These are something like an equivalent to a Generation D whistle in terms of cost and effectiveness, I gather. It’s ABS plastic with brass ferrules. In the second octave it’s LOUD.
While I ponder which flute to get and which hand to stick on the top of it, is it a good idea to mess around with the Cooperman to develop embouchure? What is the transition to a real flute like?
Thx!
worm
Probably a real flute, that is a d flute,
will be much easier to play (though not easy).
High flutes are particularly demanding
in tone production, in my experience anyway.
Iplayed higher flutes only after
learning lower flutes. No harm
in trying, but don’t be discouraged
if it doesn’t work very well.
For a beginner fife the cooperman plastic is a great deal. Unlike the Yamaha fife, it has six holes and plays in the same way as other six holed instruments. It is in the key of Bb so the fingering is easier than a D flute, while the ability to sound a note is slightly easier than a D Piccolo.
The main benefits will be that you can practice the fingering without having to stretch, improving your rhythm and breathing (although the flute takes more breath). You will not be able to practice playing by ear while listening to CDs of your favorite players, but you can read sheet music and transpose. Embouchure is different, it may help, and it may hurt. Straining to reach high notes may start bad habits. Forcing a smile and tightening up the throat come to mind. A D penny whistle would have the same benefits.
The second octave will probably be loud and not sound pleasant, but as you improve, that will get better. By the time you get that under control, you will probably only have the plastic fife as something for the glove box, and have picked up a wood piccolo, fife, or flute as your primary instrument.
Over all, play it if you want to play something, or if you want to play the fife. I would not count on it to get you ready for the flute.
Just my thoughts. I am no pro, so take them with a grain of salt.
This is about what I was expecting. . . the 2nd octave isn’t very nice because I keep getting unpleasant hamonics. So I may just stick to octave 1 and just develop endurance and lung capacity.
I have what I think is a Cooperman Fife it is harder to play than Flute but it helps with your embochure.
As a fifer first, I think I can shed some light on this topic.
First off, the cooperman ABS plastic fife is really just a “get your feet wet” kind of instrument (if you can call it that). The first octave is not in tune with itself, let alone the higher octaves.
Also, keep in mind that a fife is rarely, if ever, played in the first octave. What a fluter reads as a low D, just below the staff, the fifer generally plays up one octave. If you find the second octave difficult, try the third, then you’ll really know what it’s like to be a fifer. I play a Healy fife, which is about as top-of-the line as you can get, for just over $200 new. There are others you can get which are also excellent for $75-100 (Cooperman’s “real” ones, Peeler, etc.).
I only recently got my first flute, and let me tell you, the transition is rather challenging. You will find that getting decent at the fife will help as far as fingerings go, but the stretch and weight of the flute take some getting used to. Also, the embouchure is significantly different, as is the breath required to make the low notes speak on the flute (since we generally don’t play that low on the fife anyway).
The one thing I found interesting - in a good way - was that after playing my flute for a while, I found I was suddently a better fifer! The precision required for fingering the flute translated back to the fife as greater precision there, and since the fife is so much lighter, I find that I’m balancing the fife better, and spending more energy on making a better sound instead of holding the instrument.
In summary, if you can get a decent sound out of the plastic fife, good for you – but don’t let an inability to do so turn you off altogether. That plastic fife (I actually do have one myself) is more of a toy than anything else – though it is actually better than the cheap maple ones that look more like fifes.
As a side note, I happen to know that our friend Mr. Tipple is working on a PVC fife, which I am test-driving for him, and let me tell you – this thing speaks better than any other fife I’ve played. Stay tuned for this one, folks …
I’m using it pretty much as described. . . I pick it up at night and doodle with it while wasting my life away at places like this 
I have no particular interest in fife/drum stuff (per se, anyway) so as a foot-moistener for the flute, the cooperman seems to be working OK.
I found that my Flute playing got better after learning Fife. I do as a Fluter like to play the same tunes I play on Flute (in the lower Octaves) for fun and also a High A and B in the third Octave are damn hard.
A Tipple Fife that should be real cool.
Hey, Avery – let me tell you - the prototype Doug sent me is wikkid loud! It should scream and attract some serious attention at muster jam sessions this summer. If Doug can make a few of them, I’ll try to sell them for him. When I initially asked him about fifes, he said he didn’t think there was a market for them! We’ll see about that.
BTW, Are you the same “unseen” at thesession? Also, do you play the fife with a Corps?
Cheers!
Yes I am the unseen on thesession.org. I do not play with a corps though I am kind of thinking about it. I am very busy already and don’t know if I have time I am busy every night except Fridays and weekends. Right now I am in a Pipe and Drum band and my school band and that is it.