This is a no-brainer, so I'll chime in first - get one in "D"... The decision comes in when you decide if you want keys or not. I, personally, would recommend "not", but coming from a Boehm, you might want 6 or 8 keys. If you want to see if this silly instrument is for you, I'd recommend trying one of Doug Tipple's PVC first and then "graduate" to something better - I jumped to a Copley (keyless) myself. The other decision is: tunable or not... If you play with other people a lot, I'd recommend a tunable version. Virtually all the major makers provide multiple models. Oh yeah, Doc at the Irish Flute Store is a great resource (for info and flutes).
Get one in D, just like you would get a whistle in D for playing with other people. Flutes in other keys can sound very nice, but they're usually impractical and expensive.
Thanks, I assumed I should get one in D, but after reading different sites with all the flutes I saw all the 6 or 8 key options, etc, and was slightly confused. Of course I want something that can be tuned....though from sessioning I can see that some don't understand tuning is essential for any form of great music.
Keys are very handy indeed. I don't think I could get used to an unkeyed flute. I like to have easy access to all the notes that might be needed. There's not much of a stretch in the fingers involved with the Boehm flute so I'd advise that you get a flute with a joint between the finger-holes of the left and right hands (generally this means it will be a 5 piece flute). This will allow you to have the finger holes out of alignment, thereby making it easier to play the flute without the fingers being over-stretched. (The disastrous alternative many Irish flute-players adopt is playing with straight fingers, the so-called “piper’s grip”. But no player with nice hand posture, as encouraged by the design of the Boehm flute, could ever consider this option.)
And a much cheaper, though excellent, alternative to expensive keyed wooden flutes is polymer flutes; for instance, Michael Cronnolly (M&E) polymer flutes: http://www.irishflutes.net/mef/index.htm
He still makes old style small-holed, small-bore flutes with keys, well as the louder large holed flutes that many session player seem to like. I play a Hammy Hamilton small bore keyed flute similar in design to Michael Cronnolly’s, this is a superb instrument, but they're pretty pricey now and there's a very long waiting list.
Remember that there is a vast repertoire of traditional Irish tunes which evolved on the keyless flute in D, the whistle in D, and the uilleann pipes in D.
All of these hundreds and hundreds of tunes can be perfectly played on a keyless Irish flute in D.
These tunes are in D major, D mixolydian, E dorian, G major, A mixolydian, A dorian, B minor, and C lydian.
All these modes are playable just by alternating C sharp and C natural, the C natural done with the crossfingering oxx ooo.
However there is a different repertoire, shared by accordion, fiddle, and banjo, of tunes in D minor, G minor, C major, etc.
Many traditional flute, whistle, and pipe players bring a whistle in the key of C to play these.
Then there are tunes in A major, for which one can use an E whistle.
But if you have certain keys on your D Irish flute, the F natural key, the G sharp key, and the B flat key, you can play all these tunes on the same instrument.
There's a guy at the Portland Saturday Market who makes excellent bamboo flutes. They all have six holes, so I can use the same fingerings as I do with my tin whistle. I noticed that they seem to take a lot more air than a whistle does, especially the ones in the higher keys, and some of the spaces between the holes can be a stretch, so definitely try the flute of your choice out before buying it (don't get anything online!). I finally settled with a G flute. It's about a foot and a half long, comfortable spaces between the holes, and familiar straight-forward fingering. It gives my music a breathy, haunting sound that you just can't get with a whistle (even a low one). Totally worth the purchase, but if I hadn't taken the time to experiment enough to find the right one for me, I would have gotten something that was uncomfortable to play and it would have just sat on my shelf.
Just google wooden or Irish flutes and you'll find a list of makers of keyed flutes.
Flute86,
Most new players to the Irish flute start off with a keyless flute. Keep in mind, the keying system on the Irish flute is not the Boehm keying system as on the silver flute and you will have to learn a new system whether it be with six holes or six holes and keys. I've had keyed and keyless flutes over the past decade or so and I've decided I prefer a keyless flute for Celtic music. They're much easier to care for and I find keys to get in my way. Sure, they look nice, but why have them if you hardly use them? Having a G# key can come in handy for those pesky A tunes, which I have found to be few and far between in a session setting. There have also been some very good Boehm silver flute players of Irish music. Namely, Billy Clifford and Joanie Madden to list a few. It's possible to get a wooden flute with Boehm system keys as well. The famed Peter Broderick won the All-Ireland on a copper tube he made into a flute. Go figure.
Brad Hurley has a nice site to help you out. Btw, I would recommend looking around on search engines as your first point of reference for these things.
What Key to get a wooden flute
What Key to get a wooden flute
I've played the silver flute and whistle for years, and I am getting a wooden flute but what key do I get it in?
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by Flute86
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
This is a no-brainer, so I'll chime in first - get one in "D"... The decision comes in when you decide if you want keys or not. I, personally, would recommend "not", but coming from a Boehm, you might want 6 or 8 keys. If you want to see if this silly instrument is for you, I'd recommend trying one of Doug Tipple's PVC first and then "graduate" to something better - I jumped to a Copley (keyless) myself. The other decision is: tunable or not... If you play with other people a lot, I'd recommend a tunable version. Virtually all the major makers provide multiple models. Oh yeah, Doc at the Irish Flute Store is a great resource (for info and flutes).
Good luck!
Pat
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by plunk111
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
Get one in D, just like you would get a whistle in D for playing with other people. Flutes in other keys can sound very nice, but they're usually impractical and expensive.
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by smw
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
Thanks, I assumed I should get one in D, but after reading different sites with all the flutes I saw all the 6 or 8 key options, etc, and was slightly confused. Of course I want something that can be tuned....though from sessioning I can see that some don't understand tuning is essential for any form of great music.
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by Flute86
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
Key of "D" , assuming you want to play with other musicians at any point - keys are optional, but I'd say if you can afford it, 6 keys.
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by Kenny
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
deffinatly D, tunable, minimum 6 keys.
if you think of going down to C# or C, get 8 keys.
anything less and you'll get frustrated if you're used to boehm ...
m;)m
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by MM
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
Keys are very handy indeed. I don't think I could get used to an unkeyed flute. I like to have easy access to all the notes that might be needed. There's not much of a stretch in the fingers involved with the Boehm flute so I'd advise that you get a flute with a joint between the finger-holes of the left and right hands (generally this means it will be a 5 piece flute). This will allow you to have the finger holes out of alignment, thereby making it easier to play the flute without the fingers being over-stretched. (The disastrous alternative many Irish flute-players adopt is playing with straight fingers, the so-called “piper’s grip”. But no player with nice hand posture, as encouraged by the design of the Boehm flute, could ever consider this option.)
And a much cheaper, though excellent, alternative to expensive keyed wooden flutes is polymer flutes; for instance, Michael Cronnolly (M&E) polymer flutes: http://www.irishflutes.net/mef/index.htm
He still makes old style small-holed, small-bore flutes with keys, well as the louder large holed flutes that many session player seem to like. I play a Hammy Hamilton small bore keyed flute similar in design to Michael Cronnolly’s, this is a superb instrument, but they're pretty pricey now and there's a very long waiting list.
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by neddiescotus
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
Remember that there is a vast repertoire of traditional Irish tunes which evolved on the keyless flute in D, the whistle in D, and the uilleann pipes in D.
All of these hundreds and hundreds of tunes can be perfectly played on a keyless Irish flute in D.
These tunes are in D major, D mixolydian, E dorian, G major, A mixolydian, A dorian, B minor, and C lydian.
All these modes are playable just by alternating C sharp and C natural, the C natural done with the crossfingering oxx ooo.
However there is a different repertoire, shared by accordion, fiddle, and banjo, of tunes in D minor, G minor, C major, etc.
Many traditional flute, whistle, and pipe players bring a whistle in the key of C to play these.
Then there are tunes in A major, for which one can use an E whistle.
But if you have certain keys on your D Irish flute, the F natural key, the G sharp key, and the B flat key, you can play all these tunes on the same instrument.
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by Richard D Cook
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
yes I was wondering about the flats and sharps, etc...I really want one with the G sharp, F natural and B flat key...where would I get one of those?
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by fiddle85
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
There's a guy at the Portland Saturday Market who makes excellent bamboo flutes. They all have six holes, so I can use the same fingerings as I do with my tin whistle. I noticed that they seem to take a lot more air than a whistle does, especially the ones in the higher keys, and some of the spaces between the holes can be a stretch, so definitely try the flute of your choice out before buying it (don't get anything online!). I finally settled with a G flute. It's about a foot and a half long, comfortable spaces between the holes, and familiar straight-forward fingering. It gives my music a breathy, haunting sound that you just can't get with a whistle (even a low one). Totally worth the purchase, but if I hadn't taken the time to experiment enough to find the right one for me, I would have gotten something that was uncomfortable to play and it would have just sat on my shelf.
# Posted on February 18th 2008 by mistercliff
Re: What Key to get a wooden flute
fiddle85,
Just google wooden or Irish flutes and you'll find a list of makers of keyed flutes.
Flute86,
Most new players to the Irish flute start off with a keyless flute. Keep in mind, the keying system on the Irish flute is not the Boehm keying system as on the silver flute and you will have to learn a new system whether it be with six holes or six holes and keys. I've had keyed and keyless flutes over the past decade or so and I've decided I prefer a keyless flute for Celtic music. They're much easier to care for and I find keys to get in my way. Sure, they look nice, but why have them if you hardly use them? Having a G# key can come in handy for those pesky A tunes, which I have found to be few and far between in a session setting. There have also been some very good Boehm silver flute players of Irish music. Namely, Billy Clifford and Joanie Madden to list a few. It's possible to get a wooden flute with Boehm system keys as well. The famed Peter Broderick won the All-Ireland on a copper tube he made into a flute. Go figure.
Brad Hurley has a nice site to help you out. Btw, I would recommend looking around on search engines as your first point of reference for these things.
http://www.firescribble.net/flute/choosing.html
# Posted on February 19th 2008 by Aiki