This week, the latest in a series of “Things that Make your Life Easier as a Flute Player:” the D# roller! Traditionally an advanced feature, the D# roller can be found as an option on semi-professional and handmade flutes.
If you’ve been playing flute for any length of time and have worked on repertoire in the low range, you know that it gets quite tricky to move around in the D#-D-C#-C area. Especially tricky is the pesky transition from D#-C#, where the pinky finger has to slide between those keys without causing a “blip” between the notes. The D# roller solves that problem by situating–you guessed it–a roller at the edge of the D# key to help the movement around those notes. (photo courtesy Altus)
The Indy Flute Shop currently has a great selection of semi-professional and handmade flutes with this feature: a Miyazawa 202, 402, 602, and a handmade Altus 1607. Make an appointment to stop by and check one out today!