Flute stuff

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: leeneia
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 12:37 PM

Blues=life, your news about the Christmas carols (and the spring concert) makes me so happy. I am glad that you two are finding such joy in playing together.

Algebra comes and goes, but music is for ever.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Bernard
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 10:48 AM

One point which seems to have been overlooked - the big difference between a Boehm system flute and an Irish wooden flute/fife is the holes...

A keyed flute has padded flaps which cover the holes, whereas the Irish flute is more like a recorder or whistle - the fingers are the 'keys'.

This difference is what enables an Irish flute player to 'bend' the notes, and is well-nigh impossible to mimic successfully on a 'closed hole' Boehm flute.

However... my Yamaha YFL 381H is an hybrid - it has plastic bungs in the fingered keys, which can be removed to convert it into an 'open hole' flute with all the advantages of the Boehm system.

It has a silver head, and a B-foot... which really throws people when I growl a low B from it!

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 28 Apr 07 - 10:36 AM

Leeneia,
Sorry I didn't respond to your question about carols. We were too busy playing them for me to keep up with the thread!
Yes, I bought a book of carols for the flute, and she tore that thing up. She loved the fact that she was playing music that she had grown up with, and the fact that it wasn't "band stuff," but rather "real music." (If that last sentence doesn't make sense, live with a 13 year old for a while. Then it will! *G*)
Update time. Spring concert was this week, and the kids were great, especially "Fire Dance." ("Dad, the flutes have a solo line. This is so great!") She has really come into a passion for playing in this year, and admitted to me that at first she played because "she had to" but that now she loves it, and will never give it up.
I've done my job as a Dad! Thank you, thank you very much!
(Is this fun or what!?)

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 19 Dec 06 - 07:25 PM

For UK bods following the thread, the Lewes Arms Folk Club, Mount Place, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1YH has an all-day flute and whistle workshop with Claire Mann on Saturday 24th. March 2007. We also have a simultaneous fiddle workshop with Tom McConville and a bouzouki/dadgag guitar one with Aaron Jones. In the evening Tom, Claire and Aaron play for us at the club. Here's a booking form; you can also download one from our website http://members.aol.com/lewesarmsfolk/.

Lewes Arms Workshop No 81
CLAIRE MANN
WHISTLE & FLUTE WORKSHOP
Places £20
Saturday 24th. March 2007
10.45 a.m.- 4.45 p.m.
John Harvey Tavern, Bear Yard,
Lewes BN7 2AN
A dazzling performer from Newcastle, Claire has won numerous All-Ireland Championships on flute, whistle & fiddle. She teaches flute & tin whistle at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama & is a regular visiting flute & fiddle tutor at Newcastle University. She has also taught at Folkworks, Strathclyde University & a great many music festivals.
        The workshop offers an in-depth look into the workings of Irish & Scottish flute & tin whistle styles with a variety of tunes from Scotland, Ireland & beyond. Music will be sent in advance.

IN THE EVENING
TOM McCONVILLE,
AARON JONES
& CLAIRE MANN
PERFORM AT THE LEWES ARMS FOLK CLUB
(£6; advance tickets available from address at end of this form)

Provisional Timetable

10.45   Registration & coffee; order lunch (refreshments not included)
11.00   Back to basics: a look at technique including tone, posture, the use of                         breathing, ornamentation & phrasing in traditional music.
12.30         Lunch
13.30        Irish music: jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, slides, slow airs, cuts, rolls & crans!
15.15        Tea/coffee break
15.30 - 16.45        Scottish pipe music & its compatibility with the flute & whistle:                 an in-depth look at pipe tunes & their ornamentation.

N.B. Booking is recommended as numbers are limited. Music, maps & accommodation lists will be sent in advance.

,
CLAIRE MANN: WHISTLE & FLUTE WORKSHOP
Saturday 24th. March 2007
BOOKING FORM
I would like to attend the workshop on 24th. March 2007. I enclose a cheque for £20.00 for workshop fees (refreshments not included).

Name:

Address:




No. of tickets for evening performance (£6 each, include SAE for these):

Telephone:

E-mail address:

Tick for map:      Tick for accommodation list:

Please make cheques payable to Lewes Arms Folk Club and send with this booking form to: Valmai Goodyear, 20, St. John's Terrace,
LEWES, East Sussex BN7 2DL

Tel. [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Website: http://members.aol.com/lewesarmsfolk/

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Dec 06 - 06:06 PM

So, are you going to play flute and guitar Christmas carols this year?

We find the Sylvia Woods Christmas harp book a good source for music like this, providing that the flautist can hit the low notes. (the low notes on a flute are hard to get at first.)

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: shepherdlass
Date: 19 Dec 06 - 04:56 PM

Well done to her - hope she keeps enjoying it.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Vixen
Date: 19 Dec 06 - 08:01 AM

Congratulations to your daughter! She's worked hard and is clearly enjoying the fruits of her labor!!!

V

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 18 Dec 06 - 11:46 PM

Every six months I feel obligated to update the flautists here on my daughter's progress. (Whether you want to hear it or not *G*) She is now taking private lessons at the recomendation of her band director. The 7th grade band kicked some serious holiday tail at the December concert. And the proud holder of the First Chair in the Flute section?
You guessed it.
And I'm damned proud of all of her hard work. She was great.

Papa Blues

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Kaleea
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 06:46 PM

It's great to hear from you, Blues=Life, & that your daughter is still playing--and enjoying it. I'm still playing Flute after 40 years! I play lots of different types of flutes in different types of Music--& I love it. Remember, also, that most Music students get good grades, & that playing an instrument well can lead to a scholarship in college.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: shepherdlass
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 06:17 PM

PS - You sure as heck can play blues on flute. Check out Herbie Mann's recordings (if you can get past the absolutely vile cover art!)

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: shepherdlass
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 06:16 PM

If she takes to it, it might eventually be worth investing in a solid silver headjoint (rather than the whole flute) - this can help achieve a lovely dark sound on slow airs and the like. If you go for a cheaper flute in the first instance, be aware that the keywork on these is often made of quite soft metal and the springs can be rather "iffy" - this doesn't seem to affect the playing but she should learn to put it in the case absolutely correctly so there's no undue pressure on the keys. Otherwise you can get the nasty surprise of dead notes the next time you take it out of the box!

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 12:48 PM

Further update. It's Spring Break in our school system, and my daughter was asking questions about flute, so I directed her to this thread. She's really enjoying being part of the band, and she very much liked some of the threads you kind folks directed me to.
Thanks again, and thank God for a good school band program.

Papa Blues

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Vixen
Date: 05 Dec 05 - 09:06 AM

May I recommend a listen to Joanie Madden of Cherish the Ladies--she plays a Boehm flute on lots of VVV fast Irish tunes. She's got a couple of solo CDs out also... she plays on a variety of flutely instruments--whistles, Irish flutes, Boehm flute.

I got to see Joanie perform live this past summer, and WOW! Utterly inspirational. And very cool with kids, too!

V

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: mooman
Date: 05 Dec 05 - 05:02 AM

A closet learner myself although the blues is my main thing these days!

This flute maintenance site and the Chiff and Fipple Forum are both useful, especially the second one.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Tootler
Date: 05 Dec 05 - 04:41 AM

There is no reason why your daughter should not play traditional music on a Boehm system flute. It is becoming more common as a younger generation of musicians who started on the Boehm flute are now growing up. I have been tutored recently by young folk flautists who play silver flutes and they were very good. One of them who tutors at the Folkworks Caedmon folk music classes in Gateshead recently did an after class performance with a harpist and they sounded wonderful.

Your school band seem to have recommended a quality instrument, judging from the description. I am sure it will stand her in good stead for many years to come.

Long may she enjoy her playing.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Kaleea
Date: 04 Dec 05 - 11:49 PM

Blues, Glad to hear that your daughter is enjoying playing the flute! Hearing live Music by good Musicians is one of the best ways to keep kids interested in playing live Music. When she feels comfortable enough with her flute, you might get her a folk type flute (one which is not like her band flute) and take her to jams where she could play it. Having said that, you can play almost any genre of Music in most any style with a regular "band/orchestra" flute.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 04 Dec 05 - 10:12 PM

(sorry, got cut off before I could finish the above post.)

