Windward Flutes in Nova Scotia makes excellent Pratten style taper bore wooden flutes, both keyed and keyless, pitched in C, D, Eb and a patented Eb/D convertible pitch Combo. An F flute is in the works, and will emerge in the spring of 2023.
With an equal focus on craftsmanship and voicing we also like to offer options to suit the playing style and specific requirements of the player. Windward makes purpose built left-handed flutes with embouchures specifically carved for the lefty and mild mannered left-handed offsets. Also in-stock we have keyless flutes with a C-thumbhole for the Jazz or classical player, giving an unveiled C note and the added possibility of musical ornamentation on that note. There are keyless flutes with a single (Eb) key on the foot joint. For smaller hands, we offer greater offsets to reduce the reach, without compromising the intonation and balance in the octaves.
The wooden instrument is the temple of its voice. Aesthetic considerations, wood grain, colour, matching of the flute sections, ring detail, the finish and all that catches the eye should enhance the beautiful voice of the flute. We choose our woods for their sound and beauty. We do not line our head-joints but prefer the wood to show its voice, and we match our blanks with great care and attention to colour and grain, or use a single billet to create well-matched sections that are equally seasoned.
Weight is another consideration, although our sustainable tropical hardwoods like Mopane, Grenadilla, African Olive, Pink Ivory, and such, give a dense and heavier flute, which is often demanded by the powerful sessions player. The “Torrefied” Maple instrument is much lighter, makes hours of playing more fun, especially for those players with hand issues. It can be as light as one third of the weight of a tropical tone wood flute, and yet it shows a comparable volume and nuance to those made of tropical hardwoods.
