I've heard that C foot flutes are somehow accoustically superior to B foot flutes. If there's any truth to this, please give my more information.

I've played maybe 2 pieces that called for a low B, and both pieces provided alternative notes. I'm wondering why there's a necessity for a B foot.

The B foot is only necessary when you have a low B to play. It is also supposed to make the 3rd register less shrill, but I haven't noticed my C foot flutes play any shriller than a B foot.

Here's the growing list of pieces with low B:
http://www.larrykrantz.com/lowb.htm

Low B's are used quite frequently in flute choir arrangements as it is commonly found on flutes now.

I personally am leaning towards C foot being better for the lighter weight and better/convenient C4, but my flute choir experiences tell me that low B's are here to stay as I encounter them in more and more pieces.

Though some say that the C foot is too long and prefer to use a D foot.

I say take off the darn footjoint and see how you like that!

From Larry Krantz Flute List archive:

Flute Maker Robert Bigio:

Our view was that the flute sounded much, much better with the C foot, and the difference was felt throughout the range of the instrument.

Flutist John Wion:

I started playing with a c foot about fifteen years ago, finding the response noticeably brighter. Apart from a very rare low b for which I change foot joints when I can't just leave it out, my only other thought is that I might be lacking a little control on high

Flutist Douglas Worthen:

I had the same experience about c feet - I went from a b foot back in the early seventies to a c foot. When I need a b once every few years, I borrow one from a friend. Otherwise, I have the response, articulation and tone of a c foot which IMHO is better.

Flutist Jean-francois Rompre:

In my own experience (for what it's worth), a low B adds a slight resistance. In addition, or maybe as a result, the high register, I find, is a little flatter than the same flute with a C foot.

If I can add my 2 cents, I also played a bfoot for years and have gone back to playing a cfoot, I have another flute with a bfoot should the need arise if I have to play a modern piece.
I find the cfoot better on an older flute like mine, especially for intonation

If I can add my 2 cents, I also played a bfoot for years and have gone back to playing a cfoot, I have another flute with a bfoot should the need arise if I have to play a modern piece.
I find the cfoot better on an older flute like mine, especially for intonation

If I can add my 2 cents, I also played a bfoot for years and have gone back to playing a cfoot, I have another flute with a bfoot should the need arise if I have to play a modern piece.
I find the cfoot better on an older flute like mine, especially for intonation

Oh...I have a question...what IS a D foot?

Also, I am honestly confused: should one get a "B" foot just in case, or just get a "C" foot?

With a D foot the flute is even shorter. You only have the right pinky key for Eb/D end then... snip everything else is gone. No more low Cs and Bs to worry about as all the keywork and tubing is GONE.

Some say the best flute would be closed hole with a C foot.

Some say open hole hole with a B foot.

Some say Gold...


Ultimately it's what you want.

Though I think if you never played an open hole flute before that would make a great choice for a couple of years and then one can revert to a closed hole flute. Playing an open hole is really like riding a bike. lol. If you never try it you will never be able to switch and you may find it useful. I've had many people want to try my flute and they can't make a sound since they have never experienced open holes. Some people are rather open hole phobic from the experience too.

Also I think that once you get up to full speed on an open hole your speed capability on a closed hole is even faster. You can truly fly with more freedom, but with off center key presses your flute goes out of adjustment quicker so an open hole can train you for optimal finger placement.

A bad thing about closed holes flutes is that they may fall prey to bad pad jobs, but open hole flutes require a little more effort and as a result may come out better. Though if a reputable person is doing the job and the closed hole flute is of a recognizable quality hopefully pad jobs won't be a concern.

When you strike the center of the key it will (hopefully) apply equal pressure towards the center into the tone hole, but if someone is striking the edges of the key there is unequal pressure.

Combined with a grip of death and or an ebay flute... or time.

It's not an uncommon adjustmnet "view", but over the course of time an open hole flute will keep it's adjustment longer in comparison. It may not be a quick period of time, but that closed hole flute will have to go in sooner than it's open hole counterpart.

As a technician... you would have a preference for closed hole flutes.

I truly feel closed hole flutes get a half fast treatment from technicians, at least in my area. It could be because of the view of the flutes being of lower quality due to the closed holes, but it's shoddier treatment even so.

Yes, in America it extremely hard to find professional grade closed holes. Only specialty foreign flutes shops would carry any, but a really a small selection at that.

One really must import/special order and then they lose the ability to test out flutes and compare.

But it is a result of people here simply viewing closed holes (and C foots for that matter) as the domain of children and then one grows up and plays adult flutes.

It is not an view I share, but technicians here I fear largely do. Unless that closed hole flute has a big professional name on it, it will get a Bundy repad.

Micron, I am not sure of that.. check with him, he has set up some student flutes and made them sound pretty good

ALL flutes should be treated with respect. A good repair tech that REALLY cares about what they are doing will (like Micron said) treat a student flute like a handmade. It is so irritating to see those half as* jobs done by some of those music store repair people. Ugh!!! If you are going to do a job, don't do it half as$!
I despise that! Do you know how many 'so called' repaired flutes that come to me with glue stuck all over them from a lazy pad job? There is several other things that I could go on and on about.

The repair guy in my town ought to be shot!! I have had to fix so many flutes that he has messed up..and he is the one that went to school for it too! Lazy..lazy! Though that is how a lot of people are unfortuently where I have to live. First chance I get...I am outa here! Lol!!!