Sax on the Web Forum banner

Playing piccolo... in traffic.

4K views 32 replies 18 participants last post by  seant 
#1 ·
I recently got a Yamaha student flute and I must say I'm truly enjoying it: it's a funny instrument to play and, despite my obvious limitations, I can play some "real" music on it.

But, after the good idea to buy a flute, I had a terrible one: buy a piccolo and leave it in the car (where I almost live, being a seller) to play when stuck in traffic. I already have a plastic fife, but I miss a real chromatic instrument and flute is just so much better than fife, as long as fingering is concerned, that's not even funny.

i also discovered that piccolo is very difficult and that most of used ones are barely played, and hence in good condition.

So you can either suggest me a beginner piccolo that's not too much out of tune or try to convince me that I'm a complete fool to have thought about such a foolish idea...
 
#6 ·
I really hope that you play with ear plugs because playing piccolo in a car can really damage your hearing.

Bruce of course knows a lot about flutes and piccolos and surely his recommendation carries lot of authority.

If you insist in looking for something different on the market.

As you said, there are many piccolos for sale and as usual the Yamahas will probably be the best bet, however I have found many german piccolos over here. Mönnig, M.A. Jahn, Uebel, Emil Rittenhausen.

Just be careful that you do buy a C piccolo and not a Db ( been there done that too)
 
#9 ·
I would say, that leaving piccolo in the car - especially in hot italian summers would be an argument against wood.
I once sax a guy practicing french horn in the car behind me; so if that is possible, then a normal flute could be an option, too.
You could jam with any instrument over the "ung ts ung ts" - techno - beat from the car beside you and make everybody smile.
 
#11 ·
Wood si delicate, but -personal experience- a cheap soprano sax that I leave always in the car (except on those very hot days) had no issue whatsoever in two years: the trunk is not anywhere as hot/cold as the "cockpit" (I don't know the English word, but I suppose we gain get along with a Top Gun citation) as long as you don't park in the sun.
I was thinking about silver, but apparently resin ones are better.
Regarding wood: I'm so afraid to crack my clarinet that I barely use it outside my rehearsal room. I don't need another piece of ebony.

Milandro: that Guo is a piece of beauty, but 600€ is out of my reach.
 
#13 ·
Cars are not practice rooms. They are several tons of moving metal that will crush most anything and anyone they come in contact with because the driver--even for a moment--is occupied doing something else.

Even if you do plan to practice while not moving, you're opening yourself up for a fender-bender at best, which will be followed by insurance company claims, body repair, and so on. And who knows, you might be lucky enough to have the other guy bring up a frivolous lawsuit, which will take up more time and resources.

This is all not to mention that I think it would be impossible to get any meaningful practice in. By the time you get your fingers and embouchure set, you'd need to drive.

I'd plan on practicing at home, if I were you.
 
#15 ·
Cars are not practice rooms. They are several tons of moving metal that will crush most anything and anyone they come in contact with because the driver--even for a moment--is occupied doing something else.

Even if you do plan to practice while not moving, you're opening yourself up for a fender-bender at best, which will be followed by insurance company claims, body repair, and so on. And who knows, you might be lucky enough to have the other guy bring up a frivolous lawsuit, which will take up more time and resources.

This is all not to mention that I think it would be impossible to get any meaningful practice in. By the time you get your fingers and embouchure set, you'd need to drive.

I'd plan on practicing at home, if I were you.
Absolutely right, and I don't want to give the idea of the crazy one that plays while the car is moving. But I often find myself in highway traffic jams (and a jazz man always wants to play, while in a jam) or waiting for the time of the appointment to come while I'm in the car outside a customers site.
I often play during my lunch break, safely parked somewhere...
 
#23 ·
Hehe!

I used to practice piccolo on the back of a friend's motorcycle on the way to and from rehearsal. (I had to stay in the lee of his head because wind stops the piccolo working.)
 
#24 ·
Well, if you're not going to get another instrument, I'll still add this anecdote. My former Feadóg (tin/penny whistle) teacher, Joanie Madden, said she always carried one in her car for the same reasons you need. And when she was stuck in traffic, she'd just get out of the car, start playing, and entertain the other drivers. Reduced stress, made everyone smile and kept her chops up.
 
#25 ·
I have fifes, 3 different keys, in the car that I play stuck in traffic or just play with one hand sometimes while working mainly on embouchure. I don't like playing the piccolo. if I had a decent one with ear plugs then maybe. yes a standard flute seems too big for this type of effort so I get your interest. one fife is a c Yamaha that is in fife range. tone isn't great but it plays very easily. I also have a longer G fife and Bflat fife with head all the way in to make it a B which is close to E scale.
 
#26 ·
I bought a Yamaha fife that I ended giving to a friend as a present. Nice instrument, but the sound is very airy.
I bought a piccolo, but it was not as funny as expected and I sold it too.
I now have an Aulos fife that's 2,5 the price of e Yamaha, much more difficult to play but with a better sound overall. It still sees little use, as I'm currently trying to train a little my ear and therefore I'm now mostly singing intervals (a safer, albeit not so funny, choice).
 
#29 ·
I used to carry a piccolo with me everywhere, mainly because of it's perfectly tiny size. The piccolo is fun, but I wanted a more flexible sound for random practice or playing opportunities. At some point I decided to sacrifice a few more inches of space in my messenger bag and started carrying around a travel flute instead. (An old Bettoney cadet, something I don't have to worry about.)

It's great to have an instrument always at your disposal.
 
#30 ·
the Picc is the devils instrument the smallest but deadliest of all the orchestra which is why they only ever need one of them that can be heard over all the rest playing at FFF.

Still great fun though, I don't play but my wife is a pro flautist and plays a mean blue peter on the piccolo :)
 
#32 ·
I'd second the the cheap recorder idea. It will humble you. I guarantee it. Here's why.



They have a chromatic whistles too. I have one. More expensive than that Chinese Piccolo.but I'd like to check out that Chinese Piccolo. Stay away from the Nuovo flute. I'm not against plastic. You can make anything plastic sound as good as gold. Says the research. As long as the material is rigid. I am not even complaining about how mushy the keys are, I can tolerate that (most can't) just how lousy it plays in low and high register. Middle register is ok.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top