Flute and Guitar

 

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Playing With the Lute

My partner and I love the lute. I have played it for many years. It's a natural complementary instrument to the guitar. So naturally it was an obvious thought to be doing duos together with the lute and renaissance flute. We did try the recorder because of problems that I will be mentioning, but we just didn't like the sound. It's a different type of instrument than the flute, and Jessica wanted to play flute, and the flute was what I wanted to hear.

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The Problem With the Lute

The problem is the lute. Its natural keys are terrible for "C" instruments. So we decided to get a renaissance flute that was in another key, like a B flat clarinet or some other instruments would be. Understand that the wooden flute has problems. Certain notes don't come out very well. In the process of looking for a renaissance flute, we found that there were many flutes tuned in different keys, but none of them were strictly a renaissance flute. I guess because to be a renaissance flute they have to be reproductions. But it didn't matter because it just didn't work. It doesn't work with the lute.

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The Solution

Then we discovered that the flutes that we thought we were looking for (the E flat flute) was often called an F flute. It plays a minor third higher than what a player reads, which makes it perfect for many lute pieces. The lute is a minor third higher than the guitar, which is a natural "C" instrument, the "F" flute is a minor third higher than a normal flute. Once we found this flute, we had a blast. We found that we could play many tunes and that they sounded great. What we bought was a flute made by Ralph Sweet. The one Jessica bought was Rosewood, and has a great sound and was a reasonable price. Then we discovered that there were other tunes that were hard to play, because certain notes just don't want to come out very well. What we needed was a "C" flute (which classically would be called a B flat flute) and an E flat flute (which classically would be called a D flat flute. With these three flutes, we are able to play just about everything that we want to play.

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Flutes by Ralph Sweet • Sweetheart Flutes Co.

You can reach Ralph Sweet at (860)749-4494 or write for a free brochure of all Sweetheart instruments via e-mail a Ralphsweet@aol.com.

Keyless Flutes, in D, G, E-Flat and A..
(Available in Walnut, Rosewood, Maple, Cherry, or Apple)

3-Section, one key, Tuning slide available, with cloth case
Keyless,2-section, Key of D, no case
Keyless,2-section, Key of C, no case

Sweetheart Flute Company
32 S Maple St
Enfield, CT 06082-4653

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Music

For F Flute

  1. Blind Mary - Turlough Carolan/Alexander/Walsh

  2. Out in the Meadowe - Medieval/Alexander
  3. Cantiga 1, Esta é a primeira cantiga do loor de Santa Maria
  4. Untitled from Rowallan - Alexander/Walsh
  5. Salterello - Anon/Alexander/Walsh
  6. Come With Me My Giselle - Adam de la Halle/Alexander
  7. Italiana - Anon/Alexander
  8. I Serve a Worthie Ladie - Skene/Alexander
  9. I Lie Alone - Skene/Alexander/Walsh
  10. Sumer is Icumen in - Anon/Alexander/Walsh
  11. Mrs. Farrell- Turlough Carolan/Alexander/Walsh
  12. Mr. Dowland's Midnight - Dowland/Alexander/Walsh
  13. Ronde - Tielman Susato/Alexander/Walsh
  14. Ronde for Fall - Alexander/Walsh
  15. Separation of Soul and Body - Turlough Carolan/Alexander/Walsh
  16. A Child's Ronde - Alexander/Walsh
  17. A Ronde for Spring - Alexander/Walsh
  18. A Winter's Ronde - Alexander/Walsh
  19. A Merry Ronde - Alexander/Walsh
  20. Kemp's Jig - Anon/Walsh
  21. Canaries - Skene/Alexander/Walsh
  22. The English Hunt's Up - Whitfield/Walsh
  23. Adew Dundie - Skene/Walsh
  24. Kalenda Maya - Rimbault de Vaqueiras/Alexander/Walsh
  25. Cary Jane - Alexander/Walsh
  26. Song of the Ass - Anon/Alexander
  27. Pata Pan - Anon/Alexander/Walsh
  28. Sussex Carol - Traditional/Alexander
  29. Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella - Anon/Walsh
  30. Unto Us is Born a Son - Anon/Alexander
  31. Franesco's Pavane - Alexander
  32. Woe Betyd Thy Wearie Bodie - Skene/Alexander/Walsh
  33. Medieval Song No. 1 - Anon/Alexander
  34. Medieval Song No. 2 - Anon/Alexander
  35. Medieval Song No. 3 - Alexander/Walsh
  36. Dance of the Washerwoman - Neusidler/Walsh
  37. Angelus ad Virginem
  38. Ja nuns hons pris - Anon/Alexander

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Buying a Lute

One place to shop would be with Daniel Larson. You can see his home page at http://www.daniellarson.com/ The prices are higher than the last time I bought an instrument. You can also find used lutes, and if there are any makers that would like to be listed here, just drop me an e-mail at: dowland@albany.net

Daniel Larson
26 N. 28th Ave. E.
Duluth, MN 55812

1-888-724-8099

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