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Position of the cork in Hotteterre traverso   Message List  
Reply | Forward Message #9717 of 9979 |
Re: [earlyflute] Position of the cork in Hotteterre traverso

Hello, Javier!

The quick answer to the "average" best place for the cork on the Graz original Hotteterre flute is 22mm from the centre of the mouth hole to the cork. However this can vary with each player.

You probably know this: The cork is movable as its position partly dictates the trueness of the octaves, when overblowing to the next register, and as a general rule, pushing the cork further away from the mouth hole tends to narrow the octaves, flattening the high register, and pushing it nearer sharpens the high register by widening the octaves.  The player will want to adjust the cork to play true octaves, and your embouchure is an important part of where this setting is. The placement of the cork in any flute depends upon the whole playing instrument, that is, you are a part of the complete instrument, and the flute is another part. Your individual embouchure and air jet are individually unique, and a cork position that works for one player may not necessarily work for another player on the same flute. So that is why corks are adjustable, either by being pushing them with a stick, as is the case in the Graz Hotteterre, or by the later invention of the screw cap.  It would surprise you how many experienced players never touch the cork, and put up with a poor setting for years, only to discover that a small change improves their playing in seconds.  Of course, it helps to have a good flute, as some flutes will never allow good octaves, so bore shape is super important. Remember also that there is no such thing as a perfect baroque flute, only better or worse. I often quote Philippe Alain Dupré, holding up an excellent flute of his own making in a master class and saying, "This flute is not in tune! Your job is to play it in tune." A good flute will allow you this flexibility, and a poor one will resist all attempts. So you have to set the cork to get as good octaves as the flute is capable of, and then use your playing skills to pull everything into line.

With all of that said, turning back to the Graz Hotteterre original, the top tenon of the middle joint has been squeezed in, due to the thread wrappings over the centuries, and this squeeze is near the nodal point for the A octaves, so these are very narrow, and out of tune. I am going to presume that your "copy" has corrected this 'ravage of time'. The Graz, slavishly copied, would have many problems, yet it is still an important flute to be studied. I would put the playing pitch of the original, for my lip, at about A398.

best wishes!

Rod




¿Could anybody tell me which is the aproximately position of the cork (the distance between the cork and the center of the embouchure hole) in a Hotteterre (Graz, pitch 392)?
 This will help me a lot. I´ve been trying for months and It´s still uncertain to me.
 Thanks in advance,  
 

Javier Gelati
tel: (011) 4864 6384
cel.: (011) 155 376 7738
 



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Thu Jul 9, 2009 5:19 pm

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Message #9717 of 9979 |
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¿Could anybody tell me which is the aproximately position of the cork (the distance between the cork and the center of the embouchure hole) in a Hotteterre...
Javier Gelati
jgelati
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Jul 9, 2009
4:13 pm

The mark on the stick which Alain Weemaels supplies with his Graz 392 Hotteterre is about 19.5 mm from the end. I am also curious about how much others who...
Alex Shaffer
afs6046
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Jul 9, 2009
4:46 pm

I never care about those marks. I try to have the octaves (firstable the ds) in tune and that's my correct cork's position on that flute. regards. manoel ...
manuel morales
manoeltraverso
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Jul 9, 2009
5:15 pm

Yes! That is a good short answer, but remember the middle d to low D is almost always a wide octave and so low D is flat and needs to be blown up a bit. I...
rod cameron
rcameron@...
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Jul 9, 2009
5:22 pm

Hello, Javier! The quick answer to the "average" best place for the cork on the Graz original Hotteterre flute is 22mm from the centre of the mouth hole to the...
rod cameron
rcameron@...
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Jul 9, 2009
5:22 pm

Dear Javier, Rod has, as always, provided very good, reliable and well explained information regarding the cork position and other octave difficulties. If I...
Colin Saint-Martin
traversomon
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Jul 10, 2009
12:45 am

Excellent post, Colin, I am glad you talked about not worrying about the upper register, unless you are to be playing up there. Getting your D octaves in good ...
rod cameron
rcameron@...
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Jul 10, 2009
3:32 am

... Philippe posted this to earlyflute, but somehow it did not get through, so he sent a copy to me and here it is: Hi Rod and all, Another problem occurs with...
rod cameron
rcameron@...
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Jul 11, 2009
8:32 pm

Just to say that I moved last June. Just 12 km away from the wild country to the village. Closer to the services and also having a much nicer workshop here:...
Jean-Francois Beaudin
jfbeaudin
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Aug 6, 2009
8:44 pm

Good luck with your move, Jean_François! best Rod ... Roderick Cameron rcameron@... PO Box 438 10580 Williams Street Mendocino, CA 95460, USA studio 707...
rod cameron
rcameron@...
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Aug 6, 2009
8:53 pm

Just have a look, Ebay item 230364750372. Jean-François _________________________________________________________________ Nous sommes vos photos....
Jean-Francois Beaudin
jfbeaudin
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Aug 29, 2009
5:29 pm

Hello, Jean-François! Thank you for showing us this flute sale reference! You and I, and others here, will note this Monzani's similarity with the flutes of...
rod cameron
rcameron@...
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Aug 29, 2009
5:53 pm

... Indeed Rod, I have a bit on the topic at: http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/RoseB4Rudall.htm ... I understand this seller has advertised a number of flutes...
Terry McGee
mcgeeflutes
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Aug 29, 2009
9:30 pm

Thank you, Terry! Your writing is good, and the photography is clear. Glad you are getting this information out there, for the common good. Best wishes! Rod ...
rod cameron
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Aug 29, 2009
9:44 pm

... Thanks Rod. It would be nice to have more time. Official retirement age comes up in four years. Maybe then! (I joke to the family about taking up golf...
Terry McGee
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Aug 29, 2009
9:53 pm

Jean-Francois Beaudin wrote: Subject: [earlyflute] Monzani on Ebay ... The serial number -- as well as the appearance -- would date this flute at c.1816, not...
Rick Wilson
rickoldflutes
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Aug 29, 2009
6:57 pm

... I guess we are seeing that change in flute style from the larger bored 18th c flutes to the narrow bored 19th c flutes but in the work of one maker. I've...
Terry McGee
mcgeeflutes
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Aug 29, 2009
9:42 pm

Hello all members. Just to say that I got this summer from Mindy Rosenfelt, one of the most recent CD of the Baltimore Consort on renaissance Spanish music....
Jean-Francois Beaudin
jfbeaudin
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Sep 15, 2009
12:06 am
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