What is the flute?
As you might know, a flute is a cylindrical tube of wood, or of some metal (in fact, most flutes, today, are made of precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, just to make them stand out in the hands of the flautist), that produces sound when the flautist (that is you) makes the stationary air inside it vibrate by blowing straight across the hole at its mouth (the headjoint, it is called), forcing the blown air to strike the opposite side of the hole and making the direct force of the air stream divert into two parts.
The sound range of every flute is 3½ octaves, although you would usually not touch the extreme limits in most cases (trust me).
The flute belongs to a category of instruments termed as the “woodwind instruments”, a family that includes a kind of piccolo, three oboes, an English horn, three clarinets, a bass clarinet, three bassoons, and a contrabassoon. But, since it is the highest pitched of all the listed instruments, it is usually the king of all of them wherever you look for it (although it’s younger brother piccolo produces even higher notes, it has not become as popular: which makes me call it younger). The reason for this is that the flute is capable of producing almost every kind of music, from classical, to jazz, to rock, to even traditional Indian music.
It’s design
Although a flute seems exceedingly complex with the knobs and tubes and bells and whistles, it is basically a pretty simple one. At the time of conception of the flute, it was made of hollow bones with air holes through its length. Then it began to be refined and tuned. It evolved as a wooden tube (your old recorder) with carved holes. Today, it is moulded with metals, with precision and delicateness not seen in most things in the world.
The modern flute is made of three parts. The most common flute, the C flute, is basically a cylindrical tube, composed of three marked parts:
The Headjoint:
Being at the head of the flute, this is the part where you blow in using your mouth (apparently).
The Body:
This is the middle part of the flute, with all the bells and whistles (the keys, knobs and holes). It is the largest part of the flute, and is the most important part if you are willing to produce proper notes (unless you simply want to blow!).
The Footjoint:
It similar to the body, with holes and keys, and fits at the bottom of the body via a socket. There are flutes without a footjoint (open-ended). Such flutes produce the lowest note of D, which does not make it of much “note” (pun). With a footjoint, the flute produces a lowest note of C or even B. The footjoints come in various varieties, and it is upon the flautist to choose one.
Keys:
The keys of a flute are of two kinds, again. Closed (called “Plateau style”) and open (called “French style”). The closed holed ones actually have knobs to make it easy on your fingers while you are playing the flute. The open holed ones are more professional and will become more prominent once you have undertaken the journey to play the flute well. At the moment, the closed hole flutes are the most ideal for you as a beginner (presuming you are one). But again, open hole flutes are more versatile, since they do not need to be replaced at the professional level since you can use key plugs to close the holes at the beginner level and make it resemble a closed hole flute.
Therefore, it comes down to a matter of personal preference, to choose the kind of flute you are about to begin your journey with.
Its material:
In today’s time, there can be no doubt that you may even find an artificial, carbon fiber flute. But the flute experts have their own tastes. No one but they can mark the difference between the sound produced by a silver flute, and a nickel plated steel flute. Flautists have a sort of faithfulness to the material of their choice for a flute. The following materials are commonly used today, for moulding, carving, and sculpting a high-quality flute:
- Silver:
Being made of a highly resonant material, a solid silver flute strikes your imagination. Most flautists are of the opinion that a silver flute has to be at the top of the line in the list of the best possible flutes in the world. Silver is used to making common, as well as professional flutes, today. As is evident, pure silver cannot be used to make a flute (it’s very soft). Therefore, alloys of silver (with more than 90% silver) are used to make flutes. Maybe a psychological perception, but most professional flute enthusiasts are of the opinion that a flute with the higher percentage of silver produces a more melodious tune. Be aware that the “Nickel Silver” flute in the shop, although is highly prized for its quality of sound, is not made of real silver, but an alloy of various metals with Nickel holding a large percentage (it might be plated with real silver, but it is not a silver flute; nonetheless, it is of high quality).
- Gold:
Possibly mainly due to its highly renowned sheen and precious value, people are of the opinion that gold flutes are highly melodious. But that actually happens to be true. Similar to silver, gold is soft. Therefore, using it in pure form for making a flute is not practiced. But a silver flute is sometimes considered better than gold in sound quality and its perceptibility.
- Wood:
Traditionally, flutes were made of plain wood (the reason why the flute family is called “woodwinds”), which was considered to be the most “natural” sound. Wooden flutes are usually made in the simplistic form, and produce a notably “wooden” sound, which is sonorous, a refreshing feast to some. Recently, wooden flutes have regained their old sheen, and are gaining prevalence, due to their lower costs (as opposed to silver and gold flutes), texture and feel, as well as the change in perceptibility.
- Carbon fiber:
A carbon fiber flute is carved and sculpted to perfection according to the manufacturer’s will, which gives it a huge flexibility in the range of its sound quality. Carbon fiber flutes use the highest technology available today, for the most precise notes, and require the least effort due to their low weight and sturdiness.
- Alloys:
Apart from the above metals, various combinations of metals are used as alloys, to produce flutes, including brass, bronze, and multiple coppers containing alloys, which are lightweight and sturdy.
Requirements to play the best flute
I like a perfect setting for doing anything, be it gardening (in which case, I need a perfect shady atmosphere, with a good lot of greenery, an end which I strive to achieve), or playing a musical instrument. If you are anything like me, you will need some important things to build the necessary ambience and tune and motivate yourself to playing the flute.
Personal Requirements
And you thought that there was no such requirement except a flute and yourself! Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind and possibly in your repertoire for the best performance in flute playing:
- The exhilarating enthusiasm which led you to purchase the flute and led you to this place.
- The persistence to make it through and become better at playing one of the oldest and most melodious musical instruments in the world. You must keep to your practice schedule strictly to become an expert sooner rather than later.
- Self-retrospection of your progress. Do not begin to think that you have already become a master flautist, by the time you begin assembling your flute properly.
- Taste for music and the ability to reproduce at least simple tunes, maybe with trial and error. Some inbuilt musical talent is a must for any musical exploration.
- Unending love for whatever you are doing, and the confidence that what you do is actually the right thing to be done.
Things you might need
A few tools are essentially needed to begin learning to play the flute. Most of these can be produced on a makeshift basis, so you don’t need to worry a lot about spending a fortune. I’ll try to provide you with everything you will possibly need while playing the flute. Later, when you are confident that you can progress further in your quest to play the flute, you can purchase professional versions of the tools. Here they are:
- A music stand: Posture is the most important thing in your quest to play the flute. To stand straight, and breathe well (I will tell you about this as well), and stay focused are one of the primary things you need to do for learning to play the flute. So to start off, better not read music in an improper posture by keeping your notebook on a bed or table. Get a music stand or create a simple one by hanging the notebook in a way with some padding at its bottom. This will encourage you to have a proper posture while playing your flute.
- A mirror: Mirror, mirror on the wall; who is the best flautist of them all? It’s you, sire (you expected the answer, didn’t you? Do not let this flattering praise get to your heart, or your flute learning exertions will slump). And you have to make sure that this is true in reality. You need to keep track of your lips, hand, and body, and make sure they stay in their correct position (you can consult my guide on posture). Motor senses can mislead, and I mean it. You might think that you are standing upright, while your back might be humped (maybe even slightly).
- A metronome:Now, what is this thing? A metronome is a piece of technical hardware that produces rhythmic clicking sounds to help you keep track of your rhythms and keep your tempos in sync. Since you are just starting off, an online metronome ought to be your “device” of choice. You can try one for free, and probably stick to it, since moving around will only push you back on your schedule. Later on, you can strive to achieve perfection by using a proper electrical one. I am providing you one below, for your ease (you will need to enable iFrames in your browser to use this one):
- A tuner:Now you have heard about tuners if you have been in any musical surrounding ever. People use tuners for guitar, violin, and what-not tuning. You will need one too. No, there is nothing to tune in a flute, but yourself: the pressure with which you blow, are you doing it just right or not. Believe me. A tuner can be hugely helpful in getting you on the right track in a very short time. Now tuners come in many shapes and sizes and range from cheap to costly (evident). But for now, I would suggest you to use an online tuner to test your works. You will need flash, and a microphone, and a room without much external noise, to make it work perfectly. Here, try this one (you will need to have flash in your web browser. Allow when the tiny flash popup asks permission to access your mic). You might need to shift the input level control to make it “hear” your microphone’s sound optimally:
- A recording device:Yes, you’ll be needing this one if you want to retrospect and improve upon your notes. But then, as with every other thing, you can do this with a free substitute on your computer. But do record whatever you do, in case you plan on making a journal about your path in learning music.
- A couple of cloths for cleaning and polishing:You want to keep your awesome flute looking and feeling awesome, don’t you? Then you need a cloth or two just to keep it in prime condition. Two soft dry cloths, preferably of silk will do. When you blow, you expel water-vapor, you might know. And you need to prevent its buildup in the flute. Therefore, do not use water to moist the cloths. Dry ones will do fine. Besides, outward looks matter equally. Don’t they? You will need to keep polishing your flute to remove the stains, and signs of wear like fingerprints and grime on the surface by constantly polishing it. Just do not use a wax polish or any sort of abrasive substance. It would be best to use just a plain simple piece of silk to softly wipe out the stains and fingerprints. Keep to it and your glossy and elegant flute will catch anyone’s eye, even before it catches their ears.
- Pad papers:You will need these to keep your keys dry, without water bubbles, and prevent stickiness which develops on your flute keys. You can use “official” ones from your favorite music store, or even use cigarette papers. Just make sure that your cigarette papers are not gummed (which happens to be a common thing, indeed: beware), else you will be achieving the exact opposite of what was intended.
With these tools in your repertoire, you are ready to learn to play a flute right away, now. So take care and make sure you have each of these under your arms.
Buying your flute: The types of Flute
Best Flute Reviews Of Top Rated Brands
Flutes come in several respected brands and manufacturers and these are three of the top student flutes for your child that he or she will surely love.
Gemeinhardt 2SP Review:
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Everybody who plays flute knows and respects Gemeinhardt since they are the biggest maker of flute globally. The model 2SP has been the first preference of music teachers and dealers. The best flute are made from high-quality materials and these models are made especially for students. It has exceptional toughness, and the offset key of G is much easier for children who have small hands to reach the key than the standards models.
1. Yamaha YFL 221 Flute Review
Yamaha is the biggest maker of musical instruments, such as flute all over the world. They have made a leading name in music industry. They also have some of the uppermost quality flutes for all levels of musicians. The enthusiasts of this company have created blogs and fan sites for all Yamaha flutes. The model YFL-221 provides you a high quality sounds and it is also very durable. Yamaha offers their flute at very reasonable price.To read the Yamaha violin brands reviews.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
The Yamaha YFL-221 is one of the more commonly used beginner’s flutes on the market. If you’ve been to a highschool band performance you’ve probably seen it as it’s a perennial favorite of band teachers across the country. It’s a standard sliver flute with a durable design and excellent tone, making it a fine choice for an entry level flute for any beginning player.
- Yamaha YFL221 Flute
- Key of C -Silver-plated finish
- Plateau model
- It has Offset G
- Includes YAC-1310 Case
“This is a perfect flute for a beginners. I would recommend this every beginning flute player!” – Customer.
2. Jupiter Plateau Offset G Silver-Plated Flute 511S Review:
Jupiter restores its place in the market of student instrument after it suffers from quality disappointments in the late 1990s. The model 511S is ideal for all the students who want to play flute and it is also available in an open hole for those who are playing flute for a few years.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
Features:
- ABS Molded Case
Many people as often as ask the question:
=> Is it flute B foot.
Ans: No,It has a C foot.
=> Is this the deluxe standard or the student?
Ans: Many music teachers recommended this model because this is the most standard student model with excellent pricing available.
=> Has it come with the case?
Ans: Yes.
3. Gemeinhardt 3sb Flute Review
The Gemeinhardt 3SB flute is a soprano model, offering the resonance and tone quality of a solid silver headjoint and body combined with the unparallelled durability of a French key mechanism. Using a B footjoint, silver headjoint and body, the 3SB offers specifications many teachers recommend as the ideal step-up flute for advancing musicians. It features a silver J1 headjoint that allows for maximum color and projection of sound for the flute player that wants to keep improving.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
The B footjoint provides a longer tube allowing a greater resonance in the flute, as well as providing flutists opportunities to utilize alternate fingerings for greater facility in the upper register.
It’s an excellent intermediate flute made out of solid silver.
- Solid Silver with Model J1 head joint
- Silver-plated, French (open hole) style keys
- Silver plated key mechanism
- B footjoint
- Professionally padded
- Stainless steel spring
- Sterling silver head, body and B foot
- Offset G key.
- Beryllium copper keys.
- Drawn tone holes.
- Includes: case, cleaning rod.
4. Gemeinhardt 2np Flute Review
The Gemeinhardt 2NP soprano flute is a nickel plated version of the very popular silver plated 2SP version. For decades, the 2NP has proved to be as popular among dealers and educators as the beginning flutists themselves. Featuring the same durable construction as the Gemeinhardt 2SP, the 2NP includes an extremely durable nickel-plated finish. Many student flute players play this model for years before moving on to a more advanced model.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
- Plateau model (closed hole)
- Offset G key
- Nickel-plated headjoint, body and keys
- Professionally padded
- Stainless steel springs
5. Gemeinhardt 2sp Flute Review
The Gemeinhardt 2SP flute is the most widely used student flute in the world. Its popularity has never waned since its introduction in the early 1980’s. Produced by Gemeinhardt, the industry leader located in Elkhart, Indiana, it’s intended for the beginning to intermediate flute player and will allow for many years of playing.
AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
- Plateau model (closed hole)
- Offset G key
- Triple coated silver plated finish
- Professionally padded
- Stainless steel springs
Here’s what some actual users say about this flute:
- Good for a beginning open-hole flute player
- Nice low tones when played with relaxed air
- Good Christmas gift for an advancing flute player
- I liked the fact that although it was thicker than most Yamaha’s and Eastman’s that it had a nice forte, when played
Pick Up The Real User Reviews of Best Flute Brands
Best Flute Brands Reviews:
When we search best flute brands in the world, yet we can see flute brands in the top rated marketplace.All are not perfect for you, We have researched deeply and most of the expert players provide their own opinion, which is the best flute brands for beginner, intermediate and professional if we want to get the flute brands for that we should know about their company background history and their present reputation, they are providing the great instruments or not? So, take the most of the top tared flute brands honorable history.Check the best saxophone reviews.
Gemeinhardt Flutes Brand:
Gemeinhardt Co. is the world’s largest manufacturer of flutes and piccolos. They’ve been around since 1948 and has garnered a stellar reputation for quality and price. Their most popular student model, the Gemeinhardt 2SP flute, sells almost 50,000 per year. This model also comes in a nickel plated model called the Gemeinhardt 2NP.
Gemeinhardt does a lot of business in the beginner and intermediate market, but some feel they don’t have the best models in the pro segment of the market. This is debatable, however, since they do sell models such as the 33SB at the $2,500 to $3,500 price point. If professional flutists didn’t appreciate these models they wouldn’t sell, right?
History of Gemeinhardt
The history of the Gemeinhardt flute maker is inextricably connected with its founder, Kurt Gemeinhardt. He moved to Elkhart, Indiana, in the 1920’s. This improbable little city was at the time America’s capital for musical instrument production. He opened a manufacturing plant in 1948,specializing in all-silver flutes. A few years later Gemeinhardt expanded its plant in order to accommodate orders coming in from across the country.Read or check violin lessons.
Lately Gemeinhardt has acquired the Roy Seaman Piccolo Company, which was famous for its handmade granadilla wood piccolos that are in demand from professionals the world over. Today, Gemeinhardt makes a range of flutes, including piccolos, student, intermediate, and professional flutes, bass flutes, and alto flutes.
Pearl Flutes Brand:
Pearl flutes are manufactured by Pearl Musical Instrument Company that was originally founded in 1946. They have been made in Chiba, Japan since 1968. The company has been an innovator in instrument making for more than 50 years. Actually it is the only line that gives the opportunity to aspiring flutists to take advantage of the benefits of a pinless construction, one-piece core-bar.
Popular Pearl Models
The Pearl 505 and 525 flutes from their Quantz series are popular beginner’s models that you can find in many highschool bands.
Moving up to intermediate models the Pearl 665 and 695 have also been big sellers. The 665 is part of the Quantz series while the Pearl 695 flute is actually a Dolce series model.
Impressions
The most striking feature of a Pearl flute is the sound that it produces. Flutists will continually remark on the beauty and subtlety of the sound provided by this flute and it is further enhanced by the ability of the Pearl to dedicate to rock solid intonation. Aside from this, the technological advancements over the past decade allow the flute flawless shifts from the most projecting concert sounds to more delicate subtle nuances.Learn more about how to care for a violin.
Jupiter Flutes Brand:
Jupiter Flutes are made and assembled either in China or Taiwan, depending on the model and make of the flute. The US distributor for the flutes is called Jupiter Band Instruments, Inc and are headquartered in the small town Mount Juliet, TN (just outside of Nashville).To read the best mandolin brands reviews.
Popular Models
They have several models that sell well. The Jupiter 515S Deluxe Standard Flute for around $500 is one, and many students have started out with this model. It’s appropriate for the beginner picking up the flute at the age of at least 9 or 10. If any younger their fingers are too small to reach properly.To check out another music instruments best electric violin reviews.
