Hi
I am new.

I am interested in taking up the flute again. When I was in high school, I was very good and had an Armstrong inline G flute, open hole with a low b foot.

I sold it so that I could buy some drums for college. I was a percussion music major.

I am wondering if I sould just go ahead and get an open hole flute? I am not sure if I would be able to get in practice everyday because of my job.

I am thinking about another armstrong or gemiendhart.

Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

What's your goal? If it's just to play around and enjoy yourself, there are quite a few inexpensive options.

If you want to really play seriously or in a group, you are better off finding a good used flute. IN either case, a student level flute will frustrate you and hold you back. I do recommend offset G, though. The original flute designs over a hundred years ago were made with an offset G.(ergonomics as opposed to looks)


http://www.winds101.com/professional.htm
For not a lot more than a starting flute, you can get something in like new but used condition. The Pearl at $900 or so seems like a good deal, as do the older Yamahas.

http://winds101.zenfolio.com/p18569861/?photo=h00B837F3#12072947
This is a good example. A new student model will run you $600-$800, and this is a far better choice.

Open holes do not equal a better flute as discussed many times in this forum. If you want to start off again, then I would suggest a simple Yamaha 200 series flute. I do sell them along with other brands on occasions, but really prefer the Yamahas.

Liz is a great person to buy from, but make sure to ask what model of student Yamaha she is selling. I do know that she sells old models like the 24s that in today standards are not very good now as Yamaha has much improved since then.

I would also recommend an offset G. You can usually get a used flute with an in line G for cheaper that the offset only because the in lines are in much more high demand.

Kara's quite right that open holes are not an indicator of a good flute, so if you do decide to purchase an instrument, don't set yourself on an open hole instrument. It's far more important that you get a good quality flute that you're comfortable with than that you get one with open holes. They serve absolutely no purpose for the vast majority of players.

If you're looking for an instrument at either the student or intermediate level, I would check out these brands:

Yamaha
Pearl
Emerson
Gemeinhardt
Jupiter
Dimedici
Amadeus
Azumi
Brio
Sonare
Trevor James

Playtest as many as you can and see which you like best. If you go with a Yamaha, I would suggest sticking with a 200 series or jumping up to the 500's. The 300's and 400's have the same cut of machine made head (the CY cut), and as such play almost exactly like the 200's, so you end up paying more for a flute that really doesn't play much differently. At the 500 level, you get an EC head standard, so there is a noticeable difference between the 200's and the 500's.

Thanks for all of your help.

I guess that I will try and find a good used flute. I picked it up really fast in 5th grade. I was playing with the high school band and sitting first chair by 6th grade. I went to a private school and it made the older kids mad.

I guess that I will go for something open hole with an off set G. Let's see how well I do this time around.

I may be back with more questions.

Why the open holes? A good closed hole flute will sell for less than its open hole counterpart (all other things being equal), and if you're looking for a flute on a budget, a closed hole model would be much more appropriate, especially given that those holes are of absolutely no use to most players.

If I get good at playing again. I would like to play some modern pieces. I have read that some modern pieces need an open hole flute to play properly. I remember that my open hole armstrong sounded better than my student model armstrong but it might be because I had a solid silver headjoint on the flute.

Actually, the difference between your Armstrongs was because of the differences in design and crafstmanship, especially with regard to the headjoint. The material of a flute makes only a small difference, if any, which is noticeable mostly to the player rather than the audience, and the open holes have absolutely no impact on tone/resonance/response. If you're just starting back, it will probably be a while before you're ready to perform contemporary literature, especially those pieces that require extended effects. For now, you'd probably be fine with a good Plateau model, and if you stick with it, you can always upgrade later. Of course, there is plenty of modern music that does not require open holes, so even if you don't upgrade, that doesn't mean you can't play modern pieces.

The material of a flute makes only a small difference, if any, which is noticeable mostly to the player rather than the audience, and the open holes have absolutely no impact on tone/resonance/response.

Withought trying to start a big debate about metals...Just out of curiosity, I wonder why people spend so much more money on gold flutes? If it is such a small difference why would anyone waste so much more money on one and not just get a silver flute? Is is just for status or looks then? I personally feel that they play very differently then silver flutes do.

Dear vampav8trix:

Regarding flutes. The flute is probably the "most personal" instrument you can buy. You simply have to pit one against the other, to find the "sound" you're looking for.

I hope that neither Kara nor Chris (flutist06) read this post, because they'll be ready to burn me at the stake, again. (I'm done on this side, turn me over).

Anyway, you can depend upon Kara or Chris to tell you what is the best flute/model you can buy, at your level of playing.

All I can tell you, is that MOST professional flutists (those who play for a living) will always pick a French Model, solid silver, low B foot-joint as the LEAST of their choice.

This is NOT my opinion --- it's a matter of fact. 95% or better of the PROFESSIONAL artists playing always pick (the above) flute.

