this might be a silly question, but why do I, as a beginner, have to buy a student flute?
What difference (apart from cost) is there between this and an upgraded one?
I teach myself and have had very little guidance. I got an Intersound (rubbish flute) very cheaply.
I find it hard to go high because it sounds like a tin and needs to be warmed up for ages. It`s therefore very hard to practise on 1,5 octaves
All the other flutes I`ve tried sound better.
I want to get a real proper one that is reliable and that I can play in public.
Should I get a student one or an upgraded one?

Well, student flutes are cheaper, no doubt. But if you are really serious, you may want to go with a pro flute. The only diffrences in a pro flute are (or can be): better quality, open holes (sometimes), low B footjoint (found on some student models, more often on pro flutes though), high C gizmo (included on low B foot joints) and a higher price. I have a Yamaha student flute which goes for about $1000 CND new.

From my perspective, that is a lot of nonsense. The features mentioned do NOT make a pro flute. Those features are like the video, the mag wheels, the super sound system, and other gismos in a motor vehicle. The pro vehicle in this analogy is the racing car, and does not need those features. It has potential for awesome performance, making the driver rather than the vehicle the limiting factor for performance.

The pro flute is one that has an extraordinary effort put into the acoustic and mechanical design of the instrument. That costs money to produce. The features mentioned may be part of an advertising push, especially by ingorant staff at retail outlets, and ignorant teachers even.

What REALLY matters is the design, and no maker is going to rave about the probably secret technicalities of their DESIGN features.

Thanks.
I`ve decided to buy a pro one that falls within my budget, because I want to play live in a few weeks.
I`ll try to find a flute shop in London or Paris where I can get one 2nd hand.
What qualities should I look for?
What flaws should I be aware of and try to avoid?

SEcond hand flutes are often sold because they have older style of design, inferior heads, which don`t have a good a tone/volume/response.

You need an accomplished, experienced, in-practice player, used to playing on many flutes, with you to test for this. Not so easy. That is why it is safer to buy new, a flute with an awesome reputation, such as Muramatsu EX or GX.

e.g. http://www.muramatsu-america.com/instr.htm

Thanks for the advice. I`m sure sales people in music shops wouldn`t be objective. I`d better get someone with experience if I have to spend £1000 on a flute. My boyfriend`s got a sax from this japanese make. He says they make the best ones.

I know what people mean when they say student flutes sound like crap,because they do.I play a professional now,and trying to play the student one really sucks!

There are many student flutes, whewn properly adjusted, sound awesome when played by a good player, even a good amateur. Your statement says a lot about your ....competence as a player, or your ignorance of good student flutes.

BTW, vert jaune rouge, Muramatsu do not make saxes. If it is a Japoanese sax it is almost certainly Yamaha or Yanagisawa, both excellent makers.

oh yeah, got mixed up it`s a yaganisawa

It was probably because I had something called a Mirage and I got it from a lether jacket shop in begining band.

It`s not even a "yaganisawa". It`s a Yanagisawa.

Made in Japan, not untedi steats of amicera.

:-)

id personly say go 4 a yamaha begina. thersno use in havin pro flute that dusnt benefit u
beth x

Taht os a fiar sttaneemt. The oedrr of the lteerts in a wrod do not mettar as lnog as the frist and lsat are cecorrt.

I`m sorry about before when I was typing quickly because I had to go out so was just quickly leaving a message, but Meme, I thought it unnecessary to reply with a message like that, because I couldn`t understand your meaning, whereas reading back on mine, although the spelling was awful from typing, it was possible to understand
beth x

Sorry, I made an error in the second word.

It should have read

Taht is a fiar sttaneemt. The oedrr of the lteerts in a wrod do not mettar as lnog as the frist and lsat lteters are cecorrt.

I`m sure you will get it if you try a little longer. it is rather interesting.

It came from this bit of email trivia I received:

"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn`t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe."