Of course, a lot of the normal troubles were not there. I could make a sound from the minute the thing hit my mouth. Within several minutes I could play the C major scale in two octaves plus a few notes at the top (except that pesky low C, still needs a little work). I got *most* of the enharmonics working smoothly as well. I realize this is not the typical newb experience, but I've been there and done that (I wasn't always a builder of irish flutes you know, Try doing streaches of over 1.5" to cover open holes with diamiters of a 1/2". It's a trick to get it right for the first month or so).
Anyway, there are still some pressing newbie issues rolling around in my head, if you could answer them, point me to other threads that answer them, or even websites that deal with the issue (probably most appropriate for some cases).
1. How am I supposed to hold this thing for real?
What I'm currently doing is putting my left index finger on the highest key (or rather the lever that closes the highest key) skipping the next key, as it seem that about half of the other keys on the instrument close this one as well, and then the next to fingers go on consecutivly, with my pinky resting on the Ab lever. I skip the next two keys, as it seems they are mostly controlled by their neiboring keys, and place my right hand of my fingers consecutivly so that my left pinky is operating the keys on the foot joint. My right thumb just kinda supports the flute, and the left operates a double key. This seems to make the most sense, but then again, there are a lot of things that I don't know. I also don't know what the correct posture is.
2. Can someone please point me to a full flute fingering chart?
Most of this is pretty intuitive (even F#, you crossfinger three of the enharmonics on the irish flute you see), but there are these little holes way up high that are operated by keys way down low, and some of the fingerings higher (on the body of the flute) up are a bit foggy to my brain. I have a feeling that most of the stuff up here is for making all the notes come out right in the third octave, but I've not really delved too deeply into the third octave to be sure about anything.
3. I was pretty sure there was a #3... hmmm... I'll probably come back later when I figure it out.
As a final note, I am in the chromatic dream land that my six hole flutes could not provide, however I can't bend and twist and gliss like I could on the keyless flutes (or recorders. Recorders are awesome for bending).
Life is full of difficult choices I suppose. Guess I'm lucky to get to make one that has a pleasurable outcome either way
