Technical Drawings (Plans)
I started working on my handmade technical drawings in 1979. The drawings listed on this page are the result of incalculable hours of work in museums and private collections.
The method I use comes from my sadly deceased teacher, the Australian recorder maker Fred Morgan. His drawings can be seen in The Recorder Collection of Frans Brüggen — Technical Drawings by Frederick Morgan published by Zen-on Music Co., Tokyo in c1981.
About the Drawings and the Method
- Each drawing is a full-scale representation of each flute
- Ideally all the information is condensed onto one sheet measuring 8.5 by 14 inches (215 by 355 mm).
- As far as possible I try to capture the personality of the maker in each drawing.
- The dimensions are given in millimetres and are measured using a caliper.
The bore is measured with a telescopic gauge at 0.1 mm intervals starting from the wider side of each joint.
- If the bore is warped and oval, the maximum and minimum measurements is given.
The shape of the undercutting of each hole (embouchure and finger) is shown by the inner shape of the chimney.
- White paper was inserted into the bore for light reflection.
- Four points of each hole’s circle is given: north, south, east and west.
- The dimensions of the lower part of the chimney were determined by making an impression of the shape with moulding paste on a stick.
The pitch is given in Hertz from A.
The tuning is expressed as the differential in cents from equal temperament using an electronic tuner. If necessary, I also give the fingering used.
Example of a
Bizey-style drawing
Determining Pitch and Tuning
Determining pitch and tuning can be problematic on the traverso (baroque flute). Players use different embouchure techniques and use different placements of the head joint.
As much as possible I follow Quantz’s advice in his Versuch.
- He says the head joint should be turned towards the player’s mouth so that the edge of the embouchure hole that receives the air should be in line with the middle of the finger holes.
- When playing the second D, the embouchure hole should be half covered.
These PDFs prepared by Greg Dikmans explain the above in more detail:
- Placement of the Head Joint (pdf)
- Quantz on the Embouchure (pdf)
For more information see Greg’s website on Historical Performance, in particular the section Traverso Technique (which also has a several fingering charts).
Best Bore Diameters for Each Pitch
Through a combination of my research, measuring and drawing original flutes, making copies of instruments and my playing, I came to recognize that from about 1720 makers were following a kind of golden proportion in length and bore diameter to get the best results from every register of their flutes.
I measure the bore diameter at the position of the embouchure hole.
Here is my table showing the best bore diameter for each pitch.
| Pitch (Hz) |
Bore Diameter (mm) |
|---|---|
| 385 | 20.4 |
| 390 | 20.2 |
| 395 | 20.0 |
| 400 | 19.8 |
| 405 | 19.6 |
| 410 | 19.4 |
| 415 | 19.2 |
| 420 | 19.0 |
Technical Drawings
Here is the list of my available traverso drawings grouped according to type.
NOTE:
- The number (#) of each drawing indicates their place in chronological order.
- Left-hand joint (L-H joint) lengths are given without their tenons.
Quantz Flutes
The originals are very similar. They are all in ebony with two keys (unless otherwise stated).
Five L-H joints at these lengths:
| L-H Joint | Length (mm) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 188 |
| 2 | 181 |
| 3 | 174 |
| 4 | 167 |
| 5 | 160 |
| # | Details | Bore (mm) | Wood | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | No: XIII 5 L-H joints |
20.25 | Ebony | Miller Collection |
| 26 | No: VI 1 L-H joint 166 mm |
19.8 | Ebony | Berlin Museum (previously Köpenick Museum) |
| 67 | No number Only 1 key 3 L-H joints: 169 mm 150 mm 137 mm |
20.5 | Ebony | Hohenzollern Castle, Hechingen |
My drawing of flute No: XVIII is available at the Staatliches Institut für Musikforschung (Berlin). [NOT YET LISTED]
Place an OrderThomas Lot Flutes
They are very similar, following the same model.
