I came across a very interesting email in which a person asked these questions. I thought they were interesting, so decided to post some of them on the board and hope that is okay with everyone.

Please name one professional flutist, recital or symphony, who plays a Plateau flute.

Please name any professional flutist that plays on a C foot.

Open hole versed closed hole.
The writers opinion on this topic is... saying that the tone is much better on an open hole flute because, despite technology, the pads on a Plateau flute do NOT accomplish the same sound as the human finger-pad does.

B foot verses C foot
The writer of the letter also states that ALL of the professional flutists they know ALWAYS endorse a Low-B foot joint. Why? Because that extra length of tube gives your low C a fuller, richer sound. Yes, very little flute literature is written which calls for the actual "low b" NOTE, itself. The writer then asked me to Again tell them the NAME of any PROFESSIONAL flutist who does NOT use a low B foot joint.The writer goes on sayting that I WON'T find any.

In line G verses offset G
The writer says that as far as in-line G, it has been demonstrated that the offset-G provides a different (and less desirable) tonal quality than an in-line G.

Please note.. these are NOT my words!

Anyone care to share there thoughts?

Thanks!

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Typo, sorry. Anyone care to share THIER thoughts?


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THEIR. lol!!

As always, I'm willing to share my thoughts, and they can be boiled down to two words: "How ludicrous!"

I'm glad you came across that e-mail, because I trust you to set that person right! Hahaha! It sounds like they've been reading way too much literature from flute makers and ridiculously uninformed flutists!

C foot - Petric Dillery
Closed hole - John Wion

There are tons of others for both categories though

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And doesn't Baxtresser have tons of crazy key extensions which esentially make her flute closed hole?

It doesn't matter one bit, Lera. If the airstream had a preference for which side of the flute it wanted to vent through, thumb keys, G# keys, and trills would have to be repositioned to the top of the flute to create an acoustically correct instrument, not to mention that foot joints would have to be either locked into the correct position somehow. The position of toneholes up and down the tube certainly matters, as that helps dictate pitch, but as long as a given tonehole is the right distance from the embouchure hole, it doesn't matter where around the tube it is located.

yes, Petric here plays a c-foot, which is nice and full sounding...

For all of you wannabe flutists, whom are "so accomplished", and are PROMINENT recital artists, with recordings in place, and/or are the PRINCIPAL flutists of a MAJOR symphony, I have only ONE thing to say:

After 40+ years of playing the flute --- and having played several different flutes, and having studied with PROMINENT flutists (some of whom are "household names") --- I can tell you that it is NOT MY opinion that counts --- nor your rantings about "this technical structure of the instrument" --- nor "that" nonsense" --- the final arbiters of just WHICH FLUTE IS THE BEST --- whether Plateau or French, and on and on, ad nauseum --- it is the PROFESSIONAL flutists --- those who have accomplished far MORE than ANY of you have done, who are the final judges, regarding "the best flute" --- the best "vibrato" --- the best "this, that or the other".

After all is said and done, I stand correct. The BEST flute is Powell. Period. The best flute is a solid silver flute with a low B foot joint, gizmo key and diamond springs. IF you REALLY can afford it, then opt for the Powell GOLD flute.

UNLESS --- and here I have to educate you juvenile flutists, who have been playing for two years and postion yourselves as "gurus" --- you are a SYMPHONY flutist. And guess what? NONE of you in this forum are.

IF you are a symphony flutist, then it is best to choose a solid silver flute or platinum flute, as they have a "sharper", more edge to their tone, which gives them the "projection" they need.

For recital artists, the flute of choice is GOLD. It has a more mellow tone, and is more suitable for chamber music recitals.

THIS IS NOT MY OPINION. This is what I have gleaned from having played the flute for more years than most of you have been alive --- and having studied under some of the great masters of our instrument --- which NO ONE IN THIS FORUM can claim to be --- a master of our instrument. PERIOD.

Let's put all of the nonsense to rest. NONE OF YOU are accomplished flutists. I hear of NONE OF YOU whom are recital artists nor symphony flutists. AND I KNOW MOST OF THEM. GOT IT ??? YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THEM.

I don't care care about your "geek" talk about "head-sets", this mechanism, or "this that or the other". I want to HEAR FROM SOMEONE IN THIS FORUM WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL FLUTIST, like those whom I studied under. IF you're NOT --- then your opinion is worthless. "Self-appointed guru, 'geek'
or however you position yourself, you are being DISRESPECTFUL AND DISHONEST with those whom are depending upon your "honest" (cackle, cackle, cackle) feedback.

The only person you're fooling is yourself.

Jim Millen,
Chamber Music Society of Chicago

I basically passed the email off as someone playing a joke. I could hardly imagine they were serious!

Yeah for C foots or feet. lol! I play on a C foot too sometimes as I like the lighter weight and to me it sounds lighter too on my flute. Might be in my head, but hey.. it works for me.

If no professionals played on closed holes or C foot then why do companies offer them? Hmm....

This guy is starting to sound a like like Phil. lol!!

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What are diamond springs?

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"I don't care care about your "geek" talk about "head-sets" Do you mean headjoint?
Really, lets just stop playing around. It is obvious that you haven't got a clue.

To come on here and insult all these forum members likes this is so wrong is so many ways! A lot of the posters on here go by different screen names and don't even use their real names. So how can you write a post in your high and almighty way saying that you know that no one on here is any good or professional. So you know everyone by their first and last name on this group? Professional? You? I hope not! With that sort of ego or behavior you should have never made it in the music industry.

If you want to talk to some flute Gods go join that Galway forum!

Definetively, I do not like people (even virtual people) that posts unnecessarily aggressive texts here.

I am sure that most of you will agree with me.

Well "Jim", I am not a world famous flute player, but I have accomplished quite a bit, recordings, orchestral work in Europe, artist/clinician with a major manufacturer and you will see my name on the artist link page of Haynes flutes...

that said "Jim", I play an older Haynes with a c-foot,with a gold headjoint, most pieces that use a low b have an alternate for those of us dinosaurs who play a low c.

when I travel to asia or europe the majority of players play low c, as did Rampal, as do some very famous players these days...

Does William Bennet play a c foot, I believe he mainly plays a Louis Lot with an Albert Cooper gold head...etc. etc....

Gary Schocker does.

I love C foots.

My new temporary teacher has a B foot...

Jim,

Are you using a stage name? can't find you on the net, nor for Chamber music society of Chicago, only the group that has players from the CSO, of course, that would not include you...

just for the record, anyone who is paid to do an activity can be, in all essence, called a professional. if going by a "professional" stance, i wouldve been a professional flutist since i was about 12 yrs old. and i was a paid professional playing on a STUDENT GEMEINHARDT, NOT A POWELL! (dont worry, allieann... im along side of you with your PMS) I currently play on a muramatsu (hey, rick sherman, the professor of flute at michigan state university also plays on a muramatsu... james galway is known for playing on a muramatsu... need i go on?) and ive tried powell flutes. they arent for me. i absolutely HATE them. but they may work for some people, just not for me. i, to be honest, am not a fan at all of american made flutes with the exception of brannen. and even then its a wash between that and a good quality japanese flute. the b foot is mostly an american "fad." i remember i played in an orchestra with a french exchange student. she owned the same flute as me (solid silver muramatsu) BUT WITH A C FOOT. she said she wanted the b foot but she wouldve had to special order it out of america because no place in europe had one. the material of the flute is also a personal preference. i prefer the sound of silver over platinum any day. i prefer the sound of a gold headjoint over a silver one.

hey, by the way, ive studied under many a big-named flutist. would you like a list? id be more than happy to give you one.
- ervin monroe (former principal flute of the detroit symphony orchestra)
- shaul ben meir (former flutist of the detroit symphony orchestra, owner of flute world)
- amy porter (current professor of flute at university of michigan)
- nancy stagnitta (current professor of flute at grand valley state university, former flute instructor at interlochen arts academy)
- jeanne baxtresser (do i need to define who she is?)
- michel debost (do i need to define who he is?)
- rhonda larson (do i need to define who she is?)

many more. i mean, come on... all of us here know what were talking about. were not stupid.

I am inclined to believe that "Jim Millen" -unexpectedly lacking of due respect- posts are basically a joke. Not a good one, in any case.

He/she appears to be a mysterious character, with the bitterest temperament I have ever found in a serious Forum, living (as he/she declares in the profile) in the most exotic place on earth I can think of and with a Chicago Orchestra-related CV that is easily put in question.

Some people may find it amusing to come to a Forum like this with (virtual) bombs in the pocket and see what happens when they make one go off.

So far there were a few reactions to his/her aggressive posting, but I think it is not necessary (and perhaps, not convenient) for professionals and not professionals here to disclose their own Curricula and personal data. After all, we are still in Internet. We all know what that means.

Therefore I propose courteously to close this thread right now.

I tend to agree Jose, "Phil" did the same thing, perhaps this current character is the same person...