I own a Ralph Sweet renaissance fife in D, but I’ve seen in the past he makes a folk fife in D.
I’m just curious if anyone could explain the difference. Since they’re both in soprano D do they sound different, play different, or what?
I just visited Ralph’s website. It appears his renaissance fife has a cylindrical bore, and the more expensive folk fife has a conical bore. I would think the latter would have better intonation and playability.
So it’s more a matter of intonation than pitch, huh? That’s what I guessed. I wonder how much better it sounds? It definitely looks nicer than my strait fife.
I’ve come to really like the ren. fife/soprano flute. I can get a full 3 octaves out of it (and somehow Ralph has it in tune throughout which I consider no small feat in a cylindrical flute), but it has taken me ages to get a nice sound.
What has surprised me is that playing the fife has helped with my flute embouchure - or maybe it’s the other way around? Anyway, it works out well and I can play the fife so much better than my whistle these days, especially in the upper registers.
Thanks for the answer.
Anyone play one of Sweet’s Folk fife’s in D? Is it more flute like than fife like?
I’m not surprised that playing the fife has improved your embouchure. Playing fife is like weight training for the flute. It’s a more intense workout for the muscles of the embouchure.
Jayhawk, I don’t know whether or not I’ve sent you my fife document. If not, you may want to see it. I’ll email it to you if you’re interested.
I have Sweet’s Folk Fife and his D picollo - both similar in size. The Folk Fife is easier to play in the bottom octave and more difficult in the third though manageable.
No question that the fife embouchure is a great aid for the flute emb. - fife being much tighter and, as has been said, forces more direct stream.
Play on!
BillG
Thanks for the encouragement Jim and Bill. I’ve had this fife for probably 5 years, but I really only “broke through” in the past week. I’ve been playing both it and my flute a whole lot more, and when I made a leap on one instrument the other followed along.
It may be me, but I seem to notice more fifers and fife websites coming from the east coast than the midwest where I am.
One final question. If many fifers are playing a Bb fife, do you still read the bottom note with all fingers down as D? I’m terrible at transposition, so that’s why I ended up originally with the D fife/picollo. Is it more common for fifers with Bb instruments to play solo or in a fife and drum corp?
I guess you can tell I’m much more confortable and know more about Irish flute than the fife!
Jayhawk:
Your intuition is right. We play B flat fifes as if the bell note was D, just like you do with a whistle.
I think I know the reason that there are so many more fife related websites coming from the east coast. Several of the original Civil War era fife and drum corps from the Connecticut River valley stayed together as civilians when the war was over. The tradition never died out in that area. Some of the current corps trace there roots back to those old corps. One or two are still playing the original drums that were used back then! There was a time (pre-Worl War II) when almost every little town in Connecticut had a fife and drum corps. New York, especially the Bronx and the Husdson Valley region, has a rich tradition of fife and drum as well.
There is an organization, The Company of Fifers and Drummers, to which most of the better ancient fife and drum corps belong. The Company is based in Ivoryton, CT.
Of course, the tradition has spread, and we have fine corps in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and at least one each in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Florida and California. There is even an American style corps in Switzerland!
Check out the Company of Fifers and Drummers website for the complete list of member corps.
Jim - I sent you an e-mail, but I’m not sure if you e-mail on this site is current. I’d love your fife document.
My e-mail is: crowshaven@gbronline.com
Thanks!
Also, that’s interesting that some of those corps have been around since the Civil War. I’ll bet the Bb fife sounds quite a bit mellower than my D!
I’ll bet the Bb fife sounds quite a bit mellower than my D!
Not so! The fife is not a parlor instrument but the folk one is OK there. The fife is played in the second and third octave almost exclusively while the others are first and second. I stopped playing a year ago to covert to the wooden flute and whistles to keep peace in the family. I used to play with a Long Island group but they don’t function much anymore. I began as a Boy Scout in Queenst, NY, in a Fife, Drum and Bugle corps. Great fun!
BillG
Bill G:
Were you in the Beth Page Colonials? I remember that group very well.
Yes to the Colonials but long ago. They don’t seem to parade anymore like they used to. I still get in touch with one member since he lives and works near me.
Who do/did you play with?
BillG
Currently I play with the Civil War Troopers, in Newburgh, NY. The Beth Page Colonials usually come up to our muster, which is held the weekend after Deep River.
In years gone by I played with the William Bender Memorial Fife and Drum Corps (Verplank, NY) and the Newburgh Continentals. Both of those corps are gone now, but members of both have filtered out to the Troopers and the Regulators, along with a few other corps.