Flute lust is kicking in big time. I played classical style flute in high school, which was about six years ago. I recently got a whistle to see if i would be any good at this, and its going well. I really want to get a flute now, but i am unsure of which type.
My budget is pretty small, so it would have to be one of the beginner models, like a Burns Folk Flute or one of the ploymer makes.
This would probably be my main flute for a while, so naturally the Burns appeals to me, being wood and all. But the cheaper price of the polymers would be nice, plus being pretty much unbreakable, and easy to take traveling and all.
I havnt had the chance to play many flutes, only a keyless blackwood Olwell, which was nice. I am in Tallahassee Floida, and the flute scene here is not to big.
I may be going up to Boston this summer, and am going to try and sample more flutes there.
The CBurns flute is very slightly cheaper than
the Dixon three piece polymer, I believe. There are
cheaper flutes of polymer at 35 bucks and 100, I think,
and bamboo flutes at about 100 or less. Best
Do that, anton, sample as many as you can. For whatever it’s worth, i think you’re going in the right direction. Either a Burns or Seery or M&E will serve you for many years.
I’m another beginner, but with an extensive whistle and sax background, so fingering isn’t the main issue for me. I haven’t tried the Burns folk flute but if it’s anything like his standard keyless for playability it would be a pretty good choice I think .. kind stretch and an easy blower.
I like bamboo Olwells, but beware. If you choose, say, an F or even an Eb, it might be a very easy flute to learn on. But if you choose a D you will have a much bigger stretch than on a conical bore or a Boehm system flute.
The CB beginner modells sure look good. I haven’t played anything made by Casey Burns yet. I’m a newbie as well with about 3-4 years of whisteling and less than 1 year of fluting in my backpack. I’m just going to share how I did it, and I have no regrets. I bought first a cheap PVC cylindrical flute which can be had for like $30. I bought a Dixon 2pc, which was great to teach me basic embouchure on as well as grip and techniqe on simple system flutes. I then went for a M&E Rudall and Rose modell flute which is a great flute. Sounds great, acts like a dream and can be heard in a session, I’ve never regret buying it. Other options is a Seery as stated, but I think the M&E would be a better beginner flute, the M&E beeing a R&R and the Seery is a Pratten, the Seery is sure to be more of a beast to play, harder to fill, tough strech on the fingers and so on, but if you think you can manage that and you plan a carreer playing large hole Prattens the Seery will probably be a better choice.
I can’t comment on the CB flutes tough.
Michael Eskin has some pretty positive things to say about Doug Tipple’s PVC flutes, and the sound clips he provided were great. If I were you, I’d check into that.
Also heard a lot of good things about Alan Mount’s flutes, and they are very cost-effective, too
I am a beginner too. Big time. But I happen to have a Burns folk flute and a Seery. I don’t think you can go wrong with either.
The Burns has smaller holes and is very easy to get different voices by changing your embouchure. The finger stretch is nothing. In fact quite natural and comfortable. Maybe too comfortable if later you ‘upgrade’ to a different flute. I’ve had some adjustment time from the Burns to the Seery because of this. The Seery has much larger tone holes and my right hand (bottom hand) needs to get a little more used to the stretch but is coming along just fine.
The Seery is a different blow from the Burns, but easy. And I don’t think it takes much air to fill. I would almost say that the Seery takes a little bit less air then the Burns. But my Burns is in for repair right now so I can’t do a side by side. Also, you are suppose to be able to get different voices with the Seery, not just the big banging Pratten sound. I’ve only started to discover how, but I’ve also only had the flute since Wednesday.
Basically it breaks down to this. The Burns is wood, and there is a difference to my ears. Course I’m new so if I was good at this, maybe there wouldn’t be. But you need to get a case for the Burns and maintenance comes into play. Also, there is a break in period that needs to be adhered to, so that can be a little bit of a bummer when you can only play for 5 minutes a day for up to an hour, for about a month! Then gradually lengthening. The Seery somes with a case, has practically no maintenance, but is a plastic. A great sound, but plastic. But there is no break in period so play as much as you want!
Finally: Maybe I’m a strange case (Wife would agree) but I think you might be in the first signs of denial. A first flute for a while
One is never enough. I have these two and am trying to aquire a third. I claim to myself that that will be it for ‘a while’… well you see the trend. Just decide, and start saving for your next. Personally I’d probably get the Burn, and pick up a Tipple of Ebay so that you can play more than an hour a day. Then maybe a Seery so you have a run-around-with flute. Then you’ll have the quandry of your next ‘upgrade’. For me it’s a Hammy!
