Peter Sheridan: Welcome

The well known British composer, Andrew Downes has composed a Contrabass Flute Sonata for me. As a composer of numerous works for flute and flute choir, this was an obvious choice for me. I marvelled when I opened the score of Andrew's work, and his understanding and use of material for the contra. As we had spoke several times on email in a collaborative manner, I knew Andrew knew what would sound and what would'nt. But a performer can never be sure of what they get. I was absolutely blessed!

Mr. Downes has set the piece in four succient movements and has created the work to feature the finest (and challenging) qualities of the Contrabass flute. The first movement is an Allegro and begins with a low haunting theme on solo flute.


Oh, if you are wondering about the title, I have named my Contrabass Flute in memory of my dear father, Patrick. It is a constant reminder of his dedication and support in my musical career.

Depths of Sound: The Sub-Contra Bass Flute

The Sub-Contra Bass Flute, a monster of double tubing, with an embouchure hole large enough to fit a piccolo through, is a warm welcome to my collection of Low Flutes. The instrument is capable of sounding a C, three octaves, yes, three octaves below middle C! Made by the remarkable maker from the Nederlands, Jelle Hogenhuis, he produces this instrument at a fraction of the cost of a silver model, and I mean fraction. The flute takes a bit of time to readjust, though if you are a fluid bass or contra player, you will not have much trouble transferring. Once you find the air capacity and deep support, the full rich partials create a wonderful raucous sound.

Jelle began designing these instruments in the 1980's and has never stopped. He also makes other low flutes, though I have not had the pleasure of testing these instruments out. The Sub-Contra's massive body tubing is made completely out of PVC piping (a small feat of engineering), and is set beautifully with silver plated keys (with key pins as long as a flute head joint). The instrument is played seated in a hugging position with the hands in a slight reverse order (left hand below right hand). Its core sound reminds me of a growling bear (I mean this with the up most endearment) and the possibilities for tone colours are bountiful. Jelle provides a finger chart that spans three octaves, though I can only find about two octaves that sound correctly in tune with a good quality, right now. I will keep practicing those high notes on my Low Flute! The heart of the instrument is obviously its lowest register, which can sing, groan, growl or buzz a tone; physically moving the substance of air in its path. The instrument has a tendency for a slow response, which can be appropriated easily with a solid player. This somewhat sluggish response, in my opinion, can be quite charming and effective, if used and manipulated correctly. To maximize the tonal response of the tube, Jelle has designed high guide rails that are set to each side of the embouchure hole. Your lips are never very close to the tone opening, so once again the possibilities are endless, though your air supply is not! Through experimentation and persistence, one can produce a superb buzz on the tone, seriously comparable to a double string bass. I have been practicing the opening of Mahler One, third movement, and I am absolutely am convinced with the correct air supply, you will sound just like a double bass. Try it, you will hear.

As an ensemble instrument, its vibrating power and tonal gravity (if you will), have the ability to make all the flutes in the ensemble sit up, and let’s face that cannot be a bad thing. When a skilled player starts pumping out those fundamentals, all take notice, and the ensemble tuning improves by say 50-70 percent in my opinion. That is a pretty good statistic to go on. Though not many works have been composed to support this giant in a ensemble setting, a handful have and even Jelle himself has made a few fine arrangements which include all the low flutes. Also check fluteworld.com, under flute ensemble compositions.

As a solo instrument it is excellent for the rock or jazz styles, and is equipped with a strong pick-up microphone for amplification. It is up to the player to work out the tonguing, because it can be done, it just takes practice and a bit of rethinking. Work the diaphragm in coordination with the point of the tongue, and you will notice an enormous accurate sound that can be substituted for any guitar or baritone saxophone solo. The instrument can also greatly supplement motet arrangements, and adds a new texture to most four part settings, whether it be hymns or flute quartets. Complete with minor problems the key noise can be rather distracting for a recording or live performance though is hidden within the flute choir or popular band sonority. I have struggled a bit with the tuning and will experiment more with the length of the head piece. The best part is, it is plastic, so you could take out a bit of sand paper and begin to whittle like an oboist. Take care if you do, and phone Jelle first! Key response is a bit slow, but this takes a bit of time to retrain the fingers to advance before the sound. The fine open-ring type keys make this process more bearable.

I must admit though, it is the enormous quantities of air that are required to complete a musical phrase that thrill me the most. I have had to re-negotiate how my air supply works and how I can expand it further. This is excellent for a flute player of some 20 plus years! I mean it. Never mind bag and tube apparatus for breathing practice, get one of Jelle's instruments and your personal breathing mechanism will change overnight. The end result of sound that follows these breaths are more than worth the effort. This process of reworking air capacity, has greatly improved my Contrabass flute playing, and that instrument now feels like an alto flute. Size does matter, imagine that!

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my Sub-Contra bass flute and highly recommend its sound to those interested in the low flutes. An obvious must for the serious Flute Choir, this instrument can produce tones that would excite and inspire any capable ensemble, conductor or audience. I posted sound samples listed on my website: Lowflutes.com, under the heading music, so you can decide for yourself. Thanks Jelle for your marvellous invention of sonic tubing, you have changed my understanding of the term Low Flute!

The Low Flutes (Alto, Bass and Contrabass) are unique in the issues to air quantity, air speed, and embouchure angle. These instruments all require much more air to excite their wider longer body tubing, a slower air speed and possibly a closer angle to the back wall of the embouchure tone hole.

AIR QUANTITY

The quantity of the air used to play the contrabass flute well, sompared to the flute is almost double. Really! You need to fill up the lungs, drop the diaphragm and extend the intercoastal muscles of the rib cage. This manner of breathing and inhalation will allow your low flute to sing like a cello with a fine bow. Also do not neglect the chest cavity. As a fine Opera Tenor once stated, Älways leave the chest up and open....ready to do it's job." Well there are varying degrees of this technique, but please use in moderation, as an overuse can cause problems with your back and neck.
The basic concept: fill your body with so much air, then top it up with even more. Overtime your can here some dramtic tonal changes in the quality of your sound and musical phrasing.

SPEED QUALITY

The air speed on the low flutes will be slower and the embouchure will be a bit wider in shape. I set my blowing in a reverse psychology and convince myself that as I blow out my air in coming in. A great method to slow down and control the air speed of your embouchure.

EMBOUCHURE ANGLE