A question for the old timers

[MissyHPhoenix]

Wow, it never occurred to me that all of that goes into the matching of a headjoint to my playing. How do I find out exactly what my preferences are in that area? I have 3 different headjoints that I like to play on, and each one gives me a different feel. Is there a way I can intellectually figure out what I like about each one?

[JButky]

Wow, it never occurred to me that all of that goes into the matching of a headjoint to my playing. How do I find out exactly what my preferences are in that area? I have 3 different headjoints that I like to play on, and each one gives me a different feel. Is there a way I can intellectually figure out what I like about each one?

You can to a degree. That would require measuring and then pairing your comments with the attributes of any particular headjoint.

You can then have a basic profile that contains various aspects that you know you like.

You also have to remember that a headjoint is a system of numerous variables that interact with each other and interact with the player. The best you can hope to get is a basic profile of the type of headjoint you like. You can weight certain features to look for also with the understanding that there are tradeoffs in any headjoint since it is a complete system. Knowing what affects what helps you understand more of the individual variations that headjoints can produce for any particular player.

[m3the01]

Damn Joe, its nice hearing u talk about the headjoint, i feel much more educated now.

Especially considering i will be laying down a good chunk of change for that 9701 next week.

So the Calore headjoint, platinum riser, 14k lipplate can be adjusted if its not perfect or close to, lol??

I was a little worried about not trying the other headjoints in ur lineup, ive tried only the forte on a 18K maesta gold flute, and the forza on the elegante coda model.

This post has been very educational, thank u!!!

[pied_piper]

You also have to remember that a headjoint is a system of numerous variables that interact with each other and interact with the player. The best you can hope to get is a basic profile of the type of headjoint you like. You can weight certain features to look for also with the understanding that there are tradeoffs in any headjoint since it is a complete system. Knowing what affects what helps you understand more of the individual variations that headjoints can produce for any particular player.

Joe - Are these factors documented someplace? I'd really like to know more about this.

[JButky]

Joe - Are these factors documented someplace? I'd really like to know more about this.

Unfortunately, they are not. You often hear that flutemakers are protecting their secrets. But that is just a way to maintain the "mystique" of the headjoint.

I'm teaching a headjoint class for technicians in July. That's one of the very few places to get first hand experience with making the measuring tools and then applying the measurements to make changes with guided practice.

It's a week long class in Illinois this coming July

I've posted my headjoint video availablity here before, but the guy who did the video and distributes it has not been on the ball lately.

I may have to make another one. The headjoint recutting clinic (1 1/2 hours) is the most popular class I teach.

The Napbirt Class is posted here:
http://www.napbirt.org/mc/community/eve ... urringId=0

[pied_piper]

I wish I could attend your class but I have a conflict with the dates in July and unfortunately it's not movable.

If you do another video, sign me up. Also, I'd also like to hear more about the flute book that was mentioned in the NAPBIRT class info. When is it due out, who's the publisher, etc.?

[JButky]

I wish I could attend your class but I have a conflict with the dates in July and unfortunately it's not movable.

If you do another video, sign me up. Also, I'd also like to hear more about the flute book that was mentioned in the NAPBIRT class info. When is it due out, who's the publisher, etc.?

That's Susan's book and it is out..

http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Modern ... 0810867117

[wtogami]

I have tried over 30 headjoints in Boston area companies in the past month. I am so glad that I didn't pick the first headjoint that I seemed to like. I found that it is so important to compare headjoints and research the differences between different cuts, embouchure hole height, embouchure hole shape, materials of the lip plate or riser, etc. It might be that the headjoint makes more of an impact on your sound than the rest of the flute.

At first I seemed to really like the Burkart 998 C4 headjoint. Burkart has two embouchure cuts, the C4 which is more oval "classic" and M2 "modern" which is rectangular. I had real trouble playing their M2 cut headjoint which was far more free blowing. During my first visit to Burkart's workshop the C4 seemed prettier and easier to play so I had completely written off M2 in my mind.

At Brannen they have two embouchure cuts, "Modified" which is closer to a higher resistance oval classic (IIRC referring to a modified Cooper), and "Modern" which is rectangular and more free blowing. I discovered that the "Modern" Brannen headjoint was really easy for me to play. I sounded good on that flute with very little effort.

