Hello, I have just joined your list. Have had a silver flute for thirty five years but have mostly entertained myself in the studio. This last year I have been playing some Irish tunes with a fiddler and pianist , got hooked but realized I needed to really work on the craft. Bought an M&E plastic flute and worked back and forth between the silver and the Irish trying to sort out the Irish but finally shelved the silver.
They are two different critters.
Have cruised the discussions but not found anything on my Q , ie:
G#, A# and C, sound like I am playing them with my knee. The pitch is on but they are much weaker than the rest and more difficult to get. The cork is at 19mm like it is supposed to be.
Do you have a keyed M&E or keyless? If it's keyed, I hope someone else can give you a good answer. If it's keyless, half holed or cross fingered notes are always weak. I like that feature myself - I consider it part of the charm of a keyless flute.
Thanks Eric; yes it is keyless. I do not have a benchmark for this flute or any celtic flute for that matter. It did seem clear to me from the beginning that I could not make assumptions about the M&E based on the Silver flute.
I use the fingering that is posted on the M&W website.
I'm no expert, but I agree with Eric that those notes aren't going to be particularly strong. You're on the right track using the fingerings shown on the M&E site. On my Seery flute (also plastic, Delrin), I've found that those notes can be strengthened with a bit of attention to embouchure, and also opening the throat and mouth--that "yawn" feel of lifting the soft palate and relaxing the back of the throat.
Of those three notes, you should be able to get a pretty clear and strong C nat--a crucial note in so many tunes. On most flutes I've tried, the fingering that works best is: OXXOOO. The G sharp and A sharp are more likely to go flitting by in some jig or reel, and at typical session speed, their relatively weak sound isn't a worry.
I have the original model. I got it through the Boxwood festival crowd, Chris Norman said it was pretty good for w its price so I got one through them. I guess they had bought a bunch from Michael.
Interesting the pathway to that flute. It began in a restaurant talking to the Buddist owner and then on to a flute maker who makes twenty thousand dollar gold flutes.I spent an afternoon with him trying out head joints and a beautiful gold flute that was going to Texas. I was completely impressed by his work and working through the headjoints was an education. I have an open hole Haynes but the headjoint on it did not have the color and tone of his. He also rebuilds flutes by "porting " them . I use this term because it is exactly what I would do to an engine to hop it up.
It would cost about twenty five hundred to hop up my flute with new gold layered pads. Not today I don't think.
By the way, it was this guy who told me to get in touch with Chris Norman. I subsequently went to one of his workshops.
I have just received my new M&E polymer flute which will at last allow me to get my old wooden one repaired. I need to tell the world about it because it is BRILLIANT! It is based on a Rudall and Rose and has 6 keys. It is really easy to play in all registers and keeps in tune beautifully. Being polymer it will withstand all temperatures dropping on the floor and dunking in your Guinness so I am reliably informed. I even got a free CD of the maker Michael Cronnolly playing one. It has got a lovely tone and is louder than a wooden flute. I am thrilled and would heartily recommend one to anyone thinking of buying a good session flute. The only key I'm finding a bit tricky is the G# which is a bit close to the long F when I put the various sections into the right position for girlie fingers!
Since I got the M&E I have scarcely picked up the silver. I love its softness, its unobtrusiveness, in fact I practice in bed alongside my reading and or snoring wife. She says she does not mind. My playing that is.
On thursdays after class and before TaiChi I usually go to the hospital and play in a stairwell . Not long after I started playing the new M&E two folks came and said how wonderful it sounded.
I do not miss the mechanism of the silver at all .
Sarah,I am curious as to how the R&R differs from the plain one I have other than the keys that is. Is the diameter and length different?
Does it play differently?
I read a review somewhere that the RR was an improvement on the first models produced and that's basically why I went for it. It is really easy to play and has a really good tone. It's great being able to get loud resonant notes in the low register - something I can't do on the wooden one - probably because its in dire need of repair. One thing I have noticed tho is that being a lot heavier than my wooden flute its taking time to get used to playing for longer than half an hour at a time without my hands seizing up. ..... there again maybe I'm just getting arthritic!
G#,A#&C on the M&E
G#,A#&C on the M&E
Hello, I have just joined your list. Have had a silver flute for thirty five years but have mostly entertained myself in the studio. This last year I have been playing some Irish tunes with a fiddler and pianist , got hooked but realized I needed to really work on the craft. Bought an M&E plastic flute and worked back and forth between the silver and the Irish trying to sort out the Irish but finally shelved the silver.
They are two different critters.
