Silent Recorder
On June 25, 2021, the world's first quiet recorder was created in the bowels of our workshop. This instrument allows you to play at different volumes controlled by the musician.
How is this achieved?
The windway of the flute is divided into two, unequal in cross section of the windway. The musician can blow one of them or both at once. This achieves three levels of volume. And also a smooth change in volume from the movement of the lips along the windway, when first the air enters one windway, and then both.
In addition, such a recorder certainly uses the technology of a non-condensing whistle. Otherwise, such thin windways will very quickly become clogged with condensation. And the flute will stop playing.
Also, in addition to channel splitting, several other solutions are used that contribute to a quiet game.
Despite the difficulties in creating and configuring such a tool, which consist in the high accuracy of the operations performed, this is a very promising tool.
Such a quiet recorder allows you to play even at night without fear of waking anyone up. What many musicians can only dream of. After all, more than once I had to deal with the desire to have such an instrument of musicians expressed on the forums.
In addition to recorders, our workshop also makes quiet whistles with the same range.
I, the creator of this instrument, as a musician, have long wanted to have such an instrument, because with its help the level of playing significantly increases, as there are more hours of practice. But this is not only a practice, as some musicians like to call it. That is, an under-tool. That is, cheap. This is an instrument that significantly expands the dynamic range of a musician's playing. An instrument that allows you to play 2 octaves quieter than the first. And this is required when playing many complex pieces. Such a tool allows for better accentuation.
But! But at the same time, the musician must master a new technique of playing on a double windway. It is not simple. Like the whistler, for example, me, who played on 6 holes, gets used to playing on 7, and this even though you need to masterfully control the octave, eighth hole of the recorder. But everything can be learned. And the recorder will still give odds to the transverse flute. I compared its dynamics with my instrument and found that it takes very high skill to control the ambush of the transverse flute in order to play notes at different volumes. And on my instrument such skill is not required - the instrument does it itself, by default.
Is there a fly in the ointment? Yes! And here are the points a musician should know about before ordering this instrument:
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This instrument has an overdrive of 1, 2 steps, without an octave valve. This adds opportunities to the musician, but you can also fly 2 octaves, which is impossible on a conical block.
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The instrument is not as loud as a tapered recorder. Not loud. Not shrill. Rather for fun. Doesn't hurt the ears, but it doesn't count as loud either.
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Due to the tangible resistance on the whistle, it can be difficult for a musician to get used to after a conical block, which has practically no resistance.
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The instrument's fingering is standard baroque. But some notes may be found better by the musician with alternative fingering. But there are not so many, 2-3 notes. Although personally I play as a standard baroque fingering and everything suits me.
In general, if you somehow lived without this instrument, played historical music, the conical block should be enough for you. But if you are looking for a new sound, an instrument for playing different music, modern, for example - not only historical - then this instrument is for you!
I also cannot help but note that I can rehearse on the same instrument, at night, for example, and play, say, at concerts - if I had concerts, ha-ha! Same hole pattern, same pitch, same playability. One tool for all occasions.
And now the announcement. There is one more modification that will additionally give dynamics to the instrument, but this is already the height of cynicism over traditional flute builders. The concept of the recorder is changing radically already. But more on that later. Stay tuned and follow the news. Yes, subscribe to our newsletter and you will be in the know!
