Very good flute for a beginner

[peter20p]

In one of the discussions these days, someone said that a beginner should not start with a very good flute. As I don't agree with that, I think it could be a good topic to discuss.

As I said I don't agree with it. As for me, I like good instruments. When I start learning a new instrument, I hate doing it on a bad instrument. I already had the experience of starting on a low end instrument (it was not a flute, but a concertina). The sound was so awfull that I never played it. I had to buy a good one to actually play it. I know everybody is not the same, but that's my experience.

I could also say that the learning process is a struggle by itself. If you add problems with an instrument that is not at the top, the mountain to climb is still higher.

By the way, I play the flute for one year now on a Sam Murray (my main flute) and Geert Lejeune (a nice G flute, see my avatar).

[LorenzoFlute]

In one of the discussions these days, someone said that a beginner should not start with a very good flute.

Who? And where?

[Denny]

I think the R&R/Pratten, which maker's flute, etc. is premature for someone that has not started playing yet.

[drewr]

I think the general consensus on this forum is that starting off with a low-quality instrument (especially with regards to a flute) is a bad idea. How can one learn to develop a good tone, for example, if the flute itself is incapable of producing one?

[Dominic Allan]

It's probably not a good idea to spend a vast fortune on a flute until you've got the basics under your belt and decided that flute is definitely for you. The issue isn't quality it's cost.
Also most beginners want to get playing ASAP rather than sign up to a lengthy waiting list.

[eilam]

a good instrument keeps it's value.....if you see that it's not for you, sell it and you will get all your investment back...not so on the lower end....i also think that one needs to like the instrument he plays daily....and quality is hard to find on cheep instruments........

[peter20p]

That's exactly what I think.

Waiting time to get a good instrument is not really an issue as second hand quality instruments come up quite often.

[pipersgrip]

I think some people have the idea that if you can make a cheaper instrument sound awesome, then imagine what you can do with an awesome instrument. I have read posts like that, but it was in the whistle forum. Some people encourage learning on a cheaper whistle before you move up to a good one.

But here, cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad. There are great affordable flutes for beginners and intermediates. Maybe you read that you should start off with a cheaper, or maybe I should say less expensive flute, rather than a high end flute.

[MTGuru]

In one of the discussions these days, someone said that a beginner should not start with a very good flute ...

As I said I don't agree with it. As for me, I like good instruments. When I start learning a new instrument, I hate doing it on a bad instrument.

There's a problem with the way this question is posed, though. Not only are the highlighted terms ill-defined, but the alternative to "very good" is not necessarily "bad".

No one suggests that a beginner should start with a bad instrument. But the difference between "good" and "very good" may be a matter of thousands of dollars.

There's a great deal of variety and choice of flute design and details. Unkeyed/keyed, keywork, embouchure cut, lined/unlined, large/small holes. How are beginners to decide what they prefer until they reach the level of proficiency where they can judge? Or until they develop the discerning ear to know which players and flutes they wish to model their own style after?

In other words, I think the topic is really a non-starter, because the premise is based on a misunderstanding. If someone criticized your choice of a Sam Murray by saying, "Pah, you should have started with a very good flute instead", how would you react?

[Casey Burns]

It is always better to start on a well playing instrument.

However, one need not break the bank or get on lengthy waiting lists to do this. For the traditional flute world, this is exactly the reason why I started producing my "Folk Flute" model. Made with the same set of reamers, tuned and voiced exactly the same way as my more expensive models. They play exactly the same as my more expensive models. (pardon the shameless self promotion - but in these C&F discussions, this particular item sometimes gets overlooked, even when talking about beginning instruments).

I looked at Martin Guitars. One can spend $109,999 for a D-100 Delux in Brazilian Rosewood but you can also get a great guitar in the $1000-5000 range, and a decent guitar that will serve the purposes of most, and still sound great and feel great for around $500, because its a Martin and they know how to make great guitars at all prices.

Such product stratification is possible in the flute world but few makers are doing this. So I started doing this, perceiving this need. For many starting out, the Folk Flute has been a great introduction. Later on some have graduated to flutes with all the extras, when it seemed necessary or desirable. But for many this first flute remains their flute du jour.

Casey

[mutepointe]

I know some people who could never enjoy a good $100 flute because they know that there are really good $10,000 flutes out there. And if they ever got off their @#$%# and actually did something with their lives, they could probably convince their parents to buy them one of those $10,000 flutes.

[tucson_whistler]

i kind of think it's ironic that generally beginners can't afford high-end instruments; i think maybe it sure would make the learning process easier. how do you know if the problem with tone is you or the flute? as a beginner, you have no idea (unless you can have a more skilled player play it for you.)

and by the time you can afford a better flute, if you've gotten skilled, you realize it's you and not the flute so much... so you don't need a nicer flute (not that you won't buy one--try to see the irony : )

but i know the thread that the OP is talking about and i was trying to say there, as has been said here, there are a lot of very nice flutes out there for not so much money. (I'll say "very nice" and avoid the terminology "very good," since no one has proffered a definition...)



cheers,
eric

[Denny]

I'm not convinced that "very nice" is "very much better" than "very good".

[tucson_whistler]

on a relative scale, is "almost the best flute i ever played" better than "very good"? or "most best" better than "very unique sound"?

i'm so confused...

[doogieman]

Will second Casey's self promotion. I have a Boxwood Folk Flute and some other flutes as well. I still go back and play that Burns flute often. It has a softer tone that is perfect at a 2-3 person house session. Very nice flute.