Just for something fun and different, I was thinking about asking for a Hall crystal piccolo or flute for Christmas. I haven't seen any reviews on them so thought I'd ask you folks.

Here's a really dumb question. I bought a reed flute and spoke with the maker. He said I needed it in the key of C so I could play the pieces I already had and could play it with other flutes without having to transpose. Well, I got home and of course it wasn't in the right key so I have to transpose everything. If I remember correctly, you have to play D or G fingering to make a C pitch. And so it sits unplayed.

Ok, so I was looking at the Hall site and saw the fingering charts and it shows the "D" fingering chart but not the "C" fingering chart to be closest to my flute and piccolo. Would someone please explain what I'm missing here? I just want to be able to play along with another flute or piccolo without having to transpose. Which key should I buy?

Here's the fingering chart for the Hall C flute/piccolo.

http://www.hallflutes.com/Merchant2/pdf/chart-c.pdf

I think it will take a lot of practice to become proficient at playing this flute/piccolo in different keys. For example, you will need to "half-hole" the C flute to play accidentals, and the embouchure may be a challenge.

It's a very good sounding flute for not a lot of money.

He will make you a flute in any key that you desire(Eb is a common "custom" request), but he says that the C flute is *very* large - like playing an Alto flute finger-spacing wise. "Difficult to play" were his exact words, and from the looks of it, he doesn't have tiny hands, either.

I'd just get one and enjoy. G is usually a good choice for transposing - just play like C and it'll blend with most other music pretty well.

$60 and sounds great. Plus a really neat gift.

I think I'd prefer a piccolo. Hall makes "C" and "D" piccolos. The fingering chart for the "C" piccolo is totally different from my "C" pic and flute. For example, the Hall "C" fingering for G is the first two fingers down (which is my A).

However, the Hall fingering chart for the "D" piccolo shows the first two fingers down is their A (yea, my A as well). So, I suppose my question is why is it that their "D" plays/fingers what I have been thinking is similar to what I thought was my "C"?

I just want to use basically the same fingering and without having to transpose when playing with other flutes and piccolos. Otherwise it will just sit there unplayed just like my reed flute.

D is closest finger-wise, but it's an old school flute(simple tube with holes), so figure that the fingerings will be a lot like a recorder - alternating holes and fingering patterns and/or half covered holes.

Instead of starting my own thread, I thought I would just add to this one.

My husband bought me a Hall crystal flute for my birthday. It is in the key of D. The thing is huge and I have small hands. I am having a hard time with covering the right hand holes with my fingers. I am not sure if I will ever be able to play this lovely instrument with any proficiency because of my reach.

If you have small hands, you might want to try a smaller different key flute.