As a matter of "make" --- it depends upon your budget. IF you an afford a Powell, Muramatsu, or other "high-end" model, then, fine. If you can't, might I suggest a Yamaha series, or "hand-made" Emerson flute in the $1,000 to $1,700 price range? You won't go wrong.

Armstong is, in my opinion NOT a good choice ---neither is Gemeinhardt. Keep away from them.

This comes from personal experience and having played both instruments. At the same time I bought my Emerson, my friend bought an Armstrong ----and she had to admit that my Emerson was better than her Armstrong. (Both French models,in-line G, B foot-joint).

The best advice I can give you is try different makes and models, "side-by-side". The flute that you like, producing the sound that you like, and that which has a good feel to it, should be your final decision.

The flute is a VERY personal instrument, and the final judge of just WHICH flute to buy lies within your discretion.

Regards, Jim Millen

Kara, I rather suspect that for most people playing gold instruments, it's a matter of making a statement about what they can afford (which folks often seem to mistake for what they're worthy of as musicians). Most probably haven't even the slightest idea what actually makes the difference between a good flute and a great one. In my case, I didn't have much option. After playing literally hundreds of flutes to find the best one for me, the choice was clear, and it just happened to be made of gold. I would have loved to have 1/2 the price tag cut off and gone with a silver flute, but the Tom Green I ended up with was such a fantastic match for me that I didn't want to risk another flute playing differently. I can hear and feel a slight difference in material (though nothing that's worth $25,000+ dollars to get), but I've also listened to recordings of myself and others play flutes of various materials against each other and honestly don't hear the same differences I do when I'm playing. I suppose the reasons vary for all the folks in the gold/platinum club, but general ignorance or a desire to show off what they can pay for seem to be reasonable enough guesses.

I have no intention of burning you at the stake, Jim, as I think the basic idea behind your post (Pick whichever flute suits you best regardless of features) is dead on, but I would like to clarify this comment:

All I can tell you, is that MOST professional flutists (those who play for a living) will always pick a French Model, solid silver, low B foot-joint as the LEAST of their choice.

I think you're defining professionals as those folks who play classical music primarily, rather than all those flutists (in every genre) who make money by playing. There is a huge range of professionals, from jazz players who work street corners to top-notch classical artists to doublers who record backing tracks for pop/rock/R&B/whatever. Most flute players at the level of classical recording artists in America will probably pick a flute of the description you mentioned as their primary instrument. However, in Europe and other parts of the world, a low B foot is quite rare, and if we take into account the vast number of players who aren't necessarily recording artists, but are nonetheless professionals, the variety of flutes they play is huge. Many jazzers prefer relatively inexpensive plated flutes (perhaps with an upgraded headjoint), or those with closed holes. As you noted, what you buy needs to reflect your musical needs, and what works for professionals, regardless of what they play and where, should not have any major bearing on what you buy.

Good points on the Gold Chris. I must admit, I would like to have a gold flute because they are very pretty to me and I am just plan vein when it comes to flutes! Unfortunately, I have never played a gold flute that I really like yet. To me they were all very resistant and I like more free blowing because I really don't practice as much as I should.

Jim, I am sorry that you feel that way about Chris and I. Like most other posters on here, if we disagree with something we tend to speak up is all. Yes, I was too harsh with you at first and I have apologized

<Added>

Edit once again! I meant VAIN.

I have never played a gold flute that I really like yet.

To tell you the truth, until I found my TG, I hadn't either. It wasn't really a matter of resistance for me (I actually like a lot of resistance if I can find it, as I tend to overpower most flutes), but a matter of "ring" in the sound. Every gold flute I picked up until then seemed dead...The sound lacked the vibrancy I wanted and knew I could get. I have to agree that the visual appearance of a gold flute is second to none, though! I especially love the reddish tint inherent to rose gold paired with a silver mechanism

Jim, I am sorry that you feel that way about Chris and I. Like most other posters on here, if we disagree with something we tend to speak up is all.

I too am sorry if you think we're only here to burn you at the hypothetical stake...That truly is not my intent. As Kara noted, we are just pretty vocal when it comes to pointing out things we disagree with. I too was pretty hard on you after your first few posts, but you seem to have turned over a new leaf, and now I genuinely enjoy reading your opinions. As such, I too would like to extend an apology to you for any harsh words that may have been said.

Thanks everyone,
It is interesting reading your posts.

Everyone has an opinion and will disagree on any and everything. It makes us all interesting individuals.

I remember playing my friends Haynes flute. It sounded different when I played it than when she was playing it.

At this point, I am not willing to buy a new handmade flute. I might buy a used flute at a good price, but if I find that I do not have enough time to committ to regain skill, I think that it would be a waste of money on me.

I am also hoping that my step daughter will take an interest in some kind of music and I could send her home with the flute next summer or get her another kind of instrument.

So I am probably going to look for a low end open hole flute that I can keep for myself.

I needs to be a good brand name!