This is the second in a series of articles on selecting a headjoint. The first article explored preliminaries and included general advice about preparation for the hunt, an overview of the headjoint market, and an overview of influences on headjoint design. This article explores in detail the various qualities of sound that can be affected by different headjoints, such as projection, loudness, intonation, color, and responsiveness. The third article explores the effects of different materials, such as gold, silver, platinum, and wood, and the effects of alterations in the design of parts such as crown and stopper assemblies and risers; it concludes with a brief discussion of how to learn more and what to do next...

Projection vs. Loudness

As one of the great modern innovators in headjoint design, Albert Cooper observed that the louder a headjoint sounds to the flutist playing it, the more the flutist likes it ¹. The headjoint has a fundamental role in determining ‘projection’ and ‘loudness’ and as you speak with colleagues, makers, and dealers, these terms will no doubt have part in every conversation about headjoints. They are distinct concepts, but it seems that many players do not appreciate the difference, and they tend to confuse the two. Sarah Merrow of Syrinx Flute Repair near Boston explains, "If there is one thing I would like people to know it is that there is a difference between loudness and projection. [A] pianissimo can project and it doesn't have to sound loud around your head." ²

Peter Swinkels of Adams European Flute Centre in Holland observes that the player perceives differences in loudness more easily than differences in projection. Because flutists hear the sound close to their heads, similar to the way you hear your own voice, they tend to be intent on finding what they hope to be just the right sound. In addition, just as your voice sounds different to you than it does to others due to the uniqueness of your individual resonators (mouth, nasal cavities, etc…) and your unique perception of sound, so does the flute sound different to you than it does to others. Interestingly, Swinkels has observed through his extensive experience that differences in sound diminish to such a degree (due to the nature of acoustics) that sounds that seem very different to the player (e.g., the different sounds produced by wood, silver, and gold) sound nearly the same to a listener only a few metres away. However, he points out, this does not mean that there are no differences in the headjoints, but that the perception of differences is greater to the player than to the listener. When asking for opinions from others while trying various headjoints, you should take this into account. ³

Intonation, Color, and Responsiveness

There is no question that the headjoint plays a critical role for the flute, the player, and the listener. The headjoint is an acoustically active body that has an effect on the total performance of the flute. ⁴ Although it is mechanically fairly simple, it has the potential to enhance or limit intonation and response of the flute. Headjoints on our modern Boehm system flutes consist of only four main parts: (1) the tube; (2) the stopper; (3) the lip plate assembly; (4) the cork; and (5) the crown (see Illustration 1). The lip plate assembly consists of the lip plate and the wall, also called the chimney or riser (see Illustration 2). The traditional stopper is an assembly of a threaded rod, a nut, a metal disk known as the cork plate, and the cork (see Illustration 1). . (Other types of stoppers will be discussed in the next article in this series.)

Illustration 1                                                              Illustration 2

Flute maker James Phelan points out a fundamental principle of acoustics: "The closer anything is to the source of vibration, the more important it is." Because the headjoint is where the sound is initiated (the source of vibration), it determines the flute's responsiveness and flexibility. It also strongly influences the mix of harmonics in the sound and, most importantly, it affects the intonation of the flute. ⁵

Intonation.

Through his experience, Cooper noted that some headjoints worked better with his improved Cooper Scale than did others. ⁶ According to Sheridan:

The form of the headjoint tube plays an extremely important role in the intonation. Without this taper the flute could not be played in tune. This shape varies among makers and can cause problems for certain combinations of flutes and headjoints because the flute scale (meaning the placement of tone holes along the body) was conceived for a particular type of taper…A headjoint can help the intonation of a flute not only by the shape of the tube, but also if the head responds well, the player has more flexibility with the embouchure and air stream to make necessary changes in pitch. ⁷

Sanford Drelinger of Drelinger Headjoint Co. elaborates on this:

My experience has shown that both traditional and modern scale flutes can be optimized with the right choice of headjoint. In my opinion, the right headjoint is, in part, one that allows the flute to be played both more in tune with itself and other instruments in a natural and unstrained manner…I often advise people with high quality, traditional scale, standard pitch flutes not to change to another scale without first trying a wide variety of headjoints with their present instrument. More often than not, the selection of a new headjoint eliminates the desire to seek an entirely new instrument. ⁸

Nagahara suggests also that the headjoint affects intonation in this way:

… intonation can be improved with a well cut headjoint because it provides better embouchure control for the player. Although the intonation of an instrument is defined by the body's scale, the embouchure is responsible for probably half of the intonation control. If you have better control, response, articulation, and projection on your headjoint, it will reflect on the overall performance of the instrument. ⁹

Tonal Color.