The Jupiter 611 Series Intermediate Flute with an offset G and B foot is a good choice for the more advanced flutist who looks to upgrade from their beginner’s flute. Should set you back $800.
I should probably also mention the diMedici artist series next, for the more serious musician. Jupiter 1011 Artist Series Flute with an inline G is a very popular choice at a price point of around $2,000.To check how to buy a violin for beginner guides.
History of Jupiter Flutes brand
Jupiter’s parent company, KHS Musical Instruments, has been around since the early 1930’s. Its founder, Tsu-Cheng Hsieh, proceded from making educational toys to producing harmonicas and band instruments in the 1950’s. When, in the 1980’s, KHS wanted to establish a full line of woodwind and percussion instruments they started making the Jupiter brand of flutes. During the 1990’s several independent flute brands (Altus, Ross Mallet, Hohner/Sonor) were acquired and eventually incorporated into the Jupiter brand. Especially the Altus employees from Japan were important to the brand as they were hired as specialists and technical advisors, and helped improve Jupiter’s flutes.After reading the all tasks to learn about piano keys, how many keys on a piano.
Reviewing Flutes For The Beginning and Intermediate Flutist
Whether a beginning flute player or a professional orchestra player you need a flute to play with. Picking the right best flute or piccolo isn’t always easy though. Which model and make you’re going to choose depends on several key factors.
- Budget
- Skill Level
- Playing Style
- Personal Preference
Best Flute Budget:
Let’s start with budget first. If you’re a beginning flutist (or more likely the parent of one) you may be surprised to learn that even the cheaper beginner student flutes will start at around $400. This would be for a new flute – it’s cheaper to buy second hand or rent, but those options come with pitfalls as well. It’s not easy for a layman to evaluate a used flute, so you could end up with an instrument that is not easy to master or simply isn’t a good fit. Figuring out how much you are looking to spend on a flute will help you narrow down your choices greatly.Read the top 15 violins reviews.
Skill level ! Which level player:
Skill level. It matters if you’re a beginner, intermediate or professional flute player. Different best flute makers have different specialties, and some makers who manufacture great beginners and intermediate flutes may not have the widest options for the pro level.To get the best wah pedals buying guide reviews.
Playing style & Personal Preference:
Your playing style and personal preferences come into play when you have to make your final selection. Since this is highly subjective it’s hard to give advice here, but we recommend that you try to play a few different flutes before committing to buy one. If you are fortunate enough to be able to borrow a flute for a period of time you are more likely to come to an informed purchasing decision, rather than relying on written information.Take the top rated violin brands buying guide reviews.
Make Sure:
At the very least make sure to get a feel for a flute you intend to purchase by finding one at a local shop. You are also going to need a local store to be able to service your instrument in the future – flutes are not built to last forever, they need maintenance at regular intervals in order to play well and sound their best.
When Choosing The Best Student Flute Consider Something
If you think that your child really loves to play best flute, why not buy a good student model flute rather than renting one. Since there are several best flute brands to choose from, it is not hard to look for a flute that will best suit to your child. You can look for a brand new one or if you do not have enough money you can opt for a slightly used flute that still looks and sounds good. Buying a flute also means that your child will have all the time to practice and use his or her own flute.To read the best student violin reviews.
However, you need to consider the quality of the student flute that you will purchase because it is very vital. When you choose to buy a cheaply made flute, it will not give your child a satisfaction to use and play it because it only produces poor quality sound, while a high quality flute will not only give your child a good quality sounds but he or she can also enjoy playing it.Check the best piano buying guide reviews.
Cheap flutes don’t last
If it is your first time to acquire a student flute you need to consider that not all branded flutes are the best one especially if the retailer only offer it for less than $100. These flutes are surely made from a cheap materials and they will not last long for a year. Remember that Chinese imports are typically made from substandard materials and when they get damaged, it is impossible to fix.Click here read best digital piano reviews.
High quality student flutes
That is why it is essential that you look closely in the materials used in the flute and the manufacturers who made it. Making a high quality flute brands take many years and acquired a better skill to do it perfectly. The retail costs for the most known student model flutes range from $600 to $1,000 and not less than $100. If you directly purchase from the manufacturer that is the price you need to compensate even if you look for online retailers and music stores.Get the how to buy a piano.
Closed or Open Hole
Most musicians who are intermediate to professional players choose open hole flutes because it offers better response and more options for alternating fingers. However, most of the student flutes are made in closed hole sinced these are easier to master for the beginning player.