Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

And in terms of material vs. cost, you aren't going to be getting very much platinum on your flute for the amount that it will cost. (plating is only 5-6 molecules thick sometimes). And after you have paid the likely $2000 USD + to get it plated you then have to pay up to $1000 (on average) to get ...

How interesting!!!!! In terms of finger facility, I would want to say no. Humans don't change THAT much in 100 years. But, in terms of technical capabilities I would say yes. But I only say that because flutes have advanced DRAMATICALLY in the past 100 years. It also brings a few things to mind tho...

Here is a link to a very early recording of a virtuoso flautist in 1908. It's English flautist Eli Hudson playing a wooden Rudall Carte flute, in the English style of the period, i.e. no vibrato except sparingly on one or two notes as an ornament. Whether or not this style of playing is to your tast...

I haven't played one of these but I did try a Tony Dixon six hole polymer Irish flute. It cost about $35 and the layout looks very similar to these bamboo ones. http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/GR2154-p-Dixon-Flute-in-D-one-piece-page.htm Apart from the new fingering and the very shallow embouchure ho...

I do think that they probably take a little more effort to put on (unless stamped out by machine with the rest of the key). On handmade flutes, the key cup and the arm are often separate pieces that are put together. Or at least, this is so on my Miyazawa (there are very slight inconsistencies in t...

Nearly all the flutes made by Theodor Boehm, the inventor of our modern system, were closed hole and this was the result of half a lifetime of acoustical research on Boehm's part. As far as I understand, open holes were favoured by French flautists in the late 19th and early 20th century when they w...

It used to be that pointed arms were the signature of a quality flute. They used to be more stable, and stronger. But, with modern manufacturing, this is no longer the case. Some people argue that they are more stable than y arms. I don't necessarily think so. I think that pointed arms are now a co...

I've never really understood this business of pointed -v- Y arms. My vintage flute's got pointed arms, my modern one doesn't. Aside from the aesthetics already mentioned, I'm sure I read somewhere that the other justification for pointed arms is that they are a stronger construction. But then even o...

I've got to start off by saying I don't think I've got a clear answer to this. For me, top A flat and B flat have never been a particular problem - top A natural and even more so of course, top B natural are usually much more problematic, so what I would say is you've got an unusual difficulty here,...

Most players should not silver polish on the body because you risk getting it on the pads or into the mechanism. The headjoint is fine, there are no mechanical parts or pads. Polishing the embouchure hole is one of those simple things that is overlooked. I've had many a person think I performed a 3...

I do not know what kind of flute you play on but I was told by Brannen Brothers never to use any kind of silver/jewelry polish (cloth or liquid) on a flute. Also: oiling wood instruments is a controversial topic. Some people swear by it others have never heard of it or refuse to do it. The silver o...

Also, here:

http://www.piano-accompaniments.com/aca ... toire.html

Regards, T.

It's taken me all my life to realise this, so sorry to those to whom this is already obvious, but regularly cleaning the embouchure hole to remove tarnish really does improve the flute's tone and makes it play like new. I use a little piece of silver wadding (liquid silver polish is too aggresseive)...

I. That's my opinion at least. Tut just makes it too harsh for the effect that most people are looking for. . I agree - the closest approximation to the way I do it is 'tuh', not 'tut'. But if the passage is slow enough not to need double tonguing, then I'll cut the end of the 'tuh' off with the to...

Hello all, I'd really value some advice. I've been playing flute for just over a year (having previously played as a teenager). I'm really struggling with articulation, and my teacher has got me completely confused. When playing staccato, do you chop the end of the note off with your tongue (making...