Thank you!What to look/listen for when trying flutes
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What to look/listen for when trying flutes
Hello, I am looking for a little advice. I am getting ready to purchase a new flute and am sort of lost about what sorts of things I should be looking or listening for when trying them out. Do any of you have experience with trying out flutes? How did it work, what all did you do, what did you listen for? I'm just curious, and hoping for more of an idea of what to expect Thank you!
Thank you!
Re: What to look/listen for when trying flutes
It depends mostly on what you are looking on this new flute.
The last time I had to choose I was test playing headjoints from a single manufacturer, three years ago. There were at least 15 different headjoints, some all gold, some just lip plate gold and the rest silver, some all silver.
I ended up choosing an all silver.
A major factor was defining what I wanted in this new headjoint. This was based on my previous experience, which can be resumed in some 30 years of flute playing, and what I thought at that time that could be a benefit to my flute playing, what could really make it better.
The other important factor is that I counted on a flutist friend (as experienced as me) that helped me describing what he was hearing. Based on his feedback I could decide which headjoint was the one I wanted. I'm really happy with the results.
Another very important thing is that you must have plenty of time to decide and try the different flutes that come to your hands. The longer the better, but I think one week is sufficient for you to make your mind up.
About what would you play when testing new flutes, well there aren't no secrets really. Just play all the range of the instruments, scales mostly, and try to change articulations, play staccato, play legato. Important thing is to repeat each aspect of your playing in all different flutes, so you can compare.
Hope it helps
The last time I had to choose I was test playing headjoints from a single manufacturer, three years ago. There were at least 15 different headjoints, some all gold, some just lip plate gold and the rest silver, some all silver.
I ended up choosing an all silver.
A major factor was defining what I wanted in this new headjoint. This was based on my previous experience, which can be resumed in some 30 years of flute playing, and what I thought at that time that could be a benefit to my flute playing, what could really make it better.
The other important factor is that I counted on a flutist friend (as experienced as me) that helped me describing what he was hearing. Based on his feedback I could decide which headjoint was the one I wanted. I'm really happy with the results.
Another very important thing is that you must have plenty of time to decide and try the different flutes that come to your hands. The longer the better, but I think one week is sufficient for you to make your mind up.
About what would you play when testing new flutes, well there aren't no secrets really. Just play all the range of the instruments, scales mostly, and try to change articulations, play staccato, play legato. Important thing is to repeat each aspect of your playing in all different flutes, so you can compare.
Hope it helps
Re: What to look/listen for when trying flutes
Another thing to consider is how the mechanism feels in your hands. Do you feel like you have to press down too hard on the keys to cover the tone holes? Or does it feel natural to you? This question, IMO, is very important as people who practice for hours and hours may get hand cramps or nerve pain from having to work at the keys too hard.
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fluteguy18
- Posts: 2311
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm
Re: What to look/listen for when trying flutes
Absolutely.
I also think that it is important to respect the natural playing qualities of each instrument. Don't try to force it to play the way you want it to play. The instrument with the right fit will often be the one that is the easiest and most natural one to play. If you struggle with something specific (low register articulation for example), then try that thing first. If you can't get it to do what you want to within a minute or two... try a different headjoint or two. If that doesn't solve anything, then no need to keep trying that flute. It already doesn't suit you. There are times where I will literally only play a note or two and KNOW that flute is NOT for me!
Once you find a flute that does exactly what you need it to at first, then start trying out the other things. A new flute should improve your playing. Some adjustment is necessary I think, but I think that the adjustment period should be focusing on consistency and control; not learning (or relearning) skills to adapt to the instrument.
I also think that it is important to respect the natural playing qualities of each instrument. Don't try to force it to play the way you want it to play. The instrument with the right fit will often be the one that is the easiest and most natural one to play. If you struggle with something specific (low register articulation for example), then try that thing first. If you can't get it to do what you want to within a minute or two... try a different headjoint or two. If that doesn't solve anything, then no need to keep trying that flute. It already doesn't suit you. There are times where I will literally only play a note or two and KNOW that flute is NOT for me!
Once you find a flute that does exactly what you need it to at first, then start trying out the other things. A new flute should improve your playing. Some adjustment is necessary I think, but I think that the adjustment period should be focusing on consistency and control; not learning (or relearning) skills to adapt to the instrument.
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sidekicker
- Posts: 311
- Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:58 am
- Location: Scottish-American in Oklahoma
Re: What to look/listen for when trying flutes
I concur with all the advice given so far. One thing I would add that I think is very important when trying out flutes and/or headjoints is to use exactly the same music for everything you try. That makes for a much better comparison. Go prepared with carefully selected works that will allow you to compare tone color capabilities in all registers and dynamic ranges, response in all registers, and something that allows you to evaluate different articulation patterns and legato passages -- again in all registers and dynamic ranges. It is enough to just play a few bars of a piece. The important part is that you test each flute using the same music; otherwise, your ability to distinguish differences will be skewed.
Also, take someone with you. As weird as this may sound, I recommend you include a non-flutist, even a non-musician, with you. Sometimes, in fact many times in my experiences doing this, the non-musician friend helps the most because s/he has no preconceived notions about how things should sound. I have found that they give the clearest answers to questions like, "which has a warmer sound, this one or that one?" If a non-musician can't hear a difference, in my opinion, then you are probably wasting your time and money buying something that has an attribute the average music listener cannot even discern.
Hope this helps some. As always, these are just my own personal opinions based on my experiences; others may differ based on their own experiences.
SK
Also, take someone with you. As weird as this may sound, I recommend you include a non-flutist, even a non-musician, with you. Sometimes, in fact many times in my experiences doing this, the non-musician friend helps the most because s/he has no preconceived notions about how things should sound. I have found that they give the clearest answers to questions like, "which has a warmer sound, this one or that one?" If a non-musician can't hear a difference, in my opinion, then you are probably wasting your time and money buying something that has an attribute the average music listener cannot even discern.
Hope this helps some. As always, these are just my own personal opinions based on my experiences; others may differ based on their own experiences.
SK