Hi everyone!
I'm a multi instrumentalist who found this fortun by way of google. I started building PVC flutes two weeks ago. Each has had good and bad results, a learning experience in progress.
The one I'm doing now is 3/4" 'M' copper tubing, with a 3/4" PVC type 40 headjoint. So far it shows real promise. The embouchure came out great. I used a file and a hole saw to expand the end so the copper can be inserted, it's a nice airtight fit. The copper and PVC have virtually identical internal diameters, so the airflow is seamless.
I marked out the prospective hole locations for a D major flute on the copper, and will drill those over the next couple days. If it comes out good I might also add the flat-7 hole. When finished I plan to steel wool and then clear coat the copper, as well as use acetone to remove the printing from the PVC. The cool thing is that I can use the single headjoint for multiple flutes.
I have a question: a recorder has double holes under one finger that allow you to uncover one to get a note, then uncover the second to get a note a half step higher. None of the flute info shows anything like that. Has anyone tried it on flute? With what results?
Introduction
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Re: Introduction
7 holes flutes are not really necessary. If you design the tone holes correctly, you already have a standard flat 7 built in. On a 6 holer, that is played with the second hole closed.coyote-1 wrote:Hi everyone!
I'm a multi instrumentalist who found this fortun by way of google. I started building PVC flutes two weeks ago. Each has had good and bad results, a learning experience in progress.
The one I'm doing now is 3/4" 'M' copper tubing, with a 3/4" PVC type 40 headjoint. So far it shows real promise. The embouchure came out great. I used a file and a hole saw to expand the end so the copper can be inserted, it's a nice airtight fit. The copper and PVC have virtually identical internal diameters, so the airflow is seamless.
I marked out the prospective hole locations for a D major flute on the copper, and will drill those over the next couple days. If it comes out good I might also add the flat-7 hole. When finished I plan to steel wool and then clear coat the copper, as well as use acetone to remove the printing from the PVC. The cool thing is that I can use the single headjoint for multiple flutes.
I have a question: a recorder has double holes under one finger that allow you to uncover one to get a note, then uncover the second to get a note a half step higher. None of the flute info shows anything like that. Has anyone tried it on flute? With what results?
Recorders are fully diatonic instruments by design. The low cut off frequency design of the tone hole lattice allows for cross (forked) fingerings to help with chromatics. The double holes are at the end of a recorder where you can't use a cross fingering. This is typical of small tone hole or large chimney lattices for a proportionate bore/length ratio. Recorder bores and tone hole undercutting to bring registers is tune requires a lot of acoustical understanding to do it properly.
Look at any pennywhistle and you'll get a good idea of basic tone hole size proportions in the scale.
If you want to study this more, I recommend the Ed Kottick book on tuning and intonation for the recorder. (really hard to find though, but it's the BEST book on the subject)
For simple 6 or 8 hole flutes, Pete Kosel has a wonderful utility for getting an workable design online with the flutomat. I have made many simple flutes of various materials with his tone hole calculator
http://11wall-west.com/~ph_kosel/flutomat.html
Joe B
Re: Introduction
Thanks. I've seen most of those resources already... I'm just curious about various things, and willing to experiment.
The copper pipe is right on pitch, but I'm not thrilled with the feel of the holes. So that was fun, but the next couple will be PVC. Now that I'm making the embouchure/ headjoint separate from the body, I can make a few different headjoints to see how they play with different bodies. Just join them with the copper and away we go.
But I also couldn't resist.... now that I'm building flutes, I had to go buy a 'real' one lol. A used Armstrong in good shape. It'll be fun to learn.
The copper pipe is right on pitch, but I'm not thrilled with the feel of the holes. So that was fun, but the next couple will be PVC. Now that I'm making the embouchure/ headjoint separate from the body, I can make a few different headjoints to see how they play with different bodies. Just join them with the copper and away we go.
But I also couldn't resist.... now that I'm building flutes, I had to go buy a 'real' one lol. A used Armstrong in good shape. It'll be fun to learn.