Five L-H joints at these lengths:
| L-H Joint | Length (mm) | Pitch (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 179 | 400 |
| 2 | 172 | 405 |
| 3 | 165 | 410 |
| 4 | 158 | 415 |
| 5 | 151 | 420 |
| # | Details | Bore (mm) | Wood | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1 L-H joint 167 mm |
19.62 | Boxwodd | Private Collection (Lyon, France) |
| 10 | 2 L-H joints 177.5 mm 157.6 mm |
19.65 | Boxwood | Den Haag Museum (Netherlands) |
| 16 | 1 L-H joint 158.5 mm |
19.9 | Boxwood | Miller Collection |
| 27 | 1 L-H joint 178.3 mm |
20.0 | Varzy Museum (France) |
|
| 30 | 1 L-H joint 151 mm |
19.8 | Private Collection (Paris) |
Early French Style Flutes (c. 1685–1720)
| # | Details | Bore (mm) | Wood | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | J.H. Rottenburgh A: 400 Hz |
19.65 | Ebony | Brussels Museum |
| 28 | Rippert Long center joint missing |
19.7 | Boxwood | Private Collection (Paris) |
| 29 | Rippert A: 395 Hz |
19.6 | Ivory | Private Collection (Paris) |
| 49 | Naust A: 405 Hz |
19.8 | Ivory | Private Collection ? |
Various Flutes by Bore Diameter
| # | Details | Bore (mm) | Wood | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 109 | Beaulieu (Bizey style) |
20.0 | Ebony | Collection M. Arita (Japan) |
| 42 | Bizey Original R-H joint foot only Head and L-H joint by J.F. Beaudin A: 392 Hz |
19.9 | Boxwood | Collection M. Arita (Japan) |
| 104 | Stanesby Jr. A: 410 Hz |
19.6 | Ivory | Miller Collection |
| 113 | Bizey Original head and 2 L-H joints R-H joint and foot by J.F. Beaudin A: 400 |
19.6 | Boxwood | Collection J.F. Beaudin |
| 110 | Tortochot A: 415 Hz |
19.4 | Rosewood | Collection M. Puttermann (Montreal) |
| 40 | Lecler A: 415 Hz |
19.4 | Boxwood | Private Collection Japan |
| 114 | Palanca 1 L-H joint 156.5 mm A: 415 Hz NB: It has tuning imperfections |
19.3 | Ebony | Collection Jan de Winne (Belgium) |
| 5 | G.A. Rottenburgh 2 L-H joints A: 415 Hz A: 410 Hz (Choose from my drawing) |
19.2 | Boxwood | Collection Bart Kuijken |
| 6 | Lecler A: 415 Hz (Very good) |
19.2 | Ivory | Brussels Museum |
| 105 | J.H. Rottenburgh A: 415 |
19.2 | Pearwood | Miller Collection |
| 96 | Delusse A: 420 Hz |
19.15 | Rosewood | Private Collection France |
| 111 | Torochot A: 415 Hz |
19.1 | Ebony | Collection J. Marsend (Mtl.) |
| 12 | A. Grenser A: 415 Hz |
18.75 | Boxwood | Den Haag Museum |
| 38 | A. Grenser L-H joint no: 2 |
18.8 | Boxwood | Collection M. Puttermann (Montreal) |
Uncommon Flute Sizes
| # | Details | Bore (mm) | Wood | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Thomas Lot Piccolo A: 405 Hz |
- | Boxwood | Collection L. Kaltenback (Paris, 1983) |
| 3 | G.A. Rottenburgh Medium in F |
- | Boxwood | - |
| 21 | Thomas Lot Alto in A Embouchure enlarged |
20.3 | Boxwood | - |
| 20 | Dumont (c. 1700) Alto in Bb A: 410 Hz |
23.5 | - | - |
Recorder
| # | Details | Bore (mm) | Wood | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | Rippert Alto in F A: 398 |
- | Boxwood | Private Collection Paris |
Links to Museums
I have been commissioned to make technical drawings for a number of museums. These drawings are availabe for purchase.
- Cité de la musique de Paris
- Friends of St Cecilia's Hall (EUCHMI)
Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments
(Search for “Drawn by Jean-François Beaudin” - Staatliches Institut für Musikforschung (Berlin). [NOT YET LISTED]