I`m an oboist and I want to start the flut but I don`t know anything about it can somebody please tell me what the difference is between an open holed flut and a closed flute and what is a split E mmechanism. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You`ll be happy to know that from what I`ve heard the flute is a million times easier than the oboe! Anyway, an open hole flute is a flute where all the keys on which you put your hands have holes in them. These are slightly more expensive and are not realy nescesary for a beginner. They allow you to do certain special efects and also sometimes help a little with hand position. A split E is a special key which is added and makes getting the high E to sound properly much more easily. This also is slightly more expensive. The split E does restrict some trills in the 3rd octave but for a beginner this shouldn`t matter. Good luck!!!!!

Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If i were you, i`d go ahead and get an open holed flute. that way, when you get really good, you won`t have pressure from your band teacher to get an open holed flute, like i have.

you can get plugs for the holes if you have a problem with the open holes. These can be removed at a later date, saving you the change over from a closed hole flute.

Are these band leaders really so ignorant that they make these enforcements not realising that an open flute does not necessarily play any better, and that a person can buy closed hole flutes that are every bit as expensive and professional in sound as an open hole flute?

Or is it just a power trip they are on? Or ego-tripping on their pseudo-knowledge?

Is it some sort of national disease that everybody just lets them get away with?

It is quite unbelievable!

Do they ask for open hole piccolos too?