Oh, the gizmo! I have forgotten about it!. More to explore and learn...

I believe you two are right concerning the automatic adjustments we somehow learn to do. Also my hearing is quite different between my left and right ears (the age, again), so it may well be the case.

I had checked, just in case, if the C# pad was not opening wide (as it had happened to me before with the GMH), but it is OK.

As for tuning, I do not have any other reliable instrument at home. For the moment, as I practise with a recording I have for the second voice of the duet (with my teacher playing on her flute), it seems to be in tune, as per my student ear. But with the YFL HJ fully in.

Could it be that I tend to play so flat? In any case I must wait until next Tuesday to try it "live" with my teacher.

10mm out to get the YFLs down to 440? Whoh!. Are Miramatsus built to 440 or 442?

I have no intention of playing again with GMH, at least for while. I tried the HJ interchanging by mere curiosity and to compare the C-C# issue.

Now that the GMH has become my spare instrument, I will probably send it to a local technician to have it checked and repaired, it the price is not too high..

heheh!
jose luis,
i noticed your posts in voice forum.
a flute player and a singer huh! cool! hey!

Jose Louis,
I'm happy to hear that you are loving your new beauty. I played a YFL-674 last night at symphonic band. The principal and I enjoy trading instruments and 'playing the difference'. She used my YFL-881 with a c-foot and a Miyazawa M-5 headjoint. We both prefer my flute, but with a grenadilla powell philharmonic-cut headjoint. I can say, though, that the 674 is definitely a beauty.

I also found that, having a Gemeinhardt 3SHB as my previous flute, that its differences in scale began to drive me nuts as the months went by. I ended up trading it in and buying a Pearl 501E. The Pearl barrel fits my fancy headjoints, too. It is always nice to have a backup flute for playing outdoors or traveling when you want to practice.

One great tip that I got regarding using your 'spare' flute, so as not to have it so readily stolen, is to get an OLD, banged-up case covered with stickers-in good condition on the inside, though.

I am sure that you will really enjoy playing this lovely flute and getting such a variety of new responses from your instrument. Maybe it is like dancing with a klutz, and then changing partners to someone talented and graceful. That's what I felt, anyway, when I learned to play the YFL-881.

I tend to agree with micron on this, I think the recording speed is the culprit. I can't imagine needing the head pushed all the way in to be in tune!
You will probably notice a huge difference when you play "live" with your teacher.
Being able to be in tune with those whom you are playing with is very important, even if it is a recording. Use your ear when you play "live" with your teacher and make the needed adjustment.
I think it is a better skill than only being able to tune to a "tuner".

Ahh... but the head joint location is virtually similar to the head joint plug location in relation to tuning. There is an ultimate design location for it and the farther one deviates from this location the more the individual notes in the fingering range deviate from being in tune. One also runs the risk of having the overtones out of tune with the fundamental pitch by having the head joint or cork off location.

Knowing that one can easily alter their pitch by 50 cents sharper or flatter with how they blow alone makes it less simple to adjust with only the head joint. Then add the temperature of the room to the equation as Micron has so rightly pointed ont.


WIth the rising pitch r orchestras through out the years some of the flute companies have gone with higher base tuning such as A=442 in the Yamaha, Muramatsu, Miyazawa, and the Burkart & Phelan flutes to name just a few companies.




~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

Kishi yes. I started late in too many things, but I keep running to recover part of the lost time!.

I would not consider myself "a singer". But I do take weekly classes in the same Academy as the flute's and I spend a quite nice couple of hours with my colleagues, that are all much younger but have accepted me. As part of my "Carpe Diem" philosophy, I do both classic and modern, this last only in the Broadway musical style (you probably saw something about The Phantom in the other Forum). Muiscals are compatible with Lyric or ancient singing, as all use the same type of voice. Sorry, I don't know the name in English and cannot find in Dict. In Spanish it is called "impostada" (voice), that is, resonating high in the head sinuses and with a high projection.
I also take "special classes", once a month, with a professional tenor. It's a different experience but both are very rewarding.

