I’m not a flute player, but I’m ready to give it a go. I have been playing whistle for many years and am wanting that lower sweeter tone more and more.
BUT – I have very short fingers. Very very short fingers. So short that I can’t quite reach the last hole on a Susato low D whistle.
With that in mind, are there any wooden flutes I would find playable? The Aulos? The Dixon? Easy blowers prefered, especially in the second octave. Volume not important.
I saw something called the M&E that had a seperate barrel for the left and right hands. That seemed like a good idea! Are they worth the money? Do they sound good? Are there any small hole flutes I should know about?
I have a Dixon 3 piece polymer that I’m selling, so realize I do have a vested interest here…
But, the Dixon 3 piece is a good starter flute and the reach is easy with smaller holes so there is no problem covering them. It has that split between the three high holes and the lower ones, so you can rotate them as needed.
PM me or check over at www.woodenflute.com in the for sale section if you’re interested.
A Susato low-D has a more difficult reach than most flutes.
Any Rudall-style flute should be playable for you. I have a Bleazey that both has the easiest reach and is the easiest blower I’ve ever played. I also have a Casey Burns (I don’t think it’s a “small-hands” version, but I don’t know) that has a very easy reach. As mentioned, Dixons and Sweets are also pretty easy, but the holes aren’t quite as small as those two. If you’re into traditional music, I think the Dixon is probably the best of these as a starter flute.