Flute acoustics: measurement, modelling and design - School of ...

CHAPTER 9. APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER DIRECTIONS 127
50
40
30
Tuning (cents)
20
10
0
-10
-20
-1 octave
loco
+1 octave
+2 octaves
+ 3 octaves
-30
D4 Eb4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A4 Bb4 B4 C5 C#5
Note
Figure 9.7: The predicted tuning of the modified Pearl modern flute after adjusting the stopper
position.
Chapter 7, some octave stretching is preferred by musicians (Ward 1954) which may explain this
tendency. By changing the stopper position from 17.5 to 18.5 mm, the octaves can be reduced,
as shown in Figure 9.7.
The tuning shown in Figure 9.7 is clearly not optimised. The first few notes are flat, over
the first octave the notes become increasingly sharp and notes such as B♭6 and C7 differ significantly
in tuning from adjacent notes. Some of these tuning problems may be able to be
addressed by adjusting the regulation of the flute, and others may require small changes to the
sizes and positions of the holes. Whether such an ‘optimised’ flute would be judged by players
to be ‘in tune’ is not entirely clear—since good flute players are adept at making subtle and
semi-unconscious adjustments to their embouchure to make up for the short-comings of existing
instruments. Further, flutes with slightly stretched octaves may be preferred. A possible
methodology to be followed in any attempt to improve the modern flute has been illustrated
by the simple example given in this section.
9.2 EIGHT-KEY FLUTE BY RUDALL & ROSE
A 19th century flute in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney was analysed using
FluteCAD. The software model for the flute is based on geometrical measurements made by
Terry McGee. The flute is by London makers Rudall & Rose and dates from 1838–1847. The
makers’ serial number for the flute is 3522 and the Powerhouse Museum catalogue number is
93/117/5. The flute is made of wood and metal, and has a ‘patented adjustable metal-lined
headjoint’. This headjoint has a screw cap that moves both the tuning slide and the stopper,
but at different rates (see ). The flute has
splits to the wood of the head and barrel (almost universal in flutes from this period, since the
wood tends to shrink around the metal lining) and for this reason and its historical worth the
flute is unplayable. A photograph of the flute is shown in Figure 9.8.