Perhaps I am crazy to be thinking about this - I have a concert this Sunday. I heard about an Altus that is for sale. I am thinking of buying it and playing it at the concert! I know that it will sing so beautifully! But I am wondering if I will have trouble getting used to a new headjoint? What do you think? Anyone else brave enough to have done this?

Yes you are crazy to be thinking about this! Especially if your concert is an important solo recital. Less crazy (as in it probably doesn't matter what you play) if you are playing 3rd flute in a community band open-air charity gig on a Sunday afternoon.

Standard advice repeated time and time again on this forum : try before you buy, try many different flutes before you buy, find the flute that plays best for you (wildly variable amongst diferent players), and avoid impulse buys if you can.

So if your concert is an important one where you absolutely must play at your best, don't even think about the Altus three days out. Stick with your current flute.

After the concert, try the Altus, decide if it is the right flute for you, try out as many other flutes as you can, and purchase at your leisure.

Good luck for the concert!

Not me. It is not a case of being brave or not. It is very risky and you may have troubles. Why do it?

If you have many years of experience or a good mature set embouchure then picking up a different flute may be some work but you should be able to do it. I would recommend you at least spend a good day with it though so to learn it's corks. It all depends on your level though. Definitely do try before you buy.

DWW says it very well. Typically it is not wise to play a new instrument at a concert. Very few exceptions. For one it takes awhile to get used to a new instrument to know all the little differences in tuning to make your small minute adjustments. Now, if you say say you're not that good that you don't make small miniute adjustments on every note so it doesn't matter, then you need to think about the other players who make small mintue adjustments to play intune with you. It's not fair to them for you to show up with a different instrument. Unless everyone is just there to have fun outside at a picnic with the local community band.

"I would recommend you at least spend a good day with it though so to learn it's corks."

I would agree with this statement BUT the phrase should be learn it's 'quirks'.

"learning corks" doesn't make sense.

~bilbo
N.E. Ohio

Yes, sorry that is what I meant. But hey, I flute has a cork right? Okay... bad joke.