My flute in High school was a Armstrong. They are a little weak on the high end if you ask me. They don't produce that big fat sound. They do sound nice still for a student model. I have an Armstrong M-80 circa 1980.

Most of the flutists I have heard are too loud (and too sharp!) on the high notes, anyways.

Hey, Atoriphile, I think I know you! Were we in the same band in Washington, DC?

I grew up in the heart of the midwest, that would be Kansas, right smack in the middle of the country there. They grow corn, wheat, and soybeans. Boys on flutes is not normal. I knew 2 other boy flutists in school, all the way up to college. Only 2. That does say something. I formed a pack with my other friend in Jr. High School. We both had those cheap Artley flutes in those days. We called each other Art and Lee...We were cool, and we were NOT !*****!! (I was Art he was Lee)

I cannot name how many times I was called a Flute F**! It is not a nice term, and I did not appreciate it. I got into several fights over it too, and got kicked out of school 3 times over this exact issue.

So, being a guy and playing flute is not !*****!, or anything else, it is an instrument of choice. It just so happens it is more popular with the females than the males. Probably because it is a high instrument. Females have high voices, and maybe just maybe that is the allure? I don't know. The flute also is typically silver and is "pretty" and maybe that is why? Who knows.

That is my take on this subject! I hope it does not come up again, but somehow like a bad weed, it will pop up again and again, I just know it.

Defining normal now...hehe...this should be fun!

"Normal" means what is the norm. What do we see most often in various situations, cases, and in people and things. Defined in my intended usage in this case on Dictionary.com as :

The usual or expected state, form, amount, or degree.
Correspondence to a norm.
An average.

The average or expected "normal" sex of a flutist tends in the midwest to be female. Overwhelmingly female in the various schools I attended. 18 flutists in my high school band, and I was the only male flutist. That defines it as being NOT normal in my opinion. In 2 colleges, 15 flutists, and the other 10 flutists and I was the only male. This really tells me something. It is pretty clear that in the midwest, normal flutists are much more likely to be female. Therefore I am not the normal flutist, I am a male flutist! Which is not normal (in the midwest).

"Normally", I would not debate such a thing, but this one is funny! hehe So, laugh at it, don't argue with me here! I hate silly arguments. (Oh, this is abuse, if you want an argument that is down the hall room 213...) Anyway, This really needs no debate.

-Azflutist

Micron,

Yes, she would be abnormal in that respect. This is changing the perspective. Therefore, it is irrelevent in this case.

Abnormal does not mean a bad thing at all in the way I chose to use it in this situation. "Normal" has 8 different meanings, and you have chosen the wrong one. I clarified which one I meant so there is no argument needed in this case.

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The point in all of this is that boys are usually not seen playing the flute in the midwest, and from that perspective and on that point only, they are abnormal. It is abnormal for a boy to play the flute. It is not of the norm. It is thought of as an instrument for the girls more or less (where I went to school). I don't agree with it of course, but in the midwest you will find many people who do. If a boy wears a dress is he normal? No. Abnormal (Hey if you are a trans-whatever, that is another whole thing and has NOTHING to do with this). Most boys don't wear a dress. The flute has taken on that meaning to some people in this world. It does not make sense, it is wrong, and I hated it then when I was picked on as little kid. But, kids do that, so I laugh at it now. The word normal is correctly used here in every way I meant it. I hope you know I didn't mean boys who play flutes are abnormal boys. Just the fact that playing the flute makes them different. In that perspective, in that context, they are not normal. I have become more aware of who I am because I went through this, and learned from it. Things that don't break us make us stronger. I am stronger and have grown from it. I am sharing that point with everyone. It is important and one of the keys to my whole existence even. I am proud I am a male flutist! I am not proud I smacked some kids down for calling me names. It is all a part of how I have grown, and being called something I am not will always hurt. It changes nothing. No one likes to be called names. Now, did I really have to write all of this, or were you just pulling my leg? hmmm?

Both you guys are not normal! Don't worry, the last time I checked I wasn't either.