Have cruised the discussions but not found anything on my Q , ie:
G#, A# and C, sound like I am playing them with my knee. The pitch is on but they are much weaker than the rest and more difficult to get. The cork is at 19mm like it is supposed to be.
Is this to be expected?
thanks,
Peter
Bayswater, Nova Scotia, Canada
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by ppitussi
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
Do you have a keyed M&E or keyless? If it's keyed, I hope someone else can give you a good answer. If it's keyless, half holed or cross fingered notes are always weak. I like that feature myself - I consider it part of the charm of a keyless flute.
Eric
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by Jayhawk
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
Thanks Eric; yes it is keyless. I do not have a benchmark for this flute or any celtic flute for that matter. It did seem clear to me from the beginning that I could not make assumptions about the M&E based on the Silver flute.
I use the fingering that is posted on the M&W website.
Peter
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by ppitussi
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
I'm no expert, but I agree with Eric that those notes aren't going to be particularly strong. You're on the right track using the fingerings shown on the M&E site. On my Seery flute (also plastic, Delrin), I've found that those notes can be strengthened with a bit of attention to embouchure, and also opening the throat and mouth--that "yawn" feel of lifting the soft palate and relaxing the back of the throat.
Of those three notes, you should be able to get a pretty clear and strong C nat--a crucial note in so many tunes. On most flutes I've tried, the fingering that works best is: OXXOOO. The G sharp and A sharp are more likely to go flitting by in some jig or reel, and at typical session speed, their relatively weak sound isn't a worry.
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by Will CPT
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
Hi Peter,
If ye don't mind me asking - did you opt for the Rudall & Rose model or the original M&E?
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by Q
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
I have the original model. I got it through the Boxwood festival crowd, Chris Norman said it was pretty good for w its price so I got one through them. I guess they had bought a bunch from Michael.
Interesting the pathway to that flute. It began in a restaurant talking to the Buddist owner and then on to a flute maker who makes twenty thousand dollar gold flutes.I spent an afternoon with him trying out head joints and a beautiful gold flute that was going to Texas. I was completely impressed by his work and working through the headjoints was an education. I have an open hole Haynes but the headjoint on it did not have the color and tone of his. He also rebuilds flutes by "porting " them . I use this term because it is exactly what I would do to an engine to hop it up.
It would cost about twenty five hundred to hop up my flute with new gold layered pads. Not today I don't think.
By the way, it was this guy who told me to get in touch with Chris Norman. I subsequently went to one of his workshops.
# Posted on November 9th 2003 by ppitussi
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
I have just received my new M&E polymer flute which will at last allow me to get my old wooden one repaired. I need to tell the world about it because it is BRILLIANT! It is based on a Rudall and Rose and has 6 keys. It is really easy to play in all registers and keeps in tune beautifully. Being polymer it will withstand all temperatures dropping on the floor and dunking in your Guinness so I am reliably informed. I even got a free CD of the maker Michael Cronnolly playing one. It has got a lovely tone and is louder than a wooden flute. I am thrilled and would heartily recommend one to anyone thinking of buying a good session flute. The only key I'm finding a bit tricky is the G# which is a bit close to the long F when I put the various sections into the right position for girlie fingers!
Cheers
Sarah
# Posted on November 11th 2003 by Sarah the Flute
PS it only took 1 week from postal ordering to delivery!
# Posted on November 11th 2003 by Sarah the Flute
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
Since I got the M&E I have scarcely picked up the silver. I love its softness, its unobtrusiveness, in fact I practice in bed alongside my reading and or snoring wife. She says she does not mind. My playing that is.
On thursdays after class and before TaiChi I usually go to the hospital and play in a stairwell . Not long after I started playing the new M&E two folks came and said how wonderful it sounded.
I do not miss the mechanism of the silver at all .
Sarah,I am curious as to how the R&R differs from the plain one I have other than the keys that is. Is the diameter and length different?
Does it play differently?
best,Peter
# Posted on November 14th 2003 by ppitussi
Re: G#,A#&C on the M&E
I read a review somewhere that the RR was an improvement on the first models produced and that's basically why I went for it. It is really easy to play and has a really good tone. It's great being able to get loud resonant notes in the low register - something I can't do on the wooden one - probably because its in dire need of repair. One thing I have noticed tho is that being a lot heavier than my wooden flute its taking time to get used to playing for longer than half an hour at a time without my hands seizing up. ..... there again maybe I'm just getting arthritic!
Sarah
# Posted on November 15th 2003 by Sarah the Flute