I blame it on the PayPal account

[woodwindy]

So I... well, see... the whole thing went down like this:

Online browsing was happening. And then a flute got ordered.

!!!

Yes, it was the Casey Burns simple system flute I've been eyeing for months and months. Yes, the small-hands model -- mopane wood, no keys, in D, modern oval embouchure and ergonomically positioned holes but otherwise

Comments

[a_dodecahedron]

Mmmm, instrument lust.

So, what's a simple system flute?

[woodwindy]

The absolute most basic side-blown flute you can make is a plain hollowed-out cylinder with a hole to blow into and toneholes to make notes. Flutes like that tend to have tuning difficulties (it's hard to play a scale perfectly in tune with itself without doing a lot of compensating with breath and lips), and they're not truly fully chromatic (you can't produce every note on the scale with them unless you start playing some half-holing tricks). Over the years, people have come up with a lot of different ways of messing around with that basic construction to try to solve those problems. The Boehm system is one of the most elaborate and best-known, but there have been assorted others of varying degree of complexity (the OldFlutes website has a great overview); two of the important distinctions are conical vs. cylindrical construction, and reliance on "forked fingerings" (where you're doing something more complicated than just raising one more finger for each step up the scale) vs. on physical keys mounted on the instrument

[a_dodecahedron]

Thank you! I never knew there was so much complexity to flutes. I feel smarter now. :-)

[woodwindy]

*sheepish grin*

I will happily babble at you about flutes all day. Don't even get me started about crumhorns. :)

[shalmestere]

It doesn't count as complete lack of self-control if it's purchases you've been contemplating and weighing and fretting over for ever and ever, does it?

Nope--that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it :-)

[karakara98]

I second. If you've wanted it for more than a year, it's deciding that you've given the matter enough consideration and acting on that decision.

:)

Enjoy!

[silverwhistle]

Sounds entirely reasonable to me!

[sansobel]

uhm hormones yes that would be my reason. LOL

[patrikia]

Heck, yes! You have the 9-month, "Yes, dear, buy anything you want, dear, please don't hurt me, dear!" excuse. : )