see in some flutes. Now that I am a better flute player, and read Brad’s post, I tried it, and sure enough, a cross fingered Bb isn’t bad!!
I was originally going to say that if it was me, I’d get a Bb, G#, Long F and D#, but now I’m changing this to C, G#, Long F and D#
C because when you’re playing in A minor and doing a lot of going back and forth from C to G and C to A, getting that cross fingering is tough when you are going really fast, but sooo simple if you have that C key. And it sounds really cool to go cg/2c/2a/2c/2g/2a/2 cg/2c/2B/2A/2G/2B/2 in the D section of Gravel walk, but that first phrase is a killer without a C key.
Long F because as an oboist, I have three choices for F – a short and long F just like on wooden flute, and a cross fingered F that has a heck of a lot of keywork to make it play in tune and with good tone. So that makes me an expert 
(not.)
If you have the short but not long F, you can’t play D to F, which is common in D minor. If you have the long but not short F, you have problems playing F to Ab, but that’s common in F minor, and how often are you going to be playing in F minor (four flats!!)?? And besides, with a little nose grease, you can actually not do a bad job going between Long F and Ab (nose grease is a little bit of the oil from the outside of your nose, that you get by pretending to scratch your nose with your pinkie right before you play a song where you think you might need to slide keys.)
G# and D# because then you can play in the sharp keys, and fiddlers like that.
JUST my opinion!
Tod, you woose! get an 8 key, like a real man ! 
What Leonard (and others), said!
Primarily because of my interest in Breton and Asturian music was my motivation for getting blocks for Eb, Long F-nat, G#, and Bb on my flute. It was recently stolen and I immediately put in another order for the exact same configuration. Can’t wait till I can actually afford the keys too!
Cheers,
Tod,
What kind of flute are you geting?
Doc
I think it’s a lefty by Dominic Allan, which means that Tod can always add a key later on, if he finds that it’s a needed one.
I like and use both F key’s, sometimes in the same tune.
Thanks for the ideas…Eilam is correct, it is a lefty from Dom Allan. By the way, Eilam, he sent me a loaner with the head modifications to M&E specs, and it’s excellent for me - very focused and “deep” now - a good guy to deal with -
Tod
Tod, how did Dom like that head? did it work for him too?
There’s an idea! Get your four keys, but also have the maker put on blocks for what you don’t get, so you can add them later!
Dominic said he could tell it was more focused, but personally prefers playing with his original head… er, flute head that is. It’s really nice that he’s able and willing to accomodate players’ requests, and his work is top-notch quality - highly recommended, can’t wait to get the final version - Tod
Hi Tod,
If Dominic is making a four-key for you, bear in mind that he likes to build the long Fnat keytouch working on the short Fnat key, i.e. it is a lever which lifts up the key. That way there is only one hole, and one less key to leak 
. But he probably would also make a long Fnat key without the short one, if asked. Nice thing about the short Fnat is that the touch is very low., and goes into a recess in the body, to accommodate full opening. Result is that it is quite easy to go from Fnat to D and even sliding up from D to Fnat, since it is so low and has a small angle to glide up on.
The cross-fingered Cnat on my S1 (smaller holed) flute is also very nice. So the traditional four key with Eb, short Fnat, G# and Bb maybe just right, and you can add the other keys later. I do use all eight keys and love to be able to play in C with the foot keys!
~Hans
I love post-mounted keys for that very reason…decide and pay as you go.
BTW, My vote in order of necessity and usefulness…long F, Eb, G#, Bb, C-nat, short F
I cannot fathom a need or use for the short F but we’ve been through all that.
Doc