Head Joints

[powayflute01]

I know that this topic has come up in some other threads,
but I wanted to make a new thread about it and see what people say. Is it better
to keep the headjoint that came with your flute, or mix and match headjoints and
bodies? Apparently Sir James Galway believes that it is best to play on the
headjoint that came with the flute. I have a deep respect for Galway and his
playing, and I understand that he is most certainly one of the foremost
flautists of our time, but I can''t help but question whether that''s the
"only" right way to play. I know many extremely skilled flautists who believe
that finding a good headjoint to mix with a good body is the best way to go. I
know that Sonare Winds (company that makes student flutes; owned by Powell)
manifactures the body/foot joints of their flutes in China, and then slap an
American-made Powell headjoint on them to improve the sound. In essence,
aren''t they really mixing and matching to give a student the advantage of a
good head joint and a decent body? And why are the head joint companies such as
Drelinger so popular if we should just play with the headjoint that comes with
our flutes? I''m not saying someone should go out and buy a really nice flute
and then go buy an equally expensive headjoint, but if you like the feel of your
flute but want to improve your sound, wouldn''t the logical thing be to
replace the headjoint?

[Cleartone]

This brings up a lot to be considered. I think I have to
take Galways side on this issue, but not completely. 1. there is no reason to
buy a good headjoint for a student flute. I personally think You should just
upgrade to a better flute when your ready. 2. The only reason you would want a
special headjoint is to improve your sound. If you did your homework and tried a
few different flutes when you were shopping then the headjoint that came with
the flute originally is the best headjoint for that flute. 3. some specific
flutes may have problems that a different headjoint may help to correct like
thin tone or bad response. But you should only get a headjoint for this
particular flute if you own one. So, if you made sure you bought a good flute in
the first place you shouldn't have to do this. 4. Now here is the difficult
part, I believe you could find a better headjoint for your flute if you try
many, many, many of them at the same time. As well they would have to fit
perfectly to the body of the flute. this seems impossible, unless you have money
and time which Galway has, and look what he has said. As far as Drelinger's
opinion. I have played a few flutes that had problems. Drelinger's headjoint
solved these problems. If you go to them(Drelinger & Co.) directly and "pay"
them to give you a lot of attention in building a headjoint for the flute you
currently have then it will most likely improve your sound. so, are you thinking
of getting a new headjoint?? what kind? what is your experience with them?

[AG950Flute]

I think it's ok to mix and match. I have personally never
done it, but there have been times when I have tried out different flutes with a
different headjoint and liked the difference much more. I think in terms of
putting an expensive headjoint on a student flute is questionable as well.
However, putting a different headjoint on an intermediate to professional flute
is ok. Professional headjoints generally start at around 1000 dollars, and if
you have an intermediate flute and are looking to improve upon the sound of your
instrument but can't afford an entire new flute I say look for a headjoint.
This however does not go the other way around. I saw someone ask a flute company
that makes flute if she could buy just the body of the flute and not the
headjoint because she already had a headjoint she really liked. The company said
no. For one reason, it doesn't take much off of the cost of the instrument and
two the flute should definately come with a headjoint, you never know if you'll
like the headjoint that comes with the new flute. Also, if you ever try and sell
a flute without a headjoint, I think the chances are close to zero. Also, some
people really like to put gold headjoints on silver flutes. It gives them some
of the warmth of a gold flute but costs a fraction less, and some people may
just not like the sound of a gold body flute. Also, a lot of flute companies
like Powell, Brannen, and Nagahara (to name a few) have a policy of trying
numerous headjoints to find the one you like. It's also important to remember
that each headjoint is individually cut and they will each sound differently.
They also hold the policy of exchanging a headjoint for several months up to a
year after you buy your flute for another one they may have in stock. Although
companies make headjoints to go with the new flute I'd probably say the
majority of the time the people buying the flute probably don't even take the
one that was made "for" the flute. Hope that makes sense... I think it's
definately reasonable to buy a different headjoint for a flute that you're
looking to improve upon. I was told once that a headjoint makes up for about 80%
of the sound produced on an instrument. Some may debate on that, which is fine,
I sometimes question that as well, but the fact is that the headjoint makes a
HUGE difference in the sound a flute can make. In terms of Galway....He plays on
a Muramatsu flute, but I thought I saw somewhere that he really liked Lafin
headjoints. But I may be wrong so don't quote me on that [:)]

[91st_Army_Flutist]

The biggest advantage of selecting a headjoint separately from the flute body is that you get the one that is easiest for you to play and most responsive. I have played a lot of good flutes, but when I put my Drelinger headjoint on any of them they become easier to play, more responsive and easier to articulate and play dynamics. I have a good embouchure and can sound good on any flute, but the Drelinger makes it so much easier to get the sound I want without struggling. In essence, the proper headjoint allows you to put your energy toward other aspects of your playing, not just trying to get a good tone out of a headjoint that isn't right for you in the first place.

[boglarka]

Hey,

You have received lots of advice...Sir James Galway's advice might be of help although I think it really comes down to your level, the level and quality of your instrument, etc. In other words, it's a SUBJECTIVE choice.

I'm sure when Galway bought his current flute, the maker gave him the BEST instrument and headjoint she/he had. This is probably not the case for most of us when we are shopping for a flute because frankly, most of us aren't internationally recognizable artists and we don't carry any advertising power.

I'm not at all against mixing a flute and a headjoint (I play on a combination too!). Lots of great artists do it (do I really need to name names or have you seen their endorsments and listings online?).

I think it's important to have a good flute first, and then experiment with headjoints. Buying an expensive headjoint and using it with a student flute might actually help the sound, but it might not be the best investment, as eventually, you'll want a better tube.

Many flute makers don't make great headjoints (they make decent or good headjoints, but not necessarily consistently GREAT ones). Many (high end) makers sell the same headjoint with whichever body model you buy. This means that buying a flute complete with the headjoint that it "comes with" is sometimes a myth. You buy the flute with the headjoint that somebody randomly picked and put in the case!!!

Keep in mind that since headjoints are generally hand made (at least partially), there will be variance in each headjoint's sound and personality. No two headjoints of the same brand and model will sound exactly the same...

I am a big fan of TRYING things with an open mind and seeing (HEARING!) what works for YOU! (Of course, you have to know what you want from a headjoint and what kind of sounds and qualities you're looking for.)

I think it's great you're asking for advice, but in the end, you'll have to trust your own taste and instincts when making a decision.

Good luck to you!

[powayflute01]

Thanks for all the advice...the headjoint on my Sankyo is pretty good, but I played a performance on a Gooseman Butterfly headjoint last year and absoloutely fell in love with it! Hopefully this summer I will be able to try a few of them out and determine if I would like to purchase one.