I’m not new to Chiff & Fipple, I play several different kinds of bagpipes and I also play the whistle. I have recently become interested in learning the flute and I don’t know a thing about them. I have read some posts that really concern me regarding the purchase of an insturment and having really nothing but junk in the end, even though you may have paid a considerable amount for the flute. I can’t imagine how upsetting something like that would be and I would certainly want to avoid falling into that nightmare.
I’ve looked at a site, Pro Winds and have seen flutes listed as “standard,” “intermediate,” and “professional”. In the “standard” flute section, there are names such as Artly, Jupiter, Emerson, Gemeinhardt and Yamaha all selling for less then $1,000.00. Is this where it all begins? You can see I’m as green as grass and would really appreciate any suggestions. I’ve always found that asking questions on Chiff & Fipple gets some good results with sound advice. Thanking you all in advance. Don.
Don, are you interested in playing wooden flute (which is what this forum focuses on), sometimes with keys, sometimes not, or the modern metal Boehm flute? The names you mentioned are all of that second type.
Those brands you list are silver concert flutes. Most folks here play wooden Irish flutes. Search Google on Irish flutes and you’ll find a lot of good sites listed.
If you want a standard student Boehm system flute
you could get a Yamaha YFL 211S second hand (or new).
It is praised generally for its reliability,
it is a robust good student flute.
Pro Winds is actually around the corner from me
here in Bloomington. First rate stuff for the
classical musician. If you want to play ITM,
you’re in the wrong place, no question.
I’ll just say that some of the Irish-style playing I like, the flutist does happen to play on a Boehm flute, so it’s not impossible, but most people play on the wooden kind.
I recently bought a nice silver flute for $45 off craigslist. It’s very nice. Not a low-quality student model by any means. It’s in the shop for minor repairs, I still haven’t played it yet. I intend to try to play Irish music with it. I don’t know if I’ll bring it to a session, though. I wouldn’t want to be scoffed at.
I also have an Irish flute on order. I figure for those tunes I want to play that aren’t in the key of D or G, I’ll see if I can play them on my Boehm flute. In the privacy of my own home, of course.
I get the impression that you are in something of an experimental frame of mind, that you don’t want to over commit yourself, at least to begin with, and that you refer to a Boehm type flute.
Therefore, I suggest that you need not spend much money, that the purchase of a new student flute could involve perhaps half of your estimate, and perhaps less than that, just maybe.
However, perhaps the lowest cost way to explore a flute could be to rent one, for perhaps a few months. A rented flute generally comes in good playing condition, sometimes with an option to buy. There are major retailers who rent flutes, but let me not forget to mention your own, local music store.
IMHO, because the flute industry is so competitive, perhaps any of the flutes you referred to could serve the purpose you appear to have in mind, at least for now.
Yes, we know that ITM can be played on a Boehm flute.
No question. And I trust most of us agree that if somebody
wishes to chiefly play ITM, as this poster may or may not
wish to do, directing her to a Boehm flute is
unhelpful.
But yes indeed, ITM can be played on a Boehm flute.
Joannie Madden does…and so on.
I.D. 10-t, my interest in the flute actually began several years ago in late August. I was attending an evening concert at St Martin in the Fields on Trafalgar Square in London and this young lady was playing solo classical pieces on what I now have learned to be a Boehm Flute. Perhaps it was the setting, as the church is very intimate, with candles on each end of each row and in all of the windows, the wonderful accustics, my mood at the time or the artist herself; perhaps it was all of the above, but none the less, I was profoundly impacted. In fact, I’ve never had such an experience in the past, nor have I experienced anything like that since. Now, some would say, “why not just get yourself a couple of really nice CD’s of some really cool flute music, save your money and get on with life?” Sorry, did that (bought the CD’s) and it didn’t cut it, if you know what I mean. Hence, my desire to learn to play. Oh, I realize I will never duplicate the sound produced in that church, I don’t have the talent, I know that–I just love the sound.
I play whistle and really love ITM. I play a fair whistle, I play for myself, for my own enjoyment and that’s probably a good thing. I might mention that my playing of the whistle isn’t an attempt to create a flute sound as I recognize that a whistle is a whistle and a flute is a flute and one isn’t intended to be a substitute in any way for the other, and I’ve never viewed the whistle from that perspective. I play the Uilleann Pipes, which I also love, they are really tough and I wouldn’t even rate myself as fair-- I only know that I love to play them and enjoy the challange. Well, there it is. I have some broad interestes in music, I guess? Hope that answers your questions. Thanks, Don.