... as the lead player was playing several different flutes (metal and wood bodies, each with a metal mouthpiece). Since I know nothing about them, that's the most I can remember about them, but I got a wonderful little lecture about the difference between the two and the tonal possibilities. Boy, this is fun.

Life is good.

Proud Papa Blues!

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 04 Dec 05 - 10:01 PM

Just thought I'd do an update on my daughter's adventure with the flute... "Dad, this is so cool!"
She loves to play, and practices everyday without nagging. At a local noodle house, where they play live music on weekend evenings, a Latin Jazz group that she's never paid much attention too before was studied carefully, as the lead player was playing several different flutes (metal and wood

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 06:13 PM

Sounds great!

I pretty sure that you would be playing music togehter. Sometimes when I post things, they aren't just for the original poster, but for anyone who might come along and read them.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 09:13 PM

Leeneia, I couldn't agree with you more. Luckily, in my house, music is never hidden in the basement, but rather in the room over the garage! When we got this house, somehow I got my wife to let me make the FROG (Family Room Over Garage) into a library/music room/media room/Tiki Bar. I just got done putting up wall mounts for the guitars, we've got a wall of amps, a keyboard, a nice practice chair with good lighting and a good stand, and an atmosphere that music is always welcome here. Once she learns some tunes, we'll be jamming. It's what we do.

One of my great joys in life is that my kids have all inherited my love of making music. Life is good.

Papa Blues

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 08:58 AM

I have a suggestion. You get out your instruments, and start playing music with her as soon as you can. Nothing makes an activity more valuable to a kid than knowing that the family considers it something important to their family life.

I have a friend who is a piano tuner. The tuners all agree about this: if a child is taking lessons and the piano is in the basement, the lessons will be a failure. If the piano is in the living room, the lessons will take. (I guess we can all figure out why without me writing an essay on it.)

I remember with fondness the times that I got out my guitar, the nieces got out there instruments from school, and we all played and sang together. The kids never had to be persuaded to join in.

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Kaleea
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 04:57 PM

The above info from Papa Blues sounds great! It warms my heart to know that there are some great Music programs offered out there.

I started out in 5th grade on an old used leaky armstrong flute. I didn't know for a few years till I played another girls' flute that I was almost blowing my brains out just to get a sound.
   You will need to get a non-folk music type flute--the kind you see people playing in an orchestra (not an open hole flute). The most important thing I can suggest is to
    ****find a good quality flute!****      Used is fine if it was a good one to start with & is working OK! Sadly, what they are selling & renting nowadays as "student" instruments should be considered cruel & unusual punishment. The brand name is not that important, as most every instrument company sells pro to student lines, and you can spend a couple hundred or $40,000-$50,000! Even the "good" flute brands make garbage now & call it a "student" flute. Ask everyone you know, & strangers on the street if need be, if they have a decent flute you can beg, borrow or buy. Find a flute player/instructor & ask them if they know of any shops with good flutes at reasonable prices which you can find in your area--also ask them to assess any flute you find. As an educator, this is something I have always been willing to do for anyone-potential student or no. Sometimes you can put up a notice on the bulletin board of the Music dept. at a local college that you are looking for a good used instrument & some starving Music student might sell you their 2nd instrument. Ask them how far along in their playing years they were when they got it (beginner in 5th or 6th grade, highschool?). Ask them to play it for you. Take your daughter, and ask them to show your daughter how to play just using the head, or mouthpiece portion of the flute, and maybe then the whole flute.
Ask the Band instructor to suggest a good private flute teacher. Often you can find a local college student-Flute major-to give lessons. Be careful of local those who'll "teach beginners only." Often they don't know what they are doing, & cannot properly teach the all important, basic flute embouchure (what ya do with yer mouth when ya blow).
    Good Luck!

