Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hi Jayhawk, The softer tone I hear from the F&P flute could also be due to the mic being further away (eg, higher frequencies (harmonics) tend to be absorbed in the air more easily than the lower frequencies. The F&P flute is a smaller flute - along the lines of Chris Norman's beloved RR flu...

Thanks fluti!!! Very interesting. Now, to me, the Firth-Pond does not seems as loud as the two Rosewoods. Is that the way it sounds to you? Is the Firth Pond a quieter flute or did you just hold the flute further away from the mic? Also, based on your recording, the Firth Pond has a softer tone (mor...

Hi rama, I read this in one of the threads in this forum. I seem to remember someone saying that Sweet does not sand flute bore enough. Nanohedron (in the thread KateG refers to) says that while overall workmanship can be variable, the sound quality is consistently good. I played the clips for this ...

I have been practicing with my new metronome and have found it very useful to keep time. I find it easiest to follow the beat by watching the bouncing red LED lights (the instrument sometimes overpowers the audio playback). But I can't seem to tap my feet to the beat and play at the same time!!!! If...

I remember reading someone saying that some units of the Firth-Pond type flute from Sweetheart flutes could sound rough, while other units sound wonderful.

Is there a way to quickly tell if a particular flute of this model is rough or sweet sounding?

Yes, I meant small-hands, but doesn't the small-hands flute have smaller tone holes as well as tighter spacing between the holes?

djm, is your CB a small-hands version? And when you say "larger holed flutes", have you compared both the standard and small-hands CB flutes?

Am I correct that the CB small-holed flutes are slightly quieter than the standard size hole flutes, but otherwise have a similar sound profile?

What should one look for when buying a used flute - both keyed and unkeyed? Grey Larsen's flute book does not touch on this subject in any depth. I suppose with antique flutes, there's always the spectre of restoration costs. Yet, I am sure there are used flutes of recent manufacture that can develo...

In the Bill Ochs tutorial, 6/8 tunes have two beats. Does this mean that a 9/8 tune will have 3 beats?

Is there any time when a 6/8 tune has other than 2 beats - like maybe 6 beats?

Well, I must say that I am really enjoying learning to play with a metronome. It's very comforting to know that all I have to do to keep the musical clock on track is to follow the beat. What about when I can't use a metronome, such as during a performance or when the metronome is packed away? Someo...

Hi everyone, when I posted this, I had no idea that so many people would weigh in against this type of breath control aid. Before buying it, I saw a recommendation for this device by Joanna G'froerer , a principal flutist with an orchestra in Ottawa. It only cost me $14 (on sale), so it was not a hu...

mcdafydd, Here's how the Breath Builder works: 1. Attach a plastic tube to the spout at the top of the BB. There are two sizes of tubes: a large one for flute and a smaller one for other woodwinds. 2. Blow into the BB. The ping pong ball rises to the top. Exhale to keep the ball at the top. Then inh...

Thanks everyone! What is an "offbeat eighth" rhythm used for? I purchased the metronome because whenever I would play a tune for the first time cold (that is, without hearing someone else play it), the tune would never sound right. I am hoping that using a metronome will allow me to play c...

Thanks WD! That video was most helpful.

I would play the flute more, but I don't always have the practice space to do it. I can use the Breath Builder anywhere, anytime - such as when I'm waiting on the checkout line at my local supermarket.

Hi, I just ordered a Breath Builder that is supposed to help strengthen my breathing for playing flute. It did not come with any directions. The device is a cylindrical tube with small ping-pong-like ball inside. One end is sealed and the other end has holes. There are two diameters of plastic tubin...