While Michael Eskin sounds great on the Tipple flutes, I’m positive you won’t sound nearly as good. This is not meant as a slam, but the biggest factor in the sound of a flute is the player. So, I’m not saying it’s not a good beginner’s flute, and the price is great, but don’t expect to sound like him when playing.
I’m still fairly new to this flute thing, having been playing seriously for about a year and a half now and tinkering around for many years before that on bamboo and a Hall crystal flute. My advice is to spend a tad more and get a good conical flute because nothing else will play quite the same. The CB beginners flute sounds like a good option or a Ralph Sweet keyless (although I’ve never played either). The Dixon 3 piece conical, while higher in price, is in my opinion highly underrated (I had one and quite liked it, but wanted a pratten flute). The Seery is wonderful - I love mine. M&Es seem to get great reviews as well.
Be sure and stay away from cheap eBay flutes made out of ebony, cocus or rosewood that are new - they’re mass produced in Pakistan or India and are of exceptionally variable quality - I had one that was totally unplayable.
It is hard to stay with just one flute! I try to be a one flute guy, but I’m now sporting a rehabilitated anonymous late 19th C. flute German 9 key flute - my new love.
Oh, and never forget, the player will always be the biggest factor in the sound of any decent, playable flute.
Well you are right about Michael Eric though I have come to the conclusion, after passing out 3 times trying to play along with that clip, that he uses some sort of wind machine to play that tune.
Whats the name of that tune anyway?
I think some of the fun of flute playing is picking up some of these off the wall flutes. I didnt start making any headway on the flute until I got my hands on one of Alan Mounts plastic pipes. Then it was "katty bare the door" Conical flutes are for sure the way to go but I sure have had a lot of fun with bamboo and metal and heck Id even try a carrot if I could find one in tune. Not to long ago I paid a little over ten bucks on ebay for a set of bamboo flutes. There were 8 of them, low D, E, F, G, A, B, C, and high D. And guess what, they all play great, not a dud in the bunch. They are even close to being in tune. What I am trying to say here is don`t get cought up in the ego scratching part of this business. Just grab a flute and start playing and you will know in time where you want to go with it. Of course this is coming from a guy who likes the sound of his east Indian Eb 8 key hard rubber thingamagig.
Funny you should mention that glauber as yesterday was a Quenas day for me again, and again I walked away defeated and thrashed, with blood trickleing from what looded like a snake bite on my upper lip. What is it with these things? I will not give up on it but lordy mosses what is the trick. And please don`t say how easy they are to play
I think Tom has got a great point here. I’ve come to the conclusion myself that one would come to love any decent flute if one spends some time with it. There are still days when I think my M&E is really limited, but then I play it again next day and bang, any colour you could imagine to paint with, sweet when playing airs, earplugs in when pushing it to it’s limit. I think this is the case with most flutes.
When players get experienced they will turn to makers that will make flutes to their own speciment. They tell the makers what kind of characteristics they want and the maker makes it their way. But a beginner doesn’t know what they want, they’ve hopefully got an idea of how they want to sound tough. Then they start on one flute, and the flute will begin sing more and more like they want it to the more time spent.
People talk alot about different qualities that different flutes has got, but that is just how it is to them. Another player is bound to think differently. Different playing styles comes in to play, but the personal playing style of a flutist will probably also adapt to the flute.
SO interesting to read all these replies, and so very true!
I now have several flutes, but if I had to pick just ONE to keep and sell the rest, I’d have a devil of a time doing it!!! I love them all! I love flutes that bark and honk, and they ALL DO THAT! The flutes are only limited by my own puny air-supply (I’m workin’ on it!!)
So go with your instincts for now, and resign yourself to the thought that sooner or later, you’ll wake up and say “Hey, Where’d all these flutes come from?”
As it stands now i am leaning toward the Burns folk flute. Most due to the fact that it is wood. I had a chance to play someones PVC flute recently. It was purely cylindrical and had off set holes. It was ok, but quite a stretch on my fingers. I am not sure of the make.
Hopefully this summer up in Boston i will have the chance to sample more flutes, either at stores or sessions.
It’s hard to go wrong with the CB beginner’s flute,
and the stretch will be better than the available
options. This isn’t meant to be an absolutely
first rate instrument, of course; but it’s
an attractive option. I may have said this
earlier, but the CB mopane middle range
flute is worth checking out as a relatively
inexpensive flute with easy fingering that
sounds very good. These are out in stores,
in fact, so checking is possible. 450 dollars.
I know a good flutist who performs
with one of these. Best
After taking a look in my financial situation i decided to go with a Doug Tipple for the time being. The price is right, plus i can play it immediatly. I got his two piece model with in line holes. The stretch is not a problem, but i am adjusting to the larger holes.
I figure in a year or so if i improve at this i can get a good wooden instruments, perhaps with a few keys.
