Year: 2011
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Ian McLauchlan’s Guide To Making A Headjoint: Finishing the Headjoint
Probably the most important stage of making a headjoint is cutting the embouchure hole. It is this that really makes it work or not.
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Ian McLauchlan’s Guide To Making A Headjoint: The Riser
In my first two articles in this series I talked about how I make a headjoint tube and lip-plate. This article covers the riser: a part that you don’t really see but that is an important part of the headjoint. The riser (also called the chimney, or by some American flutemakers, the ‘wall’) gives the…
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The Ultimate Flute Headjoint?
Robert Dick is an internationally renowned American flautist and composer nicknamed ‘the Hendrix of the flute’ due to his ability to create effects similar to electric guitar and push the boundaries of conventional flute playing. He was inspired by Hendrix’s creativity from a very young age and desired to match the sound and abilities of…
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Ian McLauchlan’s Guide To Making A Headjoint: The Lip-Plate
In part 1 of this guide, I explained how tubes for handmade flute headjoints are made. In this article, I’ll talk about the method I use to make a lip-plate.
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Composer Profile: Cecilia McDowall
It is very unlikely that you will not know at least one piece by Cecilia McDowall – even if it is the very popular Comic Song from the ABRSM grade 4 book! She isn’t a flute player, but her father, Harold Clarke, was. He was principal flute at the Royal Opera House, and professor of…
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Alternative Crowns & Stoppers: A Resounding Leap Forward?
Recently there has been some debate over whether the cork assembly inside the headjoint makes a difference to the way the flute plays and feels. Many headjoint makers and flute enthusiasts have been experimenting with different materials and set-ups, and several alternatives are already available through specialist shops. In this article I want to demystify…
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Ian McLauchlan’s Guide to Making A Headjoint
What I am intending to do over my next few blog posts is to describe the process involved in producing a headjoint from tubes and sheet, through to the final finished product. I am not for one moment suggesting that this is the only way of making a headjoint, but it is one that works…
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Building A Flute Library: Baroque Sonatas
One of the most bewildering parts of the Just Flutes catalogue is the Baroque section. All the titles seem to be the same, there are a great many composers who wrote a great many sonatas, and there are just so many editions to choose from! No wonder it’s confusing! This is a golden age of…
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Don’t Let A Metal Allergy Stop You Playing Flute
Over recent years in Jonathan Myall Music, we have come across more and more flute players who suffer a silver allergy – and I’m one of them. I have several allergies: silver, dust, cats, (sharp flute playing!), and have found that I can not do anything about them other than to find a way not…
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Flute Essentials: Cleaning and Maintenance Accessories
There are masses of accessories designed for cleaning your flute and keeping it in top playing order. Here’s our round-up of what we suggest that very flute (and piccolo) player should have in their cleaning arsenal.