I have been playing a whistle for some time and decided to buy a Low D flute (preferably tony dixon). But cant decide if i should buy a tunable one or not ?
I have seen other discussions about this but didnt realy get an anwser. So maybe if i explain my situation someone could give me a good advice.
Since not a lot of people play Irish traditional music here in Slovenia i think that i do not really need a tunable one since it will probably not ocur a lot of times that i will play with someone. but i am not really sure if that is a good enough reason to get a non-tunable one
Hope that i am not asking about things that are allready anwsered and excuse my bad English
Your English is much better than my Slovenian! I can guarantee you that.
I suppose it depends on how much money you are able to pay. Neither will be particularly pricey in comparison to a real flute. They are probably not long term options if you are serious about the flute but if you just want to try it out then fair enough. You are right that if you are just playing by yourself then having it tuneable doesn't matter so much. Perhaps someone else who has played them could advise whether the tuneable ones sound better.
One advantage of the tuneable one is you will be able to adjust the head to angle it so as to best suit your playing. If it is untuneable it is fixed in place.
I never heard of a non-tunable one aside from toys.
You can still tune a flute with no tuning slide. Just pull out at the
head joint. I have one like that. The only trouble with this is that
pulling out slightly distorts the shape of the bore. When you pull out more than about 1 mm you can tell the difference in tone and
responsiveness.
definitley tuneable. I wouldn't consider anything else. If you have a tuneable one you can adjust it to other players even if you are not going to be playing with other people very often. You won't regret it but you may do if its untunable
Not a flute player. However I'd like to point out that even if you don't get many people to play with, playing along with recordings for fun and practice is also an option. So a tunable one would be good for being able to match the recordings.
Does anyone know if there are any major benefits of using a nontunable flute/whistle?
Can tune to play with others (any type of music, not just Irish)
Can tune to play with recordings
Can tune to adjust as flute warms up from playing
Can offset headjoint from body for better ergonomics
Easier to clean by separating headjoint from body
Probably better resale value
Bear in mind that a lot depends on the individual flute.
1. Get a tunable one, for sure. There are no advantages to having a non-tuneable flute. And you will surely regret it once you find one of those rare occasions to play with someone.
2. If you are considering buying your first flute, why not save a bit more and buy a Seery, for example? My first flute was Dixon, and whilst it is a decent value for money and I played it for quite a while, it's much easier to learn on a flute of better quality - not to mention it's much more fun. Also selling a better flute at a fair price won't be a problem.
Yes, tunable (without the 'e'). As mentioned, you may want to play along with recordings or tuition videos, and while a non-tunable flute might be at concert pitch, the recording might not be spot on, and it is nice to be able to adjust your tuning. I have a Hall's Crystal flute which thankfully changes very little in pitch -- it's made of glass -- but I usually find that my tunable one is best for playing with recordings.
My very first flute was the Hamilton "practice" flute. It was every inexpensive. The tuning was awful all around. I only had it for about a week and returned it for a Dixon three piece. I liked it, played it a lot and quickly out grew it. EastPole's advice along with everyone else's is right on with this one.
The Tony Dixon cylindrical flutes, both tunable and not, are not Irish flutes, they are just transverse flutes with whistle fingerings. I recommend his more expensive conical model (3-piece) which can be called an Irish flute.
Almost all proper Irish flutes disassemble into various parts and can be tuned even without a metal tuning slide.
Get a tuneable one. Playing with others or playing with recordings is going to happen in your future somewhere.
It can be tunable without a tuning slide if the head is separate from the body. It is just that the range over which it can be tuned is a lot smaller than with a proper tuning slide. Forget one piece flutes (except for the bamboo Olwells - but they are probaly harder to find than any of the other options and they wouldn't be the first choice for a general purpose flute anyway.)
Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
I have been playing a whistle for some time and decided to buy a Low D flute (preferably tony dixon). But cant decide if i should buy a tunable one or not ?
I have seen other discussions about this but didnt realy get an anwser. So maybe if i explain my situation someone could give me a good advice.
Since not a lot of people play Irish traditional music here in Slovenia i think that i do not really need a tunable one since it will probably not ocur a lot of times that i will play with someone. but i am not really sure if that is a good enough reason to get a non-tunable one
Hope that i am not asking about things that are allready anwsered and excuse my bad English
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by aljazh
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Get a tunable one.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Rudall the time
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Your English is much better than my Slovenian! I can guarantee you that.
I suppose it depends on how much money you are able to pay. Neither will be particularly pricey in comparison to a real flute. They are probably not long term options if you are serious about the flute but if you just want to try it out then fair enough. You are right that if you are just playing by yourself then having it tuneable doesn't matter so much. Perhaps someone else who has played them could advise whether the tuneable ones sound better.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
One advantage of the tuneable one is you will be able to adjust the head to angle it so as to best suit your playing. If it is untuneable it is fixed in place.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
I never heard of a non-tunable one aside from toys.
You can still tune a flute with no tuning slide. Just pull out at the
head joint. I have one like that. The only trouble with this is that
pulling out slightly distorts the shape of the bore. When you pull out more than about 1 mm you can tell the difference in tone and
responsiveness.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Hup
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
I don't think you'd ever regret buying a tunable flute, but there's a high chance you would regret buying an UNtunable one in the future.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Bredna
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Tunable
As you play the flute the tuning changes and you will need to be able to keep up with the changes in temperature and moisture in the bore.
I totally agree with Bredna on this.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Toppish
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
definitley tuneable. I wouldn't consider anything else. If you have a tuneable one you can adjust it to other players even if you are not going to be playing with other people very often. You won't regret it but you may do if its untunable
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by frogeyes
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Not a flute player. However I'd like to point out that even if you don't get many people to play with, playing along with recordings for fun and practice is also an option. So a tunable one would be good for being able to match the recordings.
Does anyone know if there are any major benefits of using a nontunable flute/whistle?
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by banshee misfortune
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Advantages of a non-tuneable flute:
Maybe less expensive
Advantages of a tuneable flute:
Can tune to play with others (any type of music, not just Irish)
Can tune to play with recordings
Can tune to adjust as flute warms up from playing
Can offset headjoint from body for better ergonomics
Easier to clean by separating headjoint from body
Probably better resale value
Bear in mind that a lot depends on the individual flute.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Zdravo,
1. Get a tunable one, for sure. There are no advantages to having a non-tuneable flute. And you will surely regret it once you find one of those rare occasions to play with someone.
2. If you are considering buying your first flute, why not save a bit more and buy a Seery, for example? My first flute was Dixon, and whilst it is a decent value for money and I played it for quite a while, it's much easier to learn on a flute of better quality - not to mention it's much more fun. Also selling a better flute at a fair price won't be a problem.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Janek
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Yes, tunable (without the 'e'). As mentioned, you may want to play along with recordings or tuition videos, and while a non-tunable flute might be at concert pitch, the recording might not be spot on, and it is nice to be able to adjust your tuning. I have a Hall's Crystal flute which thankfully changes very little in pitch -- it's made of glass -- but I usually find that my tunable one is best for playing with recordings.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by gam
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Tunable
My very first flute was the Hamilton "practice" flute. It was every inexpensive. The tuning was awful all around. I only had it for about a week and returned it for a Dixon three piece. I liked it, played it a lot and quickly out grew it. EastPole's advice along with everyone else's is right on with this one.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by cfmgeek
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Forgot to mention the Hamilton is not tunable
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by cfmgeek
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
The Tony Dixon cylindrical flutes, both tunable and not, are not Irish flutes, they are just transverse flutes with whistle fingerings. I recommend his more expensive conical model (3-piece) which can be called an Irish flute.
Almost all proper Irish flutes disassemble into various parts and can be tuned even without a metal tuning slide.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Elvellon
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
Get a tuneable one. Playing with others or playing with recordings is going to happen in your future somewhere.
It can be tunable without a tuning slide if the head is separate from the body. It is just that the range over which it can be tuned is a lot smaller than with a proper tuning slide. Forget one piece flutes (except for the bamboo Olwells - but they are probaly harder to find than any of the other options and they wouldn't be the first choice for a general purpose flute anyway.)
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by Crackpot
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
You might check this site out, if you haven't already:
www.irishflutestore.com
Doc has new and used flutes at good prices.
# Posted on August 18th 2010 by cfmgeek
Re: Tunable or a non-tunable flute ???
How about a cocuswood 4 piece tuneable 5 key one @ £199 in wood case or a no key one @ £99. ? Post probaly between £5 & £10 from Omagh ( Tyrone )
# Posted on August 23rd 2010 by accordianman