I then compared my favorite Burkart to my favorite Brannen. The 998 silver somehow achieves a deeper darkness approaching a gold-like tone. Meanwhile the Brannen sounded like what my brain thinks a great silver flute should sound like. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison for these reasons. In any case the comparison was even more difficult because my favorite Burkart was a oval shaped C4 classical cut, the opposite of the Brannen "Modern" cut with its rectangular shape.

I took both flutes to a lesson with a Boston-area teacher so I could obtain a third party opinion. She plays a 1990's Haynes but recently acquired a new Landell Argentium silver headjoint which was a significant upgrade for her. This Landell headjoint had a rectangular cut. I REALLY liked playing on that headjoint.

Later that night I thought about her rectangular cut headjoint. I realized that both the Brannen and Landell headjoints that I liked are more modern style cuts with a rectangular embouchure holes. Meanwhile I had forgotten to further compare Burkart's equivalent M2 cut because I didn't like it during initial testing weeks earlier. Landell's website has a great deal of information about headjoint options including a humorous interactive Q&A that helps you understand headjoint options to match your style. Talking to Landell himself, he describes oval holes as a good sound no matter what you do. But the rectangular is more versatile. His site says, "Loose, flexible, and fat with plenty of room to play around in. I like to move into different corners of the blowing hole and experiment with interesting tonal colors... We personally like rectangular cuts with wide lateral openings because they lend this exact quality to the head. Playing them is like driving a sports car: difficult, but 100% pure exhiliaration."

Upon visiting Landell's workshop in Vermont I discovered there many other possible considerations in the cut of a headjoint. There are various heights of the embouchure wall (medium or high for professional). There are traditional or "Cooper" undercut... I might not have fully understood this one, but it seems to be the shape of the taper of the riser. Then the materials of the tube, embouchure plate and riser. Landell had sterling silver, Argentium silver, 14K gold and Titanium headjoints. Titanium was truly unique! Nearly half the weight of silver with lightning quick response and bright tone. My personal favorite headjoint there was 14K gold, rectangular hole with high wall.

Armed with a greater understanding of headjoints I realized that I liked the Burkart C4 cut because it was easy to play. It seems however that "easy" is not always the most desirable trait. I feel that if I improved my skills through practice and expert instruction I might be able to handle a "modern" style headjoint with rectangular hole and be able to play a wider variety of tone colors.

I haven't tried any of the Japanese high-end brands mainly because I live in the Boston area. I hear good things about Muramatsu and Sankyo flutes but I just haven't had the time to try them. I kind of dislike the risk of shipping flutes for demo and it is just so easy for me to drive to the Boston-area flute companies.

[pied_piper]

I've heard about Susan's book but since it's called a dictionary I didn't think that it had much in the way of technical info.

[WalterMitty]

Highly interesting thread! Thank you all for the different information.

Recently I've heard that Japanese people are talking about similar issue with Muramatsu. I mean, Muramatsu isn't making all parts but buying from a parts maker that isn't really specialized in flute making.
Also, the flute is somewhat more fragile than before, and some people are thinking that Muramatsu has lost the prestige, etc, etc.

Some are talking that other smaller makers are probably doing better job than Muramatus.

Also, some stores specialized in flute are openly recommending Chinese flute for the instrument under 1K, as the quality of Chinese flutes are much better these days.


Now, as far as the choice of instrument goes, I'm not so experienced in choosing one because I've never really bothered to try other instrument.
It's because I'm not a professional player and the hand made Sakurai has been good enough for my personal need.

However, I head that Sakurai guy originally learned to make flute in Boston (worked for Haynes?) and the went back to Japan and started to make EVERYTHING by himself. He make pads and different parts himself (or with his family), and that his flutes are harder to play at first, but teaches flutists how to play.
And that was exactly what happened, in my case.

Now, I'm buying bunch of cheap to intermediate flutes to compare (and mostly have fun) at eBay.
And I found that I can learn a lot by playing different flutes (and also sometime trouble shooting different minor problems).

One of the thing I leaned recently was about what I call "quantum leap" of the sound quality.
Usually beginners have more or less hollow sounds.
Then intermediate flutists may develop richer sound.
And I was at that intermediate level for many years (because I haven't played for many years...).
But I already knew that when I play in a certain way, the instrument makes suddenly more dense sound, and the difference between the intermediate sound and this denser sound is pretty apparent and not at all gradual. It's a matter of if you have it or you don''t have it.
It's a sudden increase in harmonics and sound strength that can be maintained from forte to pianissimo, once we get used to.
And this quantum leap has the side effect of cutting down the hissing sound and better pitch control and so on, as well.