I think the flute has a lovely sound, just as you do, psychodonald, with the experience you described. The sweetness of it is so nice.
Since you already play the whistle you might want to look into Irish flutes since the keyless ones have pretty much the same fingerings. Silver flutes do not have anything near the same fingerings.
ProWinds is round the corner from me, as mentioned. I spend some
time there, like the place. It’s across from the music school
at Indiana U (a very good one), and the staff are musicians.
I believe the ‘flute’ person is named Sara. Anyhow there
is a flute person. It’s summer now, things are slow. So if
you call them up on their 800 number, they are
likely to talk to you at some length. Be sure to talk to the
flute person, however. They can advise you about silver
flutes, I reckon. If you’re wanting info.
They right now have a nice used Gemeinhart with a silver
headjoint. Sounds very nice. I think it 's a good price.
Also a blackwood yamaha
piccolo, also nice.
The usual suspects, Artly, Emerson, Gemeinhardt, Jupiter, and Yamaha, each of these companies make reliable student flutes, any of which is suitable to get a flute student started, frankly, and, again, rental is a great way to try them.
I have more than one flute, but an Emerson is my daily driver (and this flute is loose!).
I have a Gemeinhart 2SP, which is about as low as a fellow should go (the 2NP is cheaper, but get silver plating)- $250. Nickel head, nickel body, silver playing, plateau keys, pretty minimalist. It’s fine-ish for ITM, but the sound could be a little stronger, clearer (but then I could also practice more than once a week or so I’m a whistle-and-mandolin guy anyway…). A friend of mine plays a real nice Pearl with a silver headjoint (and open holes- get those if you can)- way too expensive for me, but the silver head and generally better manufacturing improve the sound a lot. It’s sometimes tough to coax a good raw trad sound out of such a sweet flute, but when you get it, it’s there, definately. Good stuff- surprisingly good. And, well, you might want the sweet classical-type sound. Then you’re right on the money.
Well, I figured if he already played whistle and pipes he’d be able to adapt quick enough, but I see what you mean. It is toughter than just… well, holes, ha. But yeah, you’re probably right. Thanks for catching that!
Agreed on C foot and offset G.
Yeah, I have to admit I didn’t check on silver headjoint prices before making that post.
checks
Well, it does look like ther may be some for under $1000 tho, and if- if!- thats’s the budget, why not? Gemeinhardt 2SH is $600 at WWBW (that’s where I got my 2SP; I have family in South Bend-Elkhart area, so I’m over there a lot), and it has a solid silver head, plateau keys, C foot, and it’s a good make. Still you’d be just fine starting on a 2SP with a nickel head, and for 2/3 the price too.
For student flute deals, WWBW has a lot to offer. I have done good business there.
About “open” holed keys, there seems to be at least two theories. One, it is said that they help to promote “correct” finger position, simply because if one’s fingers are NOT in the right place, the keys then leak. Two, because the venting properties of “open” keys and “covered” keys are different, the beginning student then needs to figure out one embouchure technique too many. Frankly, correct finger technique is important, but I go with the other view, that “covered”, or plateau, keys are the better for a beginner, for more consistent embouchure technique.
Offset G keys do wonders to relieve potential strain of one’s left wrist, and are far less prone to the binding troubles of inline mechanisms.
C foot joint, the way to go, as the B foot joint causes troubles in the flute’s upper registers (note the gizmo, to compensate for those troubles), and, besides, just what does one actually need a low B for, anyway?
Finally, although any standard head joint could do for a beginning player, a silver head joint really is an upgrade, and a good investment.
Well, there it is. I have some broad interestes in music, I guess? Hope that answers your questions. Thanks, Don.
I’m a whistle-and-mandolin guy anyway…). A friend of mine plays a real nice Pearl with a silver headjoint (and open holes- get those if you can)- way too expensive for me, but the silver head and generally better manufacturing improve the sound a lot. It’s sometimes tough to coax a good raw trad sound out of such a sweet flute, but when you get it, it’s there, definately. Good stuff- surprisingly good. And, well, you might want the sweet classical-type sound. Then you’re right on the money.