Tibbiecow, I'm happy to know that this instrument is so highly considered in a symphonic Orchestra. For me it's much more than I expected to have, so I am fascinated with it. I may, in the future start with the special headjoint game, but only when (and if) I reach a level where I can really take profit of the additional money invested.
Now, I am concerned about my new flute being stolen. It's too expensive for me to buy another if this ever happened. I have no experience on these security aspects.
You mention obtaining a banged old case for my "spare" flute; I suppose you meant my old flute, not the new one. And what are the stickers for? Sorry I do not get the idea.
I always carry the instrument inside a small hanging bag, where I also carry the scores, reading glasses, my cassette recorder and so on.

As for the tuning, I probably posted too much in advance. On Tuesday I will test it with my teacher and that will be the real test.
Although it's possible that the record speed be wrong, it is not probable, as I use the same cassette machine for recording and playing. I think it's probably me, that always play flat; my teacher just adapted to my tuning and both, teacher and me were both flat for the recording.
I had access this morning to a piano, but I was alone. So I played A1 with only one hand and keyed the A on the piano with the other. To my ear the flute was in tune with the HJ fully in. Getting a tuner is something I plan to do.

Bilbo, you might think that I am obsessed with the cork positions. Be it or not, I had already checked it on the YFL with the cleaning rod mark and it shows far from blowhole center. About 3 mm (1/8") to the tenon side. Just a curiosity. After Tuesday I will know better.

I have a question concerning the cleaning and maintenance. I had considered posting a new thread, but I think I can get enough opinions in this same one.
The question is, how often should I (or do each other of you) disassemble the flute for drying and cleaning with the rod and cloth? (with "disassembling" I mean separating the HJ and Foot form the Barrel).
Normally I practise one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. Should I do it every time I finish practising (twice or thrice a day)? Or just once a day? or other periodicity?
My concern is wearing out the tenons with so much manipulation, particularly these softer silver tenons.

Thanks for your opinions. I expect them to be diverging, but that's makes it more interesting....

IMO, you really should take apart and swab out your flute every time you take a break or are done playing and put it back into the case. If I am playing for a lengthy amount of time, I swab out mine every half and hour, other wise you will start to get moisture bubbles and damp pads.

I wouldn't worry too much about the tenons getting worn out. I have seen flutes over 100 years old that I am sure were taken apart many times and they were fine. Just keep up regular maintenance, and it can last you a life time.

jose_luis
I agree with kara.
Everytime I'm away fore more than a few hours, it gets out away. It can pick up bad things lying around. In my area I notice some sort of deposit that I mentioned earlier in a different thread that is not a form of corrosion that gets on my flute when it's lying out. So, I out it away.

To add to Kara's words, I would also periodically clean the tenons and receiver (once a week maybe) with a damp cloth to prevent excessive abrasion wear. Don't lubricate them.
You can tell if they are dirty when you try to turn them, they kick and don't slide smothly.
Don't use polish or a polish coth too much. Wears off the plating on the keys. Consider using hand softener cream occasionally. Especially on the finger tips. FOr us old birds, this softens the rough skin and lowers the wear on the keys as well as aiding in sealing the holes under the fingers. It was that fine person, Micron who pointed out to me that rough hands can leak air like bad pads through the finger prints.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

OK,I had my first class with the new instrument. My teacher really liked it!. We tested the intonation with a tuner and it's OK. Before we had just recorded everything in relation with my intonation on the GMH at about A=443 Hz. To go down to 440 I have to the take out the H.J about 10mm, as expected.

Only that I have to work much harder, otherwise I will have to plug those holes again and eventually try opening one by one. My E fails now and then, and also the A, not so often.

But as we have our "End of School Year Concert" (if we can call it so) on June 9, most probably I will play with all holes plugged. Not enough time for innovations...

I think I will dare with the allegro of Stamitz duet II. Not difficult at a reasonable speed, but I still make errors!. Sometimes in unexpected parts. A little bit frustrating, I guess it's part of the learning, but...

jose_luis,
Sounds like you are on the right track Jose.
I would try playing some things slowly a few times, like that Stamitz duet. Go at an Andante or slower speed. Just to make sure that you are covering the holoes and that each note sounds well focused.
Don't push the speed right now on the allegros. Just enjoy the sound. You do have a month.

Missed notes are more often caused by a misconception in your mind of what is correct. You mind may gloss over the note or it may perceive a different note. To correct this, repeat areas several times carefully until it feels comfortable and the notes are right. It takes time to make it sink in all the way. Just don't push the tempo too much.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio