in the UK do you have to have an open hole flute for the higher grades?

You don`t have to have an open hole flute anywhere in the world. You can become a professional flutist on a closed hole flute.

It`s doesn`t really matter whether you use an open hole or closed hole flute from basic to advanced levels. However, you may find more advanced players (or pro) choose to use an open hole flute for different reasons.

Regardless open hole or not, I believe people won`t disagree that you do need a good quality flute which gives you mechanical reliability and tonal variety for your higher grade study. That`s why many people upgrade their flutes to intermediate or even pro models when they advance to Grade 6 or above levels in their ABRSM exams.

I have this perception (of course could be wrong) that most players (except the beginners) who use an open hole flute will continue to use an open hole model when they upgrade their instrument. Not too many of them will return to a closed hole model. On the contrary, quite a lot of players on closed hole models will change to open hole models and take it as an advancement. Interesting.

Regardless open hole or not, I believe people won`t disagree that you do need a good quality flute which gives you mechanical reliability and tonal variety for your higher grade study. That`s why many people upgrade their flutes to intermediate or even pro models when they advance to Grade 6 or above levels in their ABRSM exams.

True, though I would argue that a talented player using a student flute (of good technical quality) should be able to reach Grade 8 ABRSM. In fact, I know a girl who got a distinction at Grade 8 on her Yamaha 211.

Mrs C, I agree with you. It is not uncommon for people to advance to high Grades with an ordinary student flute. Techniques are more essential than the instrument. But I must say Yamaha 211 is an excellent and technically reliable flute though.

Obviously if someone (or their parents) can afford a higher model flute, they will tend to upgrade their instrument when they achieve certain learning goal as a kind of reward or tangible support. I believe that using a higher model flute will only have an postive impact on the practice and will not cause any harms to the learning.

I had a yamaha 211 and done grade 6 on it. I have recently bought a Miyazawa flute but my yamaha one would have done fine for grade 8

yeah im just about to do my grade 6 on yamaha 211 and my teacherasked me when i was going to upgrade as if to say my flute was inadequate for higher level music

IMO a well-adjusted YFL-211 plays better than most top, professional flutes of several decades ago. Those guys would have been delighted to earn their `letters` on such a flute!

To anon:


I would only agree with your teacher if your flute was in a bad state of repair. Otherwise it would definately see you through Grade 8 (and perhaps beyond).

An upgrade is desirable but not neccesary.

I am able to play anything on my Yamaha that I can play on my Powell. If that is any indication.

Of course the Powell sounds better to me. I have used my Yamaha 211 for professional gigs, and I doubt the audience would have know the difference.

I am happy to say that I totally agree with what you are saying, Kara.

I think a good player can get much the same sound out of any half decent flute, student professional models. With a student model the player just has to make a bit more effort.

I think that making this effort, e.g. the air pressure control required for unstable high notes, is arguably beneficial to a student`s development. I would have to say it was in my early development as a player.