Hi people. After the incident with the pakistani flute i bought in Ebay, i decide to learn more about flutes before actually buying one.
so i have come across the 8 hole D flutes and 6 hole D flutes issue.
what is the different first of all?
do we still play with 6 fingers on a 8 hole flute?
which one is easier to play and which one is better to listen to?
thank you,
Anhkhoa Lam: the beginner
The two “extra” holes are usually on a “long foot” flute and are what would be covered by the low C# and C natural keys on an 8-key flute - some folk reckon having the “dummy” long foot improves or at least affects the tone colours and response of the flute; others disagree. IMO it doesn’t matter - I wouldn’t choose not to buy a flute because it was either one or the other (but then, I wouldn’t normally buy an unkeyed flute! 
) - how it played overall would matter more. But you’re right, you only cover the normal 6 tone-holes, 3 with each hand and you only get a scale down to bottom D. (And you don’t count the embouchure hole, of course!)
Your best way to learn about flutes apart from reading this Forum and asking questions (most beginner questions have been asked and answered umpteen times, so use the Search facility before asking!) is to browse the Makers List - read a maker’s website or four every day and work your way through the lot - at the end you’ll know a load more about flutes, who makes what and why… and who you might be interested in buying one from in due course… if you don’t decide to go for an antique (with luck and sound advice you can get a reasonable intermediate player’s renovated antique 8-key for similar money to a keyless new-made by even the cheaper modern makers…).
Welcome aboard!
Jem’s right on - as usual… My only addition would be to go to Terry McGee’s site first http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/
Pat
Also good advice, to which I’d add Rick Wilson’s Historical Flutes Pages which have useful resources like fingering charts as well as the obvious-from-the-title main content - those two between them will provide a solid grounding in all you need to know about wooden flutes and fluting - and keep you busy for quite a while!
If you plan to play irish trad, you’re likely to find that there’s not much call for those two extra notes. On the other hand, 8 key flutes do have the all-important coolness factor than stubbier flutes lack.
I also second the advice from above regarding Terry’s site and doing your research before purchase of a flute. I got burned twice on e-bay purchases of “too good to be true” flutes that turned out to be just that. Make sure you read the sticky on cheap e-bay flutes for more info.
Another suggestion would be to keep an eye on the used instrument board here. There are often some great deals on “pre-owned” flutes that have been vetted by other C&F members. For example there is a Burns folk flute listed now: https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/fs-casey-burns-folk-flute/71221/1 for what looks like a good price. These are well acknowledged as being a very good value for a beginner/backup flute at list price, and this one is being offered at a discount. If nothing else, any flute listed on the board typically has at least some residual value, so you will be able to resell it iif flute turns out to not be for you.
As far as 8 hole vs 6 hole, I currently have and play both. Aside from the weight and balance (for which I prefer the short foot, what you call 6-hole) I can not see a significant difference. YMMV
I prefer the 8 hole, we have cats, I find the extra reach helpful.
Speakin’ of mileage…
Mine is improved by taping a thumb tack to the end of the end cap.
where’s that small but multifaceted moderator?
Jem, that’s a looong sentence. I find myself wanting to add a few periods here and there.
For flutes with lined headjoints and metal tuning slides the longer body of an 8-hole flute often makes for a better balanced flute. In a similar configuration 6-hole flutes are often head-heavy, with the flute falling from your lips unless you hold it in place.
Welcome to the flute forum, Lone-Coyote.
“Periods”? I’m in full flow! Pass the tampons! 
Ah, but, you meant Americanese for “full stops”? 
Well, I don’t count the bracketed clauses as part of the main sentence - they are pauses in the flow, asides… But I know, I have atrocious style 'cos I write how I think, always ramifying, never comfortable with leaving any side-track thoughts out…and not stopping to organise them into separate, shorter, punchier sentences.
Oh, hi. Right here. Don’t mind me, and carry on. You guys are doing a fine job.
I think it’s been mentioned before that a long vs a short foot may affect the hardness and tone of the bell note. One can’t really tell unless he has both kinds of feet (foots?) by the same maker.
As I said, some claim so, others deny it… a new Big End v Little End debate? I’ll egg it on!
Just go with the flow.
Swiftly now …
There is something to this, but it’s a false dichotomy. You also have to take into account the bore profile of the footjoint, which can have as much effect on the sound and performance of the flute as the length can.
Ideally, a test involving interchangeable footjoints would include both long and short joints in narrow and wide bore. What exactly constitutes narrow or wide is of course a matter for debate, but some established design mark for a free-blowing foot and a traditional, narrow foot could probably be decided on.
I haven’t got any one flute with four footjoints, but I do have a couple that can accept at least two. My Olwell Rudall came with a short, wide-bore joint, which makes the flute extremely easy to get sound out of but limits the extent to which you can get the air column excited and buzzing. It also makes the low D very sharp with a hard blow. Swapping out with a long, tight, two-holed footjoint changes the performance of the flute up and down its range, for the better if you ask me. The flute comes alive with a hard blow, and the D is settled and in tune when blown up to maximum ‘crack’. It would be easy to conclude “Long foot good, short foot ba-a-a-a-a-ddd”!!! However, I do wonder what the difference would be if the short foot weren’t bored out quite so wide.
In any case, I think it would be hasty to draw any firm conclusions from the above test without including a couple of footjoints with different bore profiles. Cheers,
Rob
Is it me, or is there even more than that about foot joints (the differences Rob talks about) which could make a difference to the tone/sound? For instance, what would be the difference between two narrow bore, ‘long’ footjoints, one longer than the other (but obviously with the holes in the right place)? I’m guessing that, in this case, the long foot joint would be made so that, if one were to put keys on at some point, the entire foot joint would be in tune for low C? But it doesn’t need to be, does it? And what about two narrow bore, ‘short’ foot joints, made to be different lengths by reason of exact hole size or placement?
I have a feeling I might be confusing myself here, mind … If I’m raising a silly point, which just confuses others as well, would someone please just slap me?
thank you people for helping, i think i would go for the 8 hole flute as soon as i got the money. I’m considering Dougg Tipple flutes. Your flutes
oh and beside i see many Tipple flutes are made for easy fingering, does it affect me if i play like a left handed person? (i’m right handed but i learned to play flute left handedly)
Just tell him you’re left handed 
The only problem with learning L handed is it makes getting a keyed flute (should you wish to do so) later rather more awkward and maybe expensive! It certainly rules out lower priced antiques which are the cheapest way into keyed flutes.
Nous parlons ici des voyages de foie de mouette, hein? Ca me sent du poisson!
(Mais au sujet des oeufs [de mouette ou …], les partisans du grand bout ont toujours la raison!)