Seriously, how do you play this?

[Hardbopjazz]

The valves are so far apart. How would someone play this?

[Gheorghe]

crazy, never saw something like that.

[Shrdlu]

Woodwind instruments have keys that close pads, not valves. The keys are arranged in two clusters so that the player's hands can reach them. One's hands are not directly over all of the holes (except for a few smaller instruments, such as a treble recorder). It is the same principle whether it's a soprano saxophone or this flute monstrosity (three octaves below the standard flute). On the larger instruments, the keys might be a little further apart, but fingers have a limited span.

I have heard samples of this flute, and I think it has an unpleasant, grunty sound. To me, it's just a workshop curiosity. I am very fond of the "bass flute", one octave below the regular flute (and twice as long), but that's as low as I am prepared to go in the flute family.

[Dave James]

 

[cliffpeterson]

imagine Eric dolphy on one of these suckers!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmxnp_3KUt0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouJDvdg7EZI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANE849xdB6Q

[Rooster_Ties]

23 hours ago, cliffpeterson said:

imagine Eric dolphy on one of these suckers!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmxnp_3KUt0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouJDvdg7EZI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANE849xdB6Q

You know, I think it's kind of hard to imagine Dolphy even on a regular bass flute (just one octave below a regular).  His flute tone was SO perfect and sweet, and his technique was practically flawless -- almost up there with James Galway really (to my ears).

That said, I would have loved to have heard Dolphy on a regular bass flute.

[Dave James]