Best Flute Ever

Jamie_Babie · Post by **Jamie_Babie** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:44 pm

I'm fairly new at playing the flute, but was just wondering what flute people thought was the "Best Flute Ever"? Or if people think a certain brand seems to just produce "better" instruments?

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:38 pm

Choosing a flute is very personal; a brand on which one player sounds great may not be so good to another. Many brands are consistently pretty-good always, though. Yamaha, Armstrong, Emerson, and others are known for making good intermediate instruments. Brands such as Muramatsu, Miyazawa, Burkhart, Brannen-Cooper, Haynes, Powell, Altus, Tom Green, and many more (than years ago) are considered outstanding professional instruments. I played a white gold Brannen (over $30,000!)

at a convention last year, and of course fell in love with it. Does it play $6,000 better than my current--excellent--flute? I think, yes. Does it play $26,000 better? No way!

Jamie_Babie · Post by **Jamie_Babie** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:12 pm

So in your opinon, what is the best flute for you?

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:23 am

I have personally noticed that with both myself and my students, that the "right" flute can change with growth and experience as well as with situation. For instance, my Haynes is wonderful for small chamber groups and recording(which I do a great deal of). It just has the right sound for me. My Pearl, on the other hand, is great for solo playing in large halls (which I do rarely at this time). It projects well, but is not well suited for chamber playing.

In a perfect world, I like having both, but most people cannot do that.

The needs of players change with experience and growth. That is why I do not want my middle school students playing $3000 flutes. They will most likely play well for several years with a cheaper flute. When the time is right and they make the decission of whether or not to continue playing into college and beyons, I encourage them to upgrade (again?).

An answer to your question: I love my Haynes more than any others for now. I hope this is the last flute I ever want, but I am willing to give a little as my style of playing and needs change. Ake me again in a few years, an dI may give you a completely different answer

amhso · Post by **amhso** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:28 pm

it's personal.

james galway showed at a master class that even a closed hole flute can sound as good as an openhole if you're a good player. i like the sound of silver over the nickle/silver plated ones of course.