I would like to hear from any of yous guys who have an M&E R&R and have another flute that plays as easily. I ask this because it seems that over the last few years, so many of you have remarked how easily (and loud) your M&E played. I am not asking which sounds better, just ease of playing.
Thanks,
Nelson
IN my experience the MERR is easy to play (I own one)
BUT the most initially user-friendly flute I;ve tried is an Olwell. Actually, multiple Olwells. Murrays are user-friendly too, but not to quite the same extent. I tried a friend’s Hammy recently and getting a tone was not too hard. I did find the longer stretch to be an issue, however, in that I found it hard to cover the lower holes.
My M&E R&R is certainly easy…but the easiest is the Noy…
What kind of embouchure cut on your Noy, Jack?
Rounded rectangle with the bone edge…
It palys sooooo easily, Glenn Shultz and David Williams both made very easy playing Flutes but good luck finding one (actually the Sweets have a Williams 8 key up for sale that is the exact Fltue I played it was a nice one). The M&E R&R is way easier to play than my Lejune Flute but that might have something to do with the age old 5088 vs. 5047 debate but the M&E is actaully louder due to the material but it has that plastic sound I way prefer the tone of wood.
I wouldn’t call my Schultz a really easy player. Not as easy as the MERR. I find the embouchure of the Schultz a little touchy, and the large toneholes a little difficult. Olwells are very easy players; I’d say easier than the M&E if only because the M&E is so damn heavy. The easiest for me as a beginner was the Bleazey Rudall model. It’s still a really easy player. I have an all-wood Sweet that’s wonderful when I’m tired – 4.5 ounces.
I’d have to agree w/ Charlie here. The Schultz is a good flute but not an easy one. Olwells are easy. I think the easiest I’ve played are the McGees with the rounded rectangle embouchre. Though even the elyptical embouchre is easier than most flutes.
Hammy’s are fairly easy to get good tone from so the embouchre is “easy” but the tone hole size and distance would probably disqualify it as an “easy” flute.
Doc
I’m with that. I played an Olwell and a Noy at WOTB, and I finally know what all of the fuss is about.
The easiest flute of all flutes to play IMHO with regards to breath requirements, embouchre cut, and finger spacing would be a Terry McGee Grey Larsen Preferred model with a rounded rectangle embouchre.
Another great flute on the easy-player list would be a Burns Rudall.
Doc
How about for low flutes? Can anyoen compare, say, a Burns to a McGee or whatver else?
Bb and A, specifically. I’ve only tried (for 30 seconds or so) a Grinter Bb. I couldn;t get a sound out of it 
Yeah, in terms of embouchures, Noy’s rounded rectangle is definitely easy. I went with his so-called “Ruddall” cut because of its tone. It’s easy enough, just not nearly so as yours is. It takes a bit of finessing, but that’s the nature of the beast. The better I get to know it, it can belt out some surprising volume.
And Olwells rock, too. Pat re-headed my Williams, and the result is so nice. 