My GLP is easy to blow if thats what you mean.
But the big goal… are you getting that Irish growl on that Flute?
Turn that embouchure in!
Ben Shaffer
What’s the easiest car to drive? Sort of depends on who is driving, and where, doesn’t it?
A flute that a person who has played for three years thinks is an “easy flute to play,” may not at all be the same flute that, say, Molloy thinks is easy.
A flute that’s easy to play in a living room may not be a flute that’s easy to play in a concert hall…
Just sayin.
–James
Just saying nothing, you mean, in response to a fair enough question about people’s experiences with different flutes. And speaking of Molloy, didn’t I read he had or was switching to an Olwell as he was finding his old flute harder to play as he got older? Course if you were to believe the equally unhelpful Migoya, you’d have to believe it wouln’t help him any anyway because he must not have a well-developed embouchure. There’s no other explanation. Trust Dave.
But you have gotten a few straight answers and, having tried them all, I’d say the ones suggested would indeed fit into the relatively easy, but still excellent category–except the Olwell. Am not sure what that was all about I think most people would put an Olwell Pratten more in the middle on ease of playing, but much much higher in the satisfying category. Good luck choosing a flute.
The one I have. Why? Because that’s what I play daily and what I’m used to.
As a beginner, I tried several flutes and it finally clicked with a Bleazey. I played it almost exclusively for a couple of years; during those years I tried a Copley and Hammy, each exclusively for awhile, and neither clicked with me. I finally found my “final” flute when I acquired an Olwell medium-holed, and the small-holed came on order several months later. The Bleazey was very forgiving of am umdeveloped embouchure, but sounded better and better as my muscles developed. It was certainly a good flute to prepare me for the Olwell, as I needed to make very little adjustment during the transition. Also, the lower notes are very easy to reach, but the upper notes require some effort. I think that’s improved my playing of music that goes into the upper part of the second octave, and even into the third octave.
OTOH, I’ve never gotten the hang of Prattenesque flutes. I loved the Hammy, but never felt comfortable with it. Whether that’s because of the flute I started on or is more intrinsic in me (I’d tried large-holed flutes before the Bleazey), I dunno.
Question: I know the pratten Olwell headjoint fits the nicholson body.
Does it also fit the rudall body?
Mine don’t fit each other, but they’re from very different eras. My Nicholson doesn’t fit my teacher’s (erstwhile) Pratten either.
Course if you were to believe the equally unhelpful Migoya…
okay… 
it’s because it’s a very dopey question.
If you knew any better, you’d recognize that.
Stick with the whistle. You’ll be happier and marvel at how good your tone is.
When I’m tired and sitting at home I play the GLP. When I’m awake and playing unamplified in a hall with maybe 100 wedding guests sitting at tables then I play my Windward (Pratten) - takes more work to fill the flute, but viewed from the point of view of - does it do the job - is certainly easier to fill the hall with.
Everything in between I can (and do) do with either.
I’m not sure I understand the question.
For ease of reach the McGee GLP is a great choice.
For ease of tone production, I’d recommend a McGee GLP w/ rounded rectangle embouchure.
For ease of “filling” a McGee GLP is best
On the other hand, for ease of ornamentation (speed) I prefer a GLP.
If none of these work for you, I’d recommend a GLP. 
Seriously, I’ve played about every flute out there and David Migoya is right. Develop the chops and (if it’s made by someone good) you’ll be able to play any flute “easily”. The only exceptions would be if you have hand size limitations (in other words if you’ve got tiny mitts you’ll have trouble playing a Hammy regardless of how great your embouchure is).
My advice (against my professional judgement and much to my economic detriment ) is for players to be more monogamous and spend more time in the “woodshed” and less time buying different flutes trying to find one they can play.
I spent years “buying and trying”. Now I find as the flutes I once rejected come through the store that they’re almost all great flutes. I wonder what changed. Hmmmm…
Best
Doc
Doc, Doc, Doc… sshhhhhh… You’ll put yourself out of business! On the other hand there are PLENTY of us out there (me included as you are well aware) that are a little more bigamous than monogamous!
Pat
Alright, let me try and make the question easier to understand:
Which is the easiest, most satisfying Simple Flute you’ve ever played, and why?
I’m not looking for some mob, “correct consensus” some posts seem to imply exists. I want your meaning and experience of easy, or satisfying.
Is individualism dead, or what? Strewth …
K.
Will you say why you want to know? That would help us field the question.
If you’re just wanting to have a conversation, that’s one thing,
but are you wanting some helpful info about what to purchase one day?
Folks are nervous they will be taken the second way.
The easiest flute to play is often not the most satisfying flute to play. The most satisfying flute I’ve ever played is my old Rudall and Rose, but it’s certainly not easy to play. Although I do find it a lot easier now with two decades of playing experience behind me than I would have ten or even five years ago. Likewise, I’ve run across many flutes over the years that I’ve found easy to play (quite a few of them made by a certain Mr. Olwell), but the proportion of easy-to-play flutes I encounter seems to go up in direct correlation to the number of years I’ve been playing. As for why, I don’t know. Why is the sky blue?
I played an antique Rudall made in the key of F, once. That was about as easy as I ever had it. Not sure what that information will do for anyone, but there it is. Cheers,
Rob
From your previous post Jim I’d say you understand the question very well. Your superior experience and enjoyment of your present flute is enlightening and satisfies my curiosity somewhat, thanks.
No, I’m not looking for tips about a new flute just yet, though the Olwell, GLP and Copley are coming out very well in this thread. My Doug Tipple D with the two embouchure heads is easy to play and very satisfying, (one head at a time!). However, I also notice the odd phenomenon mentioned here, that flutes change their physical properties very much for the better in intonation, fill, ease and quickness of play as they get older in your hands. Doug seems to have built this in to his flutes. I know this is scientifically impossible, but there you are. Odd.
Maybe it’s the Irish in 'em?
K.
Here are a couple of generalities that may prove more useful that an bunch of anecdotes:
The easiest-blowing flute is likely to be a small-holed Rudall style with a short, wide-open foot. The tradeoff is in volume, or more specifically in response up and down the flute. Free-blowing flutes require less of a change of embouchure going up and down the octaves, but they miss a certain richness that seems to come from the “windsock effect” of the tighter, longer foot.
Modern headjoints and embouchure cuts are easier to make a satisfying tone on. The taller chimney height that results from the greater wall thickness, combined with a large, accessible embouchure cut, makes for an easy go of it. Antique flutes make you work harder, both because of the thinner walls and the smaller hole (on unaltered instruments).
Many modern, Pratten-style flutes have a “lower gear,” i.e. you can tootle around on them using a small percentage of their potential, and they still might sound better than a cheap flute. The tradeoff here is that control, tuning, focus, etc. tend to go out the window; better to be completely filling a more manageable flute that inefficiently dribbling air into a session cracker. Cheers,
Rob
anything with a wedge.
once you wedge, you never go back.
With your reply, Rob, we seem to be really getting down to the real stuff. Great.
Let’s hope some flute makers now chip in with this kind of “navigational” detail to take us through the options and the varieties in them.
I suppose it comes down to knowing what you want. Personally, eventually I want the flute with the very best tone and flexibility of play imaginable to man, capable of sounds that express the complete range of human experience. If this means slogging away for lifetimes to get good enough to play such an awesome instrument, so be it. Aim high and die happy, eh?
K.
Personally I’ve concluded that I cannot go wrong with flutes by Patrick Olwell.
There may be models that aren’t for you in particular, but if you can manage
these flutes, they have extraordinary depth, flexibility, and range of expression, and (as has been
remarked by others in this thread) they are relatively easy to sound.
Getting out of them everything in them is another matter, of course.
I’ve never played the Olwell Rudall, but Chas has and he has good things
to say about it.
People may favor other flutes, no question, but I don’t think any knowledgeable
player will be puzzled by my opinion or wonder why I say it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7rrfy9rxbY&feature=channel_page