Amplifying the Flute: Techniques and Tools for Electroacoustic Performance

A few years ago, I began researching effects pedals for the transverse flute. As a professional in the amplified music environment, I wanted to expand the possibilities of the flute’s colors and rhythmic aspects, and explore new ways of playing.

I already practiced the beatbox flute, growl and double tonguing, which I use more specifically in improvisations or solos within my bands. This research on pedals was an extension of this work on techniques and their use in the amplified music. It is still evolving.

The Microphone

I always play amplified in my various bands, regardless of the style (world music, Caribbean jazz, electro, Celtic rock, etc.), so it’s important to know what equipment to use. I have different microphones that I use depending on the band or the needs. 

I have a DPA 4099, which is ideal because it’s mounted directly on the headjoint (with a special attachment that adjusts with a hook-and-loop fastener). I use it in both bands where I only play one flute (often the C flute). The position varies depending on my environment (indoors or outdoors, wind, musicians around me). I move around a lot on stage when I play, so this microphone has the advantage of being able to follow me. I wear it wired and clipped to my belt (with a length of cable giving me mobility).

In the picture below, you can see the detail of the microphone on my flute, placed downwards because I’m positioned right in front of the drummer and percussionists in the band. The DPA 4099 is an excellent microphone, but it’s a supercardioid, so it picks up a lot of sounds around me (especially the drums) and can generate feedback effects.

The second microphone I use is a Shure Beta87. In four bands I play in, I use between two and seven different flutes on stage, so this microphone has the advantage of allowing me to change flutes without changing microphones. The sound technician, of course, has to make adjustments to capture all my flutes and maintain a nice sound and each one’s own identity (especially with the equalizer, compressor, etc.). It’s also a supercardioid microphone, so I can encounter the same difficulties as with the DPA. I often use these two microphones together, the DPA on the C flute and the Beta for other flutes. These two microphones, combined with the work of a competent sound technician, give me complete satisfaction on stage.

I sometimes use a Shure SM58. It’s a safe bet for a lower budget than the other two. It’s cardioid, so it’s less likely to pick up what’s around me on stage, but the range of sounds it can offer is less interesting. I’m keeping it for extreme situations (if the space is small and I’m very very close to percussive instruments, or in spaces that naturally resonate a lot, like churches).

I’ve been testing a Tbone Earmic 500 for a few weeks, but I don’t have enough perspective on it on stage yet. It’s an omnidirectional microphone, and because it’s attached to my ear, I capture a more complete timbre of the flute but still capture the sound of the other instruments.

At home, for studio work, I use the Beta87 and the Earmic 500.

Apart from the SM58, all the microphones I use require phantom power (48V) from the mixing console (or sound card). All these microphones are connected via XLR.

Pedals

I started with the Auniris project electro and world music. Accompanied by a musician (drummer, keyboardist, and beatmaker) and a dancer, I perform a set on stage with several effects pedals: a reverb pedal, an octaver, a harmonizer, a delay, a wah-wah, and a looper. All the pedals are connected to electricity. I simplified the connections by using the Harley Benton power plant module, which allows me to plug them all in one side and only have to connect one electrical outlet on the other side, as you can see in the picture below.

I tested several pedals to make my choice, they are mostly pedals designed for guitarists, sometimes pianists/keyboardists and sometimes singers.

The reverb pedal I use is a TC Helicon Voicetone, usually intended for singers, it has the advantage of having an XLR input, perfect for my microphones as well as a built-in 48V power supply. I don’t always activate it, when I’m on stage and there is a sound technician, I just use it as a preamp with phantom power. This pedal is then connected by an XLR / Jack cable to the octaver (a Subnup from TC electronic) which allows me to have one or two octaves lower. 

The other pedals are then connected by jack cables. After the octaver is the harmonizer (Mooer E7 Synt), which offers 7 different sounds for my flute, then the delay (Line 6 Echo Park). I initially used a very simple delay pedal (a Harley Benton Digital Delay), but the Line 6 has the advantage of having a tap delay. This means I tap my tempo with my foot on the pedal, and the delay is generated in relation to my tempo (better synchronized than with a manual “guess” setting). Finally, for the effects pedals, last comes the wah-wah (Joyo, I also have a Dunlop Cry Baby, but I prefer the Joyo). The order of my pedals is a very thoughtful choice based on my use of the effects.

This is especially necessary with the looper. Indeed, I create loops on which I will then improvise over them. If I want my octaver and delay effects to work on the recorded loop, the octaver must be positioned before the delay. Otherwise, my loop will take into account the delay on my natural sound but not on the octaved sound. Here is the configuration on stage with the pedals (here with the Peul flute).

Outside of Auniris, I’m developing a hip-hop solo project where I use the beatbox flute and machines (for drums and bass). To do this, I use my computer with Reaper software and create my drum and bass audio in MIDI. Once I’ve created my parts, I use plugins to play them and select the sounds (for example, an 8O8 bass plugin typical of today’s hip-hop).

In terms of pedals, I use the delay shown above, but mostly my distortion pedal (a Black Rat pictured below).

You have to adjust it properly (the top button in particular to choose the frequencies that you want to distort). At home, recording music is quite simple, I’m alone and I don’t have any speakers (I record with headphones, a Beyer dynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm).

But on stage, it can quickly become complicated to manage, depending on the other instruments and the monitors. I use it in particular in the band Celtik’raic (world folk / Celtic rock) and I have to set a fairly light volume setting to avoid feedback effects in my monitor (which is the speaker facing me on the floor on stage that allows me to hear the sound). Consequently, the sound I have on stage with this pedal is much less saturated than on the recordings I can make at home or in the studio. In my solo project (Aude Prieur), I also rework the sound of my flute as it enters the distortion pedal during mixing (especially equalization). I am the singer-songwriter of my works.

You can listen to one of my pieces on my channel where I use distortion, wah-wah, and delay on the flute solo. à 1’49: