Hi,
I intend to get a keyed flute (if my daughter is not asking me for an alto violin 
) and expected nothing else but the number of keys to be a problem for me to decide…
Now, I was wondering what was the differences and pros and cons between plain silver, plated silver or just nickel silver keys in terms of efficiency, durability, performance… cost being put aside (for now… depending on my daughter… didn’t I tell you 
).
Cheers,
Pascal
Silver usually is soft, can be bent back if the key gets bent by dropping the flute. Nickel is harder, can cause allergies for some. Can break more easily than silver. Plating can wear off with time, especially if the plating is of less than good quality. I personally prefer sterling silver over everything else.
Regarding number of keys: if you can afford to get all of them, get all of them. I you can’t, get G#, long F, Bb and Eb; most important one first (based on my own opinion).
Gabriel is right on target…although I wouldn’t care if they’re nickel/German silver or real sterling silver (it’s not easy to break nickel silver keys).
I also agree with his key analysis (the 4 minimum are what I’d choose as well). There is often an issue between a 6 key (the 4 listed below plus a short F and Cnat) and 8 key…although I have an 8 key flute, I rarely use the lower two keys. The keys I most commonly use are long Fnat, G#, and Eb. If money isn’t an issue, get an 8 key, but if you can only afford a 6 key I highly doubt you’ll miss those bottom two keys.
Eric
I guess it depends on what one is used to. My first professionally made flute was an eight-keyer I got after switching from a keyless flute. After that I got a fully keyed Pratten with a very flat C#, so I use the overblown grip for low C# for a well-tuned middle C#. I also use the very spheric effect of a overblown low C for certian slow airs. And there are lots and lots of tunes that need the low keys. You don’t have to own them, but they’re nice to have. 
For the newbie, what do you mean by overblown? I’ve not encountered this term before.
Thanks!
Overblowing is a technique to get a note one octave higher with the grip of a fundamental note. For examble, you play (finger) a low G and overblow the flute to get a high G. Works with every note in the first octave, and it’s a fundamental technique. But it is very important to keep in mind that “overblowing a note” does not literally mean that one has to put more air into the flute. It will work that way, but intonation will be way out. It is a technique that has to be learned: the second octave actually uses less (!) air than the first, but you still overblow to the second octave.
Hope that helps.
Thanks, Gabriel. Now I understand.
It’s part of my warm up routine: I play a low D, then tighten my embouchure slightly (but not my fingering) and go to middle D, then the high A.
After that, I play a low E, tighten my embouchure slightly and play middle E, etc.
I’ve just been calling it playing in the second octave (well-intonated or not as the case may be!).
Thanks
Thank you gentlemen for answering my questions. I think I am going for sterling silver then…
Actually your answers go well beyond my original question but they are spot on my second concern… what number of keys.
I can understand that and it’s the direction I will probably take, but…
… on the other hand, as Gabriel pointed out, those bottom notes could be very helpful. I actually play a number of french tunes in sets that mix tunes in D major and tunes in C major, the latter going indeed down to the bottom C…
Thank you anyway for the tips on silver keys.
Cheers,
Pascal.