Keyed Flutes

[accordionstu]

I had 4 keys fitted to my Millyard flute recently because I love Hornpipes and Rants so get to use all the keys now. I don't feel restricted by not having a C key as I find the fingered C sounds more prominant on reels and jigs. I went for the short F as I have never felt comfortable with a long F on any of my previous flutes.

I was wondering how many Fluters actually use all their keys and how often, I see plenty of 8 key flutes with very little wear on the pads. Maybe its about balance,

[Steve Bliven]

Some info here....viewtopic.php?f=2&t=100900

Best wishes.

Steve

[emmdee]

The only key on my flute which I never use is the Eb. If I'd thought about it a little more, I would have saved a few bob and just had a 5 keyed flute made, but hey-ho...

m.d.

[Steve Bliven]

The only key on my flute which I never use is the Eb. If I'd thought about it a little more, I would have saved a few bob and just had a 5 keyed flute made, but hey-ho...

Do folks playing contemporary keyed flutes ever use the Eb/D# key to vent higher notes?

Best wishes.

Steve

[bradhurley]

I use the Eb/D# key pretty frequently in tunes, but not for venting. I've experimented with it and on my flute it doesn't make enough difference on most notes (except the E, which becomes much stronger and louder, but I don't need it to be stronger and louder so I don't use that key unless a tune ends on an E and I want it to end strongly).

You can play Irish music all your life without ever using the keys, there are more than enough tunes that don't require it. But there are also plenty of tunes, and entire repertoires, that make heavy use of the keys. I was playing for a few years with a fiddler who played mostly Paddy Fahy, Eddie Kelly, and Ed Reavy tunes. We had a few sets of tunes in which I used all 8 keys on my flute.

[psychodonald]

Just had a Garry Somers 5 piece, Pratten, Delrin flute, with the metal tuning slide, keyed with 8 keys by Maurice Reviol. I've had the flute for about 5 days now. Bought the Somers flute new, in August of this year from Garry (who by the way makes a really nice key-less flute at a bargain basement price), then sent it to New Zealand for the keys. A beautiful flute. Maurice Reviol does such beautiful key work and it is right on. At this point, I'm just getting used to the flute, it takes me a bit as I don't usually play a Pratten flute, but at this point in time, I'm simply delighted. In answer to the question, how many keys do you use? I plan to use all of them and enjoy to the max doing so.

On my 6 keyed Burns flute (a great flute, by the way), I utilize mainly the G#, Bb, short F, and the Eb. Don't use the long F much, same with the C key; however, nice to have the C when needed.

[will marshall]

Having a bit of a Boehm background, I actually find it harder NOT to keep the e-flat key almost permanently open with my little finger. Recently I have been playing a vintage French flute - a Cabart - on which the E is out of tune with the e-flat open (I think Tulou's method warns of this) and I have had some difficulty in making the adjustment. As for actually playing the note e-flat... well, it is good for the soul to spend some time practising in flat keys on the simple system flute (and if you want to dabble in C19 pedagogic material it is a necessity) and it means that reverting to G, D and C is like sinking into a warm bath or pouring your first drink of the night. But those extra keys were invented for a reason and if we have them we should jolly well be using them.... just don't ask me to play publically in Bflat or Eflat.

[emmdee]

That's an interesting point, Steve.

I'll fess up, my flute's a 6 keyed Olwell (December 2012). I turn the foot away because I need/want to anchor my RH pinky right where the key is. I was recording with this flute in August 2014, and the feeling from the producer was that the C (played OXXOOO) wasn't bang-on. A combination of the actual piece of music and the fact that I'm not Cathal McConnell ruled out using the key for the C. Rather than recording an individual keyed C and fitting it in, which would have been musically unsatisfying and probably would have sounded obvious on the cd, I tried turning the footjoint back to its proper place and playing OXXOOO venting with the Eb key. Worked a treat! However, in session or live performance I don't bother venting for the sake of a few cents' tuning.

This should not be taken as being a criticism of Olwell flutes in general or mine in particular!

m.d.

[MarkP]

I'd say I use the long F often enough, the bottom C, sometimes the Bb or G#

[jim stone]

I play a 6-key flute and use all the keys, sometimes.

[chas]

The only key on my flute which I never use is the Eb. If I'd thought about it a little more, I would have saved a few bob and just had a 5 keyed flute made, but hey-ho...

m.d.

And it's the only key I find absolutely necessary. If I played big-holed flutes, I might add the G#. I find a few notes sound better with it vented -- E, F#, high Cnat, C#, and D (fingered OXX OOOk), and of course a lot of third-octave notes in addition to D.

If I could get the flute of my dreams, it would be three keys -- the three foot keys (Eflat, C#, and low C). Possibly an Fnat, but I find I'm really hitting that well these days.

[accordionstu]

[quote="
Do folks playing contemporary keyed flutes ever use the Eb/D# key to vent higher notes?[/quote]

Best wishes.

Steve[/quote]


Yes I use the D# key for most notes with the exception of the low D middle d and the high D, F and G. (and relative sharps)
As I learned the flute on a High Pitch Bb fand played like this for many years before getting into the D flute, I suppose its just habit.

[dunnp]

I used to vent the Eb when I found it was necessary on my Blackman flute (since sold)
Like if I was playing a tune in A and wanted the E to be loud as it featured heavily in phrases.
I do this on my Rudall Carte piccolo!as well.
My Monzani plays E nice and loud unvented and Monzanis own charts show Low E unvented.

I think it is a skill that should be learned and then one can decide rather to use it or not rather than never learning it at all. An option.....

The only two fluters that always vent are Calum Stewart and Niall Keegan I think...

[sbfluter]

I think if I could add just 1 key it would either be the F or the G#. I can manage a G# on a good day but I'm just too much of a klutz to manage an F.