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 03:33 PM

Fort Mill, SC, has one of the best high school band programs I've ever seen or heard of. Each middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th grade) has 2 band teachers. Band is an hour a day, five days a week. In the last 30 years, they've been the state champion band 20 times. Fort Mill Band Page Most 6th and 7th Grade bands sound a lot like cats in a washing machine. Their's sounds like music. The top group of Seniors sound better than many pros I've heard. It's almost scary how good this program is. So I bit the bullet and bought a pretty good flute to start. The band director doesn't reccomend a student model. They start the kids with an intermediate model. This year, the music store that has the contract with the school system (and the place where I buy all my guitars and stuff) was providing an Emerson EF6B flute for beginning students. It's an American made flute, with the Low B foot joint and open holes (plugged for now). It has a Silver-plated nickel silver head, body & foot, silver-plated keys, Sterling silver lip plate and riser, one-piece ribbed construction, in-line G, Low C, pivot head screws, copper-beryllium springs, hand-finished headjoint. (The description I stole from a sales website, but it's a pretty nice flute.) My daughter is one of those self starting kids, so I'm not too worried about her practicing. Heck, this is the only one of my kids who does their homework without nagging! *G* Should be a fun ride!

Papa Blues

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Tootler
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 02:36 PM

IF she is interested in traditional music then here are a few sites to look at

woodenflute.com

standing stones flute pages

A guide to irish flute

A search in Google will find others.

If she wants to play classical style, then it has to be Boehm flute and a good music shop and a teacher nearby are the prime requisites.

HTH

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 10 Sep 05 - 10:27 AM

Wooden or metal flute? Wooden ones need lots of tlc and regular oiling. Chiff & Fipple have a flute forum and there's a site specifically for wooden flutes. You can cheat and go for a wooden sounding flute made of polymer (Delrin).

Main beginners problems are getting a note without falling over, breathing in the right place and the stretch required to get to all the holes. You can get keys fitted to wooden to help

OK so you've got Boehm system classical flutes these have a hole on the back, keys on most holes and are straight bore. The fingering is like a recorder. Problems can be that you have to wait for key to go down and up so if you play VVV fast it doesn't work very well. Mostly metal but you can get wooden which has a mellower sound.

Simple system flutes are wood, cane or polymer (beware of cheap imports on EBay or very old flutes which may not be in modern pitch). Fingering is like a tin whistle (no hole on back) only a few keys usually none, one, 5, or 8 and occaisionally 10. You can get slurring and sliding effects cos not all holes keyed. Will play as fast as your fingers

Hope thats helpful

Sarah

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 07:08 PM

Hope she has very clear sinuses (and large sinus caities too). Flutes have all them keys.....

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: *Laura*
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 06:19 PM

Keep cleaning it inside with a stick and a cloth - the sound is so much clearer and its much easier to play.
Playing the flute stands you in great stead for singing (breathing) and for blowing across the top of milk bottles more powerfully than any of your friends!!
Just make sure you don't faint from all that breathing when you first start!!

xLx

Subject: RE: Flute stuff
From: jimmyt
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 05:47 PM

Flutes are delecate things and require some TLC to keep them healthy. As a former instrument repairman, I can tell you that some things are harmful to the flute. Make sure she doesn't eat or chew gum while or right before playing as it gums up the pads. Keep it swabbed out after playing. THe embouchure for flautists is a bit difficult to get a hang of, but other than that and good good breath support, the insturment is pretty straight forward to grasp. Hope she has a good experience, and I can already see you giving this a hell of a try when no one is around! grin jimmyt

Subject: Flute stuff
From: Blues=Life
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 05:22 PM

Well, even though mostly I hang out over at Tweed's place, I still know where to go for obscure and arcane knowledge about musical stuff. And today the topic is: The Flute.
Now, what, you may ask, does a a sometime guitarist/harp blower/blues growler need to know about flute? Well, lot's, it turns out, cuz my baby girl (who is no longer a baby) has started band here in Fort Mill, SC, and that's what she's going to be learning to play. (Can you play blues on an Emerson EF6B, or do you got to have a sugar cane fife... but I digress.)
So what am I looking for? Are there any good web sites on the care and feeding of the beginning flautist, and on the flaut, I mean flute? Which do you reccomend? This is not an instrument with which I have any history, even though I blow a mean Amazing Grace on my trusty bamboo flute.
Any advice for the beginner?
Come one, come all.