The design of the headjoint determines the range of colors that can be produced on the instrument. Manufacturers can use different parabolic curves for the headjoint tube; different sizes, angles, and depths of the embouchure hole; and different materials for each piece of the headjoint.  ¹⁰ Merrow describes these technical aspects of headjoint making and how they affect tone and response in her excellent article, "Headjoints: Mystery vs. Mastery." ¹¹ A maker’s design will have a unique combination of these features, and it is this combination that gives the maker’s headjoints a particular overall character, although each and every headjoint is still unique.

Merrow explains that great players will test a headjoint’s range of tone colors by playing a gentle melody pianissimo. She says, "If you can play pianissimo with color, you can play anything." But it seems that the same headjoint cannot offer the broadest color range and at the same time be immediately easy to play (less ‘resistant’). The headjoint with more color potential also makes a player work harder to achieve that potential. Many advanced players look for a more resistant headjoint because, although it requires more flexibility and skill to master and requires more effort (finesse) from the player to bring out its qualities, it is flexible yet stable with a rich, full sound, and it offers a larger variety of tone colors thus tending to produce more interesting results. ¹² However, many players have come to expect a homogenous sound throughout the registers so they can sing high and belt low with comparatively little effort; but much color, warmth, and flexibility are lost with a headjoint that tries to provide the 'wow' factor. Merrow suggests that when considering a fine headjoint with great color potential, a player needs to take it home for a week, experiment with it, explore its potential, and get used to it before dismissing it too quickly as requiring too much effort to play (too ‘resistant’). In consultations with her professional customers, Merrow finds that some want homogeneity of tone and consistency of technique; others prefer to work with what she calls a 'meatier, more complicated' instrument. Merrow’s varied background in the industry enables her to appreciate these differences; as she points out, " [it] works out in the marketplace because there is something for everyone out there." ¹³

Responsiveness.

A player will advance more quickly and to a higher level if an appropriately responsive headjoint is used. In the headjoint making industry, headjoints are referred to as traditional cut, modern cut, or some combination in between. Generally speaking, the modern cut is less resistant and more quickly responsive, requiring less overall effort to play, but, as discussed in the previous section, at the expense of a broader color range. The traditional cut has more resistance and in return, a larger variety of tone color. ¹⁴

Ease and clarity of articulation, dynamic range, and flexibility can also vary among headjoints. As will be discussed in more detail in the next article in the series, articulation and flexibility may generally improve with different combinations of materials, particularly with the addition of platinum in the riser or cork plate.

Some flutes seem to respond better mechanically with certain headjoints. Merrow speculates whether air pressure travelling through the flute may be related to necessary finger pressure so that different headjoints may affect the experience and feel of the mechanism. When I asked others for opinions of this phenomenon, some interesting theories were presented, such as the possibility that the difference is due to resistance of the headjoint to vibration delays across certain materials or resistance quotients. Kanichi Nagahara suggests, "…part of the technical part of the instrument's performance comes from the articulation and embouchure control. A headjoint that enables a player to articulate better will in fact aid the player to synchronize both tongue and fingers more accurately, thus creating the notion of improved technique."  ¹⁵ But currently it seems that there is no definitive answer to explain the phenomenon. Further research could illuminate this issue.

This was the second in a series of three articles on selecting headjoints. In the final article we will look at the effects of different materials, such as gold, silver, platinum, and wood, and the effects of alterations in the design of parts such as crown and stopper assemblies and risers; it will conclude with a brief discussion of how to learn more and what to do next.

Click here for the first article in the series

References:

1. J. James Phelan, The Complete Guide to the Flute and Piccolo, 2nd ed. (Shirley, MA: Burkart-Phelan Inc., n.d.), 118.

2. Merrow, interview.

3. Peter Swinkels, interview.

4. Kanichi Nagahara, inventor, "US Patent 5844156 – Head joint for a flute," PatentStorm, US Patent issued December 1, 1998, http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5844156/description.html (accessed April 11, 2009).

5. Phelan, The Complete Guide to the Flute and Piccolo,105.

6. Cooper, The Flute, 29.

7. Sheridan, interview.

8. Drelinger Headjoint Co., "The Headjoint Specialist: Most Commonly Asked Questions," http://www.drelinger.com/qanda1.htm#6 (accessed April 12, 2009).

9. Nagahara, interview.

10. Trevor James, "General Flute Information: Headjoints", Trevor James Flutes, http://www.trevorjames.com/PDFs/PDF_Flute%20Headjoints.pdf (accessed April 10, 2009).

11. Merrow, 63-64.This article can be found on Ms. Merrow's website at www.syrinxflute.com.

12. Trevor James, website.

13. Merrow, interview.

14. Trevor James, website.

15. Nagahara, interview.

Melanie Sever Jordan is a freelance musician, private flute teacher and has performed professionally with the United States Marine Corps Bands. She is a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, having received a BA degree in Music and History from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Sever Jordan is an active member of the AFM, Local 18, the National Flute Association (NFA), the Upper Midwest Flute Association (UMFA), The National Association for Music Education (MENC/MMEA,) and the Minnesota Band Director’s Association (MBDA). www.melaniesever.com

 

 

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