So...camera is back, and so hopefully I'll be able to start posting some photos re classic old makers. I'm restoring a wonderful flute by Monzani which I'm going to use as the first example.
But for the moment, until I get my self organised, here's link to a YouTube video which Conor Byrne sent me a few weeks ago. He's playing an eight keyed mopane flute that I made for him a couple of years ago.
Alan... a very good observation. It's surprising the number of players who do this. I think it's partly a case of old habits die hard, in that on very many old flutes ( and on a lot of new ones) the lower C and C# keys don't work, so people have gotten used to turning them out of the way. Even where they do work however, you'll find this is often the case. Personally, when playing an eight keyed flute I do as you do and rest my pinkie on the block.
ReplyDeleteThe whole issue of foot joint keys is a fraught issue, and something which is worth a whole post to itself.
Many players who order eight keyed flutes do so on the basis that that's how many keys old flutes have and they want to have the full monty as it were. What they then discover is that, and we're talking traditional Irish tunes here, that being able to play down to C is not a huge advantage. Many tunes that go lower than D also go lower than C, so you're still in the same situation of having to vary the tune in someway to play it. Remember the fiddle goes down to G.
So when people ask me for the lower keys, they have to satisfy me that they know exactly what they want them to do. I don't think it's a good idea to encourage people to buy a lot of expensive keywork that they then won't use.
And what do you think of mopane? How can it compare to blackwood in terms of making process? Is there any difference?
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