Hi everyone , I have actually 2 questions.
I've been practising for a year now , (Muramatzu EX) and think its a great instrument , but am looking to upgrade,
Im learning by myself and have made I think,quite some progress, mainly thanks to great advise I get over here.
I understand the sound advantage one can get out of heavier wall but I am a bit worried about the difficulty, if real, of tone production, I'd appreciate any comments on this issue. Well, just to give you an idea , I play the scales fairly at ease upto high C - I work quite a bit on tone quality in my daily exercises .
My other question, is probably more to you, who have some experience with Muramatzu flutes. Which to choose, the Muramatzu GX heavy wall, or the much more expensive DS , I think the only difference is that the DS has the keywork in solid silver and has a D# roller in addition to the C# trill, which also comes in the GX version . Im asking this question because I dont really have a chance to practise on a heavy wall before ordering one. The Muramatzu is prepared to order for me , without commitment , but I till want to be more sure before I tell him which model to bring in.
Thanks for all your thoughts on theses issues.
Choosing a Muramatzu model and Wall thickness question
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
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fluteguy18
- Posts: 2311
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm
Sorry to be blunt, but if you have only been playing for a year, unless you are a player of prodigous skill, simply put, you have no need to upgrade. In fact, you don't even need a handmade flute yet simply because as I have already stated, unless you are a prodigy, you haven't had time to develope enough skill to REALLY be able to tell the difference between a machine made flute, and a handmade flute.
The Murmatsu EX is a handmade instrument. The GX and DS models are handmade instruments as well. From my experiance, the only difference between those models is the amount of solid silver. You won't be able to tell much of a difference between the two other than general things because A: they are all handmade, and therefore quite different, and B: the amount of silver affects the weight/density, and therefore many playing attributes [all of which can be either positive or negative, depending on your playing style and the specific playing characteristics of the instrument itself].
If I were you, I would put my money towards getting a teacher rather than 'upgrading' for no apparent reason. A teacher will help you become a better player than you are now [even if you were playing on a machine made student flute], and quite frankly, an instrument of this caliber without a teacher to help you could end up harming your playing rather than helping it if you aren't really careful.
The Murmatsu EX is a handmade instrument. The GX and DS models are handmade instruments as well. From my experiance, the only difference between those models is the amount of solid silver. You won't be able to tell much of a difference between the two other than general things because A: they are all handmade, and therefore quite different, and B: the amount of silver affects the weight/density, and therefore many playing attributes [all of which can be either positive or negative, depending on your playing style and the specific playing characteristics of the instrument itself].
If I were you, I would put my money towards getting a teacher rather than 'upgrading' for no apparent reason. A teacher will help you become a better player than you are now [even if you were playing on a machine made student flute], and quite frankly, an instrument of this caliber without a teacher to help you could end up harming your playing rather than helping it if you aren't really careful.
Obviously you have money to burn, but here is my 2 cents....
Pound for pound, you have the most flexible instrument out of the 3 mentioned. You should get what ever you need out of the instrument you have. The head joint has a good dynamic range, and the silver clad body has great projection. Check out what Sir James has to say about his EX
http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/notes/material.htm
http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/notes/choice.htm
Apparently, he is pretty fond of the EX!
I have a bit of experience play testing the headjoint on those models(all 3 models have the same headjoint) and other than the material, they sound very similar. Frankly, If I were going to go for a different sound, I would try a different brand of flute.
Lastly, if you are self taught, thats cool. However I go along with Fluteguy18. You will do better going to a flute teacher than buying another flute to change your sound.
Phineas
Pound for pound, you have the most flexible instrument out of the 3 mentioned. You should get what ever you need out of the instrument you have. The head joint has a good dynamic range, and the silver clad body has great projection. Check out what Sir James has to say about his EX
http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/notes/material.htm
http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/notes/choice.htm
Apparently, he is pretty fond of the EX!
I have a bit of experience play testing the headjoint on those models(all 3 models have the same headjoint) and other than the material, they sound very similar. Frankly, If I were going to go for a different sound, I would try a different brand of flute.
Lastly, if you are self taught, thats cool. However I go along with Fluteguy18. You will do better going to a flute teacher than buying another flute to change your sound.
Phineas
Last edited by Phineas on Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks Phineas and fluteguy18 , great answers as always ,and maybe you've just saved me lots of $$.
At some stage I will, of course, take lessons, as you have suggested . I know that the internet in not a replacement for a good teacher , but it has to be a very good teacher, because there is so much info going on the internet by great flautists, such as James Galway .
I actually asked about the full silver flutes vz silver plated as in my excellent EX, because this is an issue (material and wall thickness) that is so much discussed just about in every forum and with so much controversy. I've read, comments by many professionals , such as Sir James Galway and others, who say that you can hardly hear the differences, yet they all, or most, choose to play on Gold or Platinum flutes which may reach 20 or 30K $$ .
I think that my EX, mechanically speaking is top notch instrument , and I love it very much , but as I mentioned previously , I spend a lot of my practising time on tone production , and thought that maybe a thicker wall would enable me to produce a much warmer rounder sound. The emphasis is on the word MUCH, but if the difference is only very subtle, I wouldnt make the leap as yet. You see its not really a matter of taking lessons or not.
At some stage I will, of course, take lessons, as you have suggested . I know that the internet in not a replacement for a good teacher , but it has to be a very good teacher, because there is so much info going on the internet by great flautists, such as James Galway .
I actually asked about the full silver flutes vz silver plated as in my excellent EX, because this is an issue (material and wall thickness) that is so much discussed just about in every forum and with so much controversy. I've read, comments by many professionals , such as Sir James Galway and others, who say that you can hardly hear the differences, yet they all, or most, choose to play on Gold or Platinum flutes which may reach 20 or 30K $$ .
I think that my EX, mechanically speaking is top notch instrument , and I love it very much , but as I mentioned previously , I spend a lot of my practising time on tone production , and thought that maybe a thicker wall would enable me to produce a much warmer rounder sound. The emphasis is on the word MUCH, but if the difference is only very subtle, I wouldnt make the leap as yet. You see its not really a matter of taking lessons or not.
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fluteguy18
- Posts: 2311
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm
A teacher will help your tone FAR more than a new instrument will. And a note about the solid gold flutes.... Quite a few of them play those instruments simply because they can afford them. Sometimes they argue that those flutes are of higher quality because the craftsmen take more time and care while making them because the metals are so valuable. But, there is no way to prove that.
My Miyazawa is the equivalent to your Muramatsu EX [sterling head, plated body]. I personally wouldn't trade it for any of the higher Miyazawa models made of sterling silver. In all honesty, the only instruments I WOULD trade it for would be a 14k Brannen, or maybe an Aurumite Powell.
Get a teacher, or at least start looking for one. Don't waste your money.
My Miyazawa is the equivalent to your Muramatsu EX [sterling head, plated body]. I personally wouldn't trade it for any of the higher Miyazawa models made of sterling silver. In all honesty, the only instruments I WOULD trade it for would be a 14k Brannen, or maybe an Aurumite Powell.
Get a teacher, or at least start looking for one. Don't waste your money.
Hi fluteguy18 , dont worry you've already convinced me to stay with my ex, and most grateful to you is my wife , for saving the money for other more "important" things . I must say I never to miss any message from you in this forum , definitely always very educative . If I remember well you got your miyzawa at about the same time as I got my EX
All the best
avins
All the best
avins