I'm looking to upgrade my flute, but I'm not really sure how to go about it. My current flute is a Yamaha 211Sii (Silver plated) and it still generally makes a good sound, although can occasionally be a bit fluffy. Here are some problems I am having with it:
- Very top notes (B and C) hardly sound
- Trilling in the upper register is a bit of a nightmare
- Jumping quickly between high and low notes is also a problem
Could these problems be fixed by a better flute? If so, what makes can people recommend? I've heard that headjoints are the answer.....would a new solid silver headjoint do the trick?
Any help would be greatly appreciated - I'm a bit stuck!
hello! well i don't think a new head joint will do!
It might help to get a open-hole flute
but the main problem of the your sounds
will be your skills. Solid silver will not make your skills better=)
So just when you shoot for the high notes put out your bottom lip out and blow high up !
Well, there are a great many solutions to this. First of all, it could be that your flute might need a visit to a technitian. You might have some leaks in your pads, or some slightly bent keys. From your description of your problems it sounds a lot like misadjustments that could easily be fixed. However, because we can not see your flute, it is hard to tell.
"Very top notes (B and C) hardly sound" this could be a whole assorment of things. It could be that you have leaks, or that you need to work on breath support and embouchure. Trevor Wye has several publications that can help you with various aspects of flute playing [ tone, technique, scales, intonation etc.]. So, I would also give that a try. And as for jumping quickly between high notes and low notes, it sounds like it could be that you need a more flexible embouchure.
However, all of this is merely speculation. Without seeing you play it is difficult to tell exactly how to solve your problem. And, as for headjoints, headjoints can be really expensive. A good headjoint alone can go from as little as $600 up to over 5k. So, for the money that a new headjoint costs, it might would be more beneficial to wait, save up your money, and later upgrade to a higher grade instrument.
I hope that this helps, but without seeing you play, it is really difficult to offer much assistance.... Does anyone else have any ideas?
I would agree that the top note problems and note jumping is probably me and I need to practice a bit more!
However my teacher suggested that I needed to upgrade, and I was wondering if anybody could give me an idea on headjoints or flutes that are a step up from the yamaha, or if there is something else I should be working on?
Again, many thanks for your help
And remember folks.....
!!! MUSIC MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND !!!
I agree that you should have your flute checked out by a tech. If these are recent problems, it could very well be the flute. As for an upgrade, have yours checked out (fixed if necessary) then play test some along side yours. If there is a major difference, then you may be ready for an upgrade. Obviously, a handmade will most likely sound better, so stick to some basic upgrades at first. As for headjoints, this is a solution for many players, but will not work if your flute needs repairs. Again, get it checked out then try some. Also, headjoints are not cheap, as fluteguy18 stated, so as far as money goes, unless you love your flute, that may not be the way to go. If you were my student, I would first try to fix the problems with your current flute, then explore other options.
I havn't been able to see my teacher in a while, so this is all great and much valued advice!!!! Thank you very much for your help!!! - I will see a technician and work on my embachoure and breathing and hopefully get it sorted
Again, THANK YOU!
And remember folks.....
!!! MUSIC MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND !!!
Sorry for all the problems you've been having. I agree with everything said thus far, especially the advice concerning just having your flute checked our for technical issues (leaking pads, etc.). That may solve most, or at least some, of your problems.
Personally, I would not go out shopping for a new head on a flute of that model. Instead, if you so choose (and it's simply a flute you've outgrown, and not technical problems), I would consider upgrading instead. Quality headjoints, as already pointed out, can be very expensive -- sometimes more expensive than just buying an all new higher quality upgrade instrument. And a great head can only do so much; the quality of the instrument to which it is attached will make a difference as well. At this moment I am personally experiencing this very thing. My flute is in overhaul, but I have two very fine heads to put on the student model instrument I'm using in the interim. It improves the sound greatly, but there are still huge limitations that come from the body that a better head is just not going to cure.
What type of flute does your teacher play on? You might ask him/her if you can, during a lesson, try that instrument out (I'm assuming here that it's at least a high-intermediate or professional quality instrument and in good shape) and see if you have the same difficulties you've described here. That might help you distinguish between how much an upgrade will improve your playing abilities. I did this many years ago and went from an intermediate Gemeinhardt directly to the Haynes on which I still play. However, I knew at that point that I was going to make a career out of it (and did for many years), so it was a good choice for me.
As already pointed out by someone (fluteguy, I think), it's really important at moments like this to carefully evaluate what your goals really are with the flute. If you are planning a career involving the instrument, then by all means consider upgrades, etc. Eventually, if you continue on that path, it will likely become necessary to go even further at some point and go through the process of choosing between the many fine high-intermediate and professional line of flutes we have these days. There are many, and it is quite a task (yet can be rather fun because there is so much to choose from) finding the best fit for your own personal playing style, needs, etc. Then, of course, you always have to consider budget. How much are you willing to spend is always an issue, but there is usually something you can do no matter what your budget is (like simply replacing a few leaking/worn out pads, adjustments, etc.) that might help.