While testing different flutes, I learned to make the quantum leap of sound with the $31 eBay Chinese flute, $115 Armstrong 103, $195 Gemeinhardt M3, etc. And this trained me to make the quantum leap in different condition that I can now make it happen a lot easier with my Sakurai, too.

And although I can also make better sounds with cheaper instruments, the sound of Sakurai is still the best, for now.

But I may try to switch head joinst of different flutes too see the effect, when I'm done with the simple testing of each flutes I bought.

[de_Genova]

What gives here ??? No More Private messages ???

Anyway I am asking about an eBay auction of an Artley Wooden Piccolo - no designation on the type of wood but it looks to be grenadilla; Now my first 'real' flute was a silver plated Artley and I played it for 25 years with never a problem and only one re-pad in all of that time. It was stolen while I was in Rome - I dozed in church during Mass for about thirty seconds but that's all it takes over there - those gypsies are extremely quick and very watchful, and I was no un-seasoned tourist either.

So, can anyone here lend a 'buyers' hand on this little piccolo - value - worthiness etc. I was going to ask JB but the query is open to all........Thank you very much..........

BTW the ad says "RARE" Could that be because its NOT a composite instrument?

PS.........Something I just relaized too - the flute in my Avatar is the cherished Artley ha ha

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

UPDATE - I received an answer from the seller in which he concedes to an error in the listing .............BUT I would still like a REVIEW on this instrument............

Dear xxxxxxx,............hello... i apparently made a mistake in the listing and have updated it to add this.. "after talking with an expert today, I have just discovered that this is a composite head and body flute- not wood- it is resonite, which is supposedly better than wood .. it has never been worked on.. it is in original, good condition. It is in the key of C.. it has silver plated keys.. conical bore, stainless steel springs .. it sells new for $2,095.00 ..
... so i am sorry about the mixup... i can still send you pictures if you like.. i should be able to take some in the morning, as well as give you the serial number... again i apologize that i made this mistake, and thanks again for your interest... carl akers

[cflutist]

I think that's a great question, and one I'm asking myself lately. I'm looking to "upgrade" again, because my Miyazawa is starting to wear out and not exactly suit my needs anymore. I'm looking for at least a solid silver flute with a gold headjoint, or possibly and all gold flute. Coming from a flute that is predominantly nickel silver and free blowing, the resistance is something I am wary about. I love the resistance, the sound, and the response of these metals (taking into account various headjoint and flute designs of course... this is just a generalization). My problem is that I have a hard time playing pianissimo in the upper register with a clear sound. It always has a sort of "hiss" or "sizzle" to it, and that bothers me. When I throw a platinum riser into the mix, that fixes it most of the time.

My question about this is: is my problem because I am trying to switch from such a free blowing instrument that takes relatively no energy to play to a resistant (needing energy to play) instrument? Or is it a bad match?

This has been weighing very heavily on my mind. When I attend the NFA convention this summer I will spend a LOT of time in the show room trying out flutes. My Miya is getting the job done, and is okay, but hopefully in the next year or so I will be playing something else. A 10k Brannen/Nagahara, or an Aurumite Powell have caught my eye (and ear) for the time being.

FG18, I know that you found other flutes to your liking this year, but other than resistance there is also the "weight" factor (but not for pp who can easily play sax). My thinwall (.014") Haynes is 15.50 oz, while my Gemmy camping flute (.016") is 16.16 oz, and my 14K Brannen (.012") is 17.70 oz and does get tiring to hold for long periods of time. Good luck with your flute search.

[cflutist]

Wondering if anyone (FG18?) has tried the new Haynes lineup? After falling out of favor, perhaps their new lineup will improve their image again?

[fluteguy18]

Yes, yes I have. I tried them in June when I was at the Panoramic Flutist workshop (Steve Finley brought some and told us all about their new lineup), and then again at the NFA.

My thoughts.... great instruments and a VAST improvement over their previous lineup. Response was fantastic up and down the line. Their gold heads are the only ones that I've EVER played that I could get a full range of colors and perfect clarity of sound across the register and dynamic range without ANY effort at all. Usually a headjoint takes some time getting used to. I could get exactly what I wanted immediately. I have a friend who goes to U of Michigan and is Amy Porter's TA (won all sorts of huge competitions like Papoutsakis and Myrna Brown). If I understand correctly, he's getting a gold Haynes soon.

They're a definite improvement. Try one if you can!