In all seriousness, buying a really cheap wooden flute is one of the best ways to make sure you DO lose interest. Really, do yourself a favor, buy a good polymer flute like the M&E, or Seery, or buy a decent wooden flute by a reputable maker. Buying a really inexpensive wooden flute is the quickest road to discouragement that I know of.
Loren
Yup. . .
But M & E is a very good first flute. Most people think they are wood until you tell them otherwise. This includes people with long experience playing Irish music. It’s got vey usable tone, intonation, and volume.
The downsides are
Is an M & E in the same category as an Olwell or a Wilkes? Probably not. But it’s head and shoulders above any “cheapie” wooden flute sold to tourists. I think you’d be much better off with an M & E than anything in wood under $200 USD.
A few WEEKS?? You’re not likely to get on with a good flute after a few weeks, nevermind a piece of firewood. Do yourself a favor and get the M&E, even if it means holding off for awhile. Unless you have bad hands and can’t hold a heavy flute for long periods of time, the M&E is a great flute.
I’ll chime in on the get a good flute side, too. If you have a friend who is an experienced flute player, they might be able to pick a good Boorinwood one out for you…but then again, it could crack 2 weeks later because it wasn’t made from good/properly aged wood.
M&E is a great flute to get started on. Heck, I think they’re just good flutes overall…and very good price to add keys to if you want them later. They are a bit on the heavy side, but I’ve never had an issue with that. And, they’re not beauties by any means, but from more than a foot or two away, people tend to think they’re blackwood. The internal craftsmanship is great, though, and the tone is a good R&R sound.
Seery’s are very good flutes, too. Much better craftsmanship (on the outside - they look just like a blackwood flute even up close), slightly lighter in weight (partial slide from a lighter material than the M&E), but require a better embouchure for you to get the best out of them. If you have a teacher, this is a fine option even for a first flute and Tom Doorley played one on the first three Danu albums (and sounded great).
I’ve owned both an M&E and a Seery, and am currently played a 6 key M&E. Keys on a Seery are full price like those offered by any other major maker. Michael with M&E uses pre-made keys - they work great, but are not things of beauty…
Eric
It’s just aswell you said that to me lads. Thanks. I’ll show this discussion to my dad later on and see what he says. I’ll certainly consider an M&E after hearing your opinions. But I’ll just have to talk to my dad about it first. Again, thanks.
After a talk with my dad, I’ve reconsidered. Sorry for the hype etc but it was simply putting too much pressure on me with exams (Junior Cert) coming up and other commitments to music with my banjo. In September, pressure will be off and a new term of lessons at the Culthurlainne will begin. I’ll be back then, if the interest stays, which I presume it will.
Again, sorry but thanks for the info and I really have taken it into account. I still am going out to Martin Cronnolly on Saturday but no purchase will be made.
It’s about the music. If you want to play the music on a flute or a banjo, what difference does it make? Doesn’t matter for now someday you will hear a beautiful fife and be impassioned to learn and play. If it feels like something that is a burden than stay away from it.