Alto flute resonators??

[BlackSakura]

Do they make these for alto flute by chance?

[pied_piper]

Are you talking about something like Foster Extensions, Valgon Rings, or something else?

http://www.fluteworld.com/index.php?act ... LGN&ppk=ta

[wkzh]

Foster extensions and Valgon rings aren't quite resonators, actually. (Or aren't effective enough to qualify to be one.) Although feedback has been negative, it appears that there is a consensus that Valgon rings have a certain degree of effect; but that would not be attributed to resonance, rather to radiation.

I was thinking along the lines of coupled resonators (i.e. a double flute where one serves as a "sympathetic flute"), but that'd be pretty expensive and pretty bulky. Anybody got anything to say?

[pied_piper]

Foster extensions and Valgon rings aren't quite resonators, actually. (Or aren't effective enough to qualify to be one.)

That's why I asked for a clarification of what the OP was looking for. There's a wide variety of resonators used on saxophone pads- metal, plastic, dome shaped, flat, etc. Each style can alter the acoustics in subtle ways. Some players are quite picky about which style is used in their instrument. Flutists don't have those choices. The closed keys have pad retainers and the open keys have grommets.

Although feedback has been negative, it appears that there is a consensus that Valgon rings have a certain degree of effect; but that would not be attributed to resonance, rather to radiation.

Yes, and sax resonators should be more appropriately named reflectors.

I was thinking along the lines of coupled resonators (i.e. a double flute where one serves as a "sympathetic flute"), but that'd be pretty expensive and pretty bulky. Anybody got anything to say?

It might be interesting to try a bell on a flute for more resonance (somewhat like a sax or trumpet bell).

[wkzh]

It might be interesting to try a bell on a flute for more resonance (somewhat like a sax or trumpet bell).

I think there's a thread on the Sax BBoard about this, one of those threads dedicated to mocking Valgon Rings. They digressed and ended up on the topic of bells and flares. I suggest you take a look (more of a second look, I'm sure you've stumbled across before) at the UNSW Physics-Acoustics page, there's chunk there worth reading but I can't (and won't) reproduce it. Essentially... the bell isn't a resonator, and plays little part in radiating the sound for flutes and saxes. For brasses it's a different story altogether.

I do know Coltman did some measurements of a flute with a "stepped flare" in the footjoint built by David Wimberly, as said on his webpage, but no details whatsoever. I called Wimberly once about enhancing the low register, and he did mention about flares too.

The idea of coupled resonance can be found on many instruments. It is required for string instruments although I'm not quite sure about the details. The marimba is a prime example in the Western world. Closer to my own culture, the Chinese instrument, the 笙 sheng, produces notes exclusively on the premise of coupled resonances, unlike other free reed instruments. I figured that if the vocal tract was too small to provide the required resonance, an external resonator is required. Not practical for alto flutes, though, too bulky.

[BlackSakura]

Yes, I was referring resonators as in sax resonators.