I play whistle and have been thinking about giving the flute a try. I know a D flute would be standard but it’s occurred to me that it might be easier to start on a shorter flute-say an Eb or F. Is this a dumb idea?
I think you’re better off getting a “standard” D flute. You’ll be learning to play by listening to other player and copying them. There are several CDs and a few websites that contain slow versions of tunes, or versions with simple ornamentation. This will be a lot harder, maybe impossible, if you don’t have a D flute.
Right. A standard D flute. Otherwise you won’t be able to play with people, play along with CDs,
with midis, etc. It’s like starting out on an Eb whistle, yes? Not helpful. The D flute
isn’t prohibitively hard to play.
I guess I would have a hard time finding enough music to get started with anything other than a D. Can you tell me if a D flute is as much of a stretch as a low D whistle? If it’s a little less I think I could handle it.
It is less of a stretch than a low D whistle, primarily because most low D whistles are cylindrical, while most low D flutes are conical, thereby putting the holes a bit closer.
Any tune that is usually played on a D flute can be played on an F or Eb flute. You just play with the same finger positions as you would on the D and the instrument does the transposing for you. So don’t let that confuse you in your decision. The issue is will you play with other musicians or play along with recordings. Recordings can be transposed from their recorded key and pitch with software. Results are ok for shifting a full step or so but get weird after that. But it can be done. But if you want to play with others there is no question. You will need a flute in D. That’s what I would recommend.
If you were talking about whistles, I’d have no trouble suggesting a low F whistle. Love those Lunasa whistle trio pieces played on low F’s.
I don’t know that measurements are pertinent in this discussion. Designs vary a bit - we’d have to pick a whistle and a flute to compare. The overall stretch will be similar on both. The flute may have smaller holes though. At any rate, you will generally find a D flute easier to handle than a low D whistle. Can I assume you’ve tried a low D and that is the source of your concerns? In any case there are remedies to the stretch issue on either instrument. Some makers specialize in flutes with ergonomics for smaller hands (and beginners with stretch fears). And many flutes are offered with optional offset holes. While I am not a fan of such arrangements they do help folks with small hands play. And many flutes are made with seperate right and left hand sections. Rotating the sections can help ease the stretch for many players. Then there is the grip. Playing with a flat fingered grip ( like a piper’s grip) can make any flute accessible to smaller hands. And it has the advantage of less stress in the hands overall. It’s quite comfortable once you get the hang of it.
So get a D flute. There’s really no reason not to.
Feadoggie