I think azflutist is using "normal" to mean "not the norm" as in a statistical reference. Example: there is a low percentage of male flute players in Kansas high schools; therefore a male Kansas high school flute player would not be the norm. He did state this clarification several times.

Perhaps a more palatal term could be thought of since society definitely has misused the term.

The fact is, there IS a low frequency of occurrence of male high school flute players. That is not a slam against male high school flute players. It is just a statistical fact.

Both of you guys are out of the norm in some way (probably too many ways for me to count). So, statistically speaking, you are both not normal. Welcome to the club.

P.S. Kara is the president of the "not normal" club; contact her regarding dues or agenda items.

P.S. Kara is the president of the "not normal" club; contact her regarding dues or agenda items.

Thanks! I will take that as a compliment

Oh I hope I am not normal by even the more popular meaning of the word. I am an abnormal person in both statistical and maniacal (<-word?) ways. I do 2nd that nomination for Kara too. She is abnormal. We love her that way! :P

Can I be in your cabinet Kara?

Yes, I mean the one at your house where you keep the dishes and glasses...that cabinet. Then every time you open it I can say "Hi Kara" and "Here take a glass, I bet you're thirsty" and maybe more importantly, "Hi Kara, have we practiced our piccolo like we said we were going to?"

Then Kara will truly hate me, and I will have accomplished my mission in life...Kara attracts the crazies, she said so herself. ;-)


<Added>

Thanks for adding to my clarification Kippsix. I also meant the part about boys being thought of as g@y. I obviously totally disagree with anyone saying a person is of a certain persuasion just because they play flute and are male. I think playing the flute has nothing to do with any of this. It just hurts when you are called that for many years growing up, because kids can be thoughtless and mean. Ok, I have beat this poor horse to a pulp I will shut the trap now...In short I agree with Micron totally 100% too. I just think he might have misunderstood my use of the word normal at first. Maybe not. Doesn't matter. I agree with everything he said. :) All is well that ends well. *DING*

Can I be in your cabinet Kara?

I will have to think about that one. Only very few select can be in my cabinet. You have to play a Powell, but since your flute begins with the letter P, I might just make an exception.

Hey Micron.. I got the last word! Neener neener neener!

Oh come on! Lighten up, can't you take a joke? I guess not, you ol grouch! Now THAT is precisely WHY I usually don't respond to anything you have said to me in the past six months. JERK!

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You show infantile behaviour every time you refuse to let something drop and instead you go on and on just like a baby stamping his foot.

You show infantile behaviour every time you refuse to let something drop and instead you go on and on just like a baby stamping his foot.

......as do a couple others

What is that suppose to mean?

Lol, it's not a jab at you. But here's my hommage:

Unfortunately, Kara, you're incorrect. You've now forced me to spew into a long-winded exploitation of my ample cerebral flood plains. When it comes to one's ability to play his/her flute adequately, it's important to keep in mind that Manatees are primarily herbivores.

They feed on a wide variety of submerged, emergent, floating, and shoreline vegetation. Manatees in Florida feed on more than 60 species of plants including turtle grass, manatee grass, shoal grass, mangrove leaves, various algae, water hyacinth, acorns, and hydrilla. Manatees consume about 4% to 9% (15 to 49 kg or 32-108 lb. for an average adult manatee) of their body weight in wet vegetation daily.

In Sierra Leone, Africa, the West African manatee is considered a pest because they consume fields of planted rice.

Manatees have occasionally been seen to eat foods other than plants. Antillean manatees have been known to eat fish from nets and West African manatees have been known to eat clams.

Some Amazonian manatees living in deep bodies of water apparently fast during dry seasons (November and December) when water levels drop as much as 9 to 15 m (30-50 ft.), eliminating their access to vegetation.

Because manatees have a very low metabolic rate, it is speculated that Amazonian manatees are able to fast for up to seven months if necessary.

I hope my knowledge will help your flute playing!

Hahahaha!!! Sorry, I wasn't sure there for a second.
My husband just read what you wrote and thought is was hysterical! Thanks for the laugh and making my day a little brighter.