lefreQue Sound Bridge

[Fotofavoloso]

Is anybody using one and is it all that it's hyped up to be?

Ciao,

Mark

[JButky]

Acoustically speaking. This is firmly in the snake oil camp... to the egress...

[Fotofavoloso]

Acoustically speaking. This is firmly in the snake oil camp... to the egress...

I am reserving judgment, at the moment, but I am leaning your way.

Their claim is that it serves as a bridge between the head an the body of the flute. I can see how this might be a factor with a sax, where cork acts like a damper, but the metal of the head joint is already flush contact with the body and there is no buffer.

Hmmm........I only know of one touring classical flute player that uses it......Emily Beynon, It would seem to me that if was so effective the flute makers would simply employ its use.

Mark

[fluteguy18]

This brand works just as well. It's called LeWrench. They come in every color.

[JButky]

Acoustically speaking. This is firmly in the snake oil camp... to the egress...

Their claim is that it serves as a bridge between the head an the body of the flute. I can see how this might be a factor with a sax, where cork acts like a damper, but the metal of the head joint is already flush contact with the body and there is no buffer.

https://www.lefreque.com/what-is-a-lefreque
From their website, Their claim is this:

He concluded that all connections between the different parts of a wind instrument had a negative influence on the sound quality and tuning of the tone.

About the sax...

the properties of cork are such that it does not transmit the required sound to the instrument, it actually mutes sound. lefreQue solves this problems.

On the flute there are no cork connctions but the lefreQue does the job in the same way essentially. On a flute you slide the pieces into each other, thereby effecting a sound breach, which again will be corrected by using the lefreQue

Joints create a "sound breach"???? And exactly how does putting this on the outside (not in the sound) correct the breach because, let's face it... the "breach" is still there in the air column. Putting something on the outside can't do anything. If you've got turbulence there, then you need to make an adjustment on the inside, not on the outside.

It's made up mumbo jumbo acoustics with no explanation. [sarcasm]But hey, get the gold one, you'll sound better, after I sell you a bridge in brooklyn... [/sarcasm]

I'm sorry, but this another one of those useless things that eventually end up in the trash.

[pied_piper]

This brand works just as well. It's called LeWrench. They come in every color.

Where, oh where is the like button when you need it.

[Flatfive]

Best way to improve the sound of your flute is to use the iPractiseMore.

... quite like the idea of LeWrench though...

[Fotofavoloso]

This brand works just as well. It's called LeWrench. They come in every color.

Where, oh where is the like button when you need it.

LOL

[JButky]

I'm hoping for a REALLY big sound, So I'm going with this:

John Wrench.jpg (25.69 KiB) Viewed 25709 times

[pied_piper]

[thefluteninja]

Love the pictures. What is being said about cork vs metal makes perfect sense, that because the joints are metal instead of cork they transfer vibrations/sound much better than a saxophone. But I don't see the downside in at least trying them? It makes sense that the player might think they sound better because it could act as a placebo, but what about others who are listening? LefreQue will most likely be at NFA 2016 and I am going so what I plan on doing is try them out with people listening who don't know if I am using it or not and have them tell me what sounds best. Obviously, practicing is the best way to improve your playing, but if LefreQue actually works then a little extra boost won't hurt.

[fluteguy18]

I'm hoping for a REALLY big sound, So I'm going with this:

John Wrench.jpg

That's clearly the 'lewrench-grande' model.

[JButky]

that because the joints are metal instead of cork they transfer vibrations/sound much better than a saxophone.

Sorry, wind instruments air columns do not work that way. Any transfer of external vibration is detrimental to the response curve of a wind instrument. Sound production is simply about the standing wave. It is impeded by extraneous vibrations and or other numerous factors. These are sometimes refered to as acoustic losses. Sharp edges creating turbulence and interefering with the standing wave is one example. The body vibrating at nodel points is another.

Generally if you want to repair what lefreque claims is happening, then you must do it on the inside by smoothing the area of transitions accordingly. Putting something on the outside is only helpful if it is used used to stiffen a portion of the metal that is vibrating sympathetically at a nodal point. The connections are where these things are the most unlikely to occure because they are already thick enough to prevent unwanted vibrations.

This is yet another one of those things like the valgon rings, foster extensions, homogenizing, and the like, that separates people from their money through pseudo acoustical gibberish marketing.

[pied_piper]

You know, I had a feeling that I had seen something similar to the lefreQue before but I just couldn't place it. Well, I finally remembered. It seems there is a much cheaper way to get a lefreQue. There are machines located all over the world dedicated to making them. Chances are, if you have an amusement park, museum, or other public entertainment facility nearby, then you have the ability to make your own lefreQue clone for a small processing fee plus 1 cent. Check around your area. You may find a lefreQue cloning machine near you.

Pressed_Penneys2.jpg (90 KiB) Viewed 25644 times

[LuvtoFlute]

I purchased the lefreQue Sound Bridge (Rose Gold over Sterling Silver $309) and was curious what the reviews were saying, which is how I found this site. I'm very excited to say it does work. I was at the Greater Portland Flute Society Flute Fair today and several friends and I tried out the silver, the red brass, and the rose gold. We tried them on c flute and alto flute. 4 of us bought the rose gold. I came home and started playing my flute using it and it sounds even better in my home. The bottom notes on my flute including the low b come out effortlessly, but there is a sparkle, a quality I haven't heard since my flute was new. I wondered about intonation and dynamics. I used my tuner and no problem there. Dynamics are fine as well. Another thing I like is that it can be used on multiple flutes. I have an alto and a bass and I can use it on all three instruments. They sell a smaller set that works on piccolo. So I give it two thumbs up. My husband is a mechanical engineer. I asked him if he thought the concept made sense from a mechanical standpoint and he said, "Yes, it's going to make the vibrations transfer more efficiently from the head joint to the flute body," which is what they claim. Perhaps there is a flute fair or flute convention coming up near you. Check it out.