the panflute with a piano keyboard action

[Deleted member 48]

its a non-accordion topic, so I just post this one in The Pub section.

The Suzuki Andes 25 F
It is a panflute (in plastic ?) with a simple piano keyboard action:


Looks lovely and sounds good, but rather expensive for a plastic music instrument.
Anyone knows of other makers than Suzuki?

I would like to see the production of a 3 row CBA c-system or b-system keyboard panflute.
If a piano keyboard can be attached to a panflute, so can a 3 row cba keyboard.
And cba accordion players can start playing and dancing on panflute tunes in the Andes mountains ... without panflute training

This instruments looks as easy as a melodica to start with. There are just some minor breath/wind pressure control and intonation issues to master.

 

[TomBR]

I assume melodica reeds are the size they are to keep air requirements within breathing limits, whilst not demanding super high tolerances?

Sadly given that there doesn't seem to be enough demand to support production of an inexpensive CBA-melodica the chances for an even more specialised CBA keyboard instrument seem remote. Looks like you'll have to build it yourself Stephen!

 

[Deleted member 48]

This Suzuki Andes 25 F has got no reeds at all, its a panflute with a piano keyboard attached to it.

Here are photos of the inside of this instrument:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/merry-net/item/andes-25f/

the text is a bit nonsense, it is advertised as a recorder with a keyboard, but its rather a panflute with a keyboard.
A recorder has got 7 or more holes, the panflute pipes dont have the holes.

A CBA version of this thing would be a small market indeed, but could attract some accordina players or flute players.
No need for years of embouchure training/practice. Its something you can pick up and play whenever you have some time.
If you put a traverse flute aside for some months, it takes some time to train those lip muscles again to attend the right pitches when playing a transverse Böhm flute.

 

[TomBR]

Yes, my reed comment should have been on your other discussion of yesterday.

Thanks for the link to the Suzuki interior photos, that was interesting. It's either a keyed panflute, or a mouthblown portative organ.
A windchest and bellows would be easy to make then you would have a little plastic portative organ!
[Edit] Reading Amazon reviews it looks like wind pressure might be too crucial to be playable except by mouth.

 

[Deleted member 48]

Youre right a panflute with bellows wouldnt be a good idea, the pipes being very sensitive to wind pressure.
But you could also experiment with wooden pipes or other materials.

Making your own primitive portative organ can not be that difficult:






heres a duo portative organ with anglo concertina:


I prefer compact instruments, so I prefer a concertina over a portative organ. Its easier for transportation.

 

[AccordionUprising]

If youre interested in similar and really unattainable instruments, Hohners short-lived Claviola also looked like a piano/pan-flute.

http://www.oneringzero.com/images/claviola.jpg>

http://www.oneringzero.com/?page_id=57 Where can I get a one? Good luck.

The Claviola was a free-reed instrument like a melodica, but the reeds were mounted backwards so the tone is less reedy. Pretty cool.
http://www.patmissin.com/history/claviola.html

The Suzuki item is very interesting. I cant figure from the pictures how the sound is produced. Is it like a whistle, or a pipe where the air passes over the top? It looks like it would be fun to play with.

This kind of thing: tiny market, relative complexity to build/design. Expensive. Too bad.

Melodicas have the student-piano, portable-keyboard market covered, and they obviously manage. Everything else is just a novelty that costs too much to sustain. Ah well.

 

[Deleted member 48]

These photos show the inside of the Suzuki Andes 25F
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/merr ... andes-25f/

It is a 25 hard plastic tubes panflute with a piano keyboard attached.
I suppose the engineers first made a study of the right angle to connect the valves and the wind/breath going into the pipe(s), minimising air loss. Traditional panflutes can generate a lot of airy / windy sounds, but some panflute players will feel attracted to airy / windy sounds.

The pipes have no holes, like a traditional panflute. Theres just a hole with a valve each pipe.
This Suzuki Andes seems to be aimed at traverso flute players, panflute players, recorder players, etc , rather than free reed afficionados. I wouldnt call it a small market, there would be lots of potential customers. All those who would like to avoid many years of difficult embouchure study and lip muscle training.

I think to Suzuki Andes 25 F is overpriced, because it is in plastic. If the 25 pipes would be made in fine wood or alternatives for plastic, we could get better results.
I suppose there is only one maker, if more companies would make it, prices could diminish a bit ?
200 to 300 euro is a lot for a plastic thing, but 100 to 150 euro seems very reasonable.

The Hohner Claviola, I have read, was designed by a Hohner engineer already in the 1960s, but only in production for a short while in the 1990s. It had a weight of 4 kg, way too heavy for a handhold instrument. It had free reeds + pipes, too complex (?), and too pricy, 1.600 euro...
Maybe the Suzuki people realised they could make something cheaper and less complex based on pipes only, ... the Suzuki Andes...

This Suzuki Andes seems to sound quite loud, maybe it sounds good in open air? I wouldnt know, I havent found a video yet of a Suzuki Andes played outdoors.
The free reed melodica would require more breath and air pressure to obtain the same levels of decibels, compaired to a Suzuki Andes.

Anyhow I prefer the sounds of the free reed mouth harmonicas and melodicas over a panflute.
But if I would feel like playing some folk tunes on a flute or recorder, I would choose the Suzuki Andes.
The piano keyboard is much easier than fingering 8 or 9 or more holes...
You just push 1 key with 1 finger for every note you want, whereas a traditional 1 pipe flute requires lots of fingers for 1 note...

The disadvantage of a keyboard panflute is you have less freedom and control over the sound you would want to make. The embouchure has been replaced by an easy mouthpiece and intermediate keyboard.