Top products from r/Flute

justanotherflutist is amazing, I would recommend watching this video of hers first, it teaches how to put the flute together. The only thing is that at one point she said to put your finger into the liphole, I would not recommend doing that. I'm probably being overly scared but that's the part of the flute that produces the sound so I wouldn't want to risk damaging it. Just pick the headjoint up like a normal person would, honestly. She also has this one which teaches how to make a sound and this one which mentions a few music related items you may need. Some items in this video are more important/necessary than others.

Here is a good fngering chart I found online.

Here is a compilation of major scales and arpeggios from flutetunes. Their website is amazing and has some great free sheet music.

Nina Perlov also has some good instructional videos to watch, but not as beginner oriented.

This video from the flute section of the US Army band is interesting if you have time but not as useful/informative to a beginner, though definitely cool for learning about the flute (or maybe I'm just a total nerd).

It is really beneficial to listen to good flute players in order to hear and then be able to develop a good flute sound. Some of these include Emmanuel Pahud, Jasmine Choi, and Gudrun Hinze, although there are probably many I don't know or am forgetting. Good luck on your flute endeavors!

Edit: I don't why I didn't think of this sooner, but if you're willing to purchase a book this Pares Scales for Flute is good for scales and arpeggios.

5k is a whole lot of money for a flute, especially if she isn't taking private lessons to really be able to know how to use those nice features (like the better tone, possibly open holes, etc etc...)

Honestly, you can get a very nice flute for $800 or so at any close-by Music store. I've taken private lessons since I was 13, and have for 3 years now and my Yamaha 221 is a very good flute for me.

If you're really set on buying her a more advanced, expensive flute, you can go with one priced at around $1300 or so, such as the Yamaha 262.

The difference between the two flutes I have listed is that the 221 is meant for more beginning students, but still not the cheapest one. 221 has offset G, so the key is easier to reach with your fingers, it has closed holes, so you don't have to worry about covering the holes with your fingers, especially if she's got small fingers. The tone in my opinion is just fine.

The 262 has the offset G (if you want an onset G, it's just a more expensive flute. But the tone difference between having onset and offset is barely even noticeable. I feel onset G is unnecessary for her playing.) 262 has open holes, which once mastered, produced a very good sound. It's not a whole lot different from the 221, except for the fact it's slightly higher quality and has closed holes and a few other minor features.

You can check all of the features through each of the links I gave you for each flute.

All of the advise from the other redditors is great too, and I much agree that for your daughter's level, it's a much better investment to buy a less expensive flute and invest in some private lessons for her, they do make a difference!

I hope your daughter continues to enjoy playing the flute!

Take care.

First thing's first, welcome! :)


My greatest advice is to avoid the <$100 Amazon/eBay specials like the plague. They look like this or this.

If you are to buy used, make sure you get something from a reputable brand. I learned on a Gemeinhardt when I was a little kid and it took a beating and kept playing, so they're close to my heart. Yamaha is a great choice, Armstrong is pretty good too. Generally when you buy a flute, I recommend buying it in person but as you are new, it would be hard to gauge if the instrument is in good condition/working order. If you're buying from the internet, see if you can arrange with the seller to allow for a return policy so you can take it to a technician!

Some other advice-- it's hard to get going and its even harder without the guidance of a private teacher. It'll take a while to be able to get a sound, and it takes practice to make that sound good. As recommended by Band_Derp, it may be worth taking a lesson or two to expedite the process. Don't be frightened when you realize it's difficult to play, this is where a lot of people give up. It just takes perseverance, and once you get the technique it's hard to forget it. It becomes muscle memory and will only improve with practice.

The other point I should wish to add is to have fun with it all. As with all hobbies, make sure you still find the fun in it all even through all the work you put into it!

Here are some suggestions:

A simple system flute, often called an Irish flute. They are diatonic but these will allow you to play music in the keys of D, G, A and e-minor. Many good inexpensive ones are available, usually made out of Delrin, a very durable plastic. These are decent and affordable instruments. You can literally put them in a dishwasher and they will play fine afterwards:

​

Tipple Irish Flute: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Doug-Tipples-3-piece-Irish-Flute-in-Low-D/133022489025?hash=item1ef8c219c1:g:A0gAAOSwNSxVXrS~

Shannon Irish Flute: https://www.irishflutestore.com/collections/irish-flutes-new/products/shannon-low-d-polymer-irish-flute-by-walt-sweet

​

Or, if you want to play a modern chromatic flute (which would allow you to play most any sheet music) there nothing wrong with getting a decent metal student instrument. It will hold up fine to travel with modest care. Just get a little hard case, and swab it out after use:

Yamaha YFL-221 Student Flute: https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YFL-221P-YFL-221-Student-Flute/dp/B0002F7LXC

As to the suceptable to moisture comment, just think how many of these perform just fine with student marching bands in rainy weather.

Someone mentioned the Nuvo plastic flute and that is fine too, though for a little more the Yamaha is a better instrument and will last longer.

​

I don't think the suggestion to get a Native American Flute is a very good one, unless you are interested in playing that genre of music. The simple one octave pentatonic (5 note) scale is very limiting.

A Native American flute would probably be a great place for you to start. Good ones are easy to play, and well-suited to experimenting and improvising, even if you don't know much about music. Totally appropriate for the porch, under a tree, etc.

The ones by Butch Hall are quite affordable--even some of his professional-quality "concert flutes" are within your price range. I'm a professional musician, and these are my Native American flutes of choice. They are also used by a number of recording artists. They aren't as visually ornate as some by other makers, but they have a beautiful sound, a sleek appearance, and a lovely cedar fragrance.

The "C, E, F-sharp," etc. refer to the "key" of the flute. Some keys are higher, and some are lower. A higher flute is smaller (and usually a little cheaper), and a lower one is larger. F-sharp seems to be a favorite among serious Native American flutists, but you can start with whichever appeals to you.

These flutes don't play as many notes as, say, a silver concert flute. That's not necessarily a bad thing, unless there are certain songs you want to play that need those other notes.

If you decide to go this route, you may also be interested in the R. Carlos Nakai book, which gives some background on the instrument and how to play it. Check out his recordings, too.

I agree with /u/nandemo who suggested harmonics. Harmonics will help to develop your embouchure to be able to play the F# with the correct fingering more easily.

IMHO using alternate fingerings without being able to play the standard fingering is kinda cheating. It's the standard fingering for a reason!

Trevor Wye has a good section on this note & E natural in his "Tone" book - he called those two notes "gremlins." My flute teacher also says everyone has trouble with these notes. (You may not have as much trouble with the E if you have a flute with a split E - I do!)

Wye says to practice the G scale. Make sure your air speed is sufficient (you should have no trouble with the G above it). If your air speed is sufficient and your G is fine, then you should practice the notes leading up to the F# (G, A, B, C, D). He says:

> If the air speed is not enough to give security to E natural and F sharp then the air speed is probably insufficient to play the preceding notes with proper intensity of sound.

He also has 2 pages of exercises specifically designed to help with this issue. I highly recommend the book; it's helped me a ton!!

Point him towards pop music compilations for Flute- these are usually simple-ish, and satisfy the urge to play something that someone wants to hear. When I was a kid, I had Disney Music compilations as well as some devoted to recent pop music - it helped with the monotony of scales and hot cross buns :) These were important to keep me motivated in playing, especially during summer when I wasn't taking lessons.

Heres one for [Pirates of the Caribbean] (https://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Caribbean-Leonard-Instrumental-Play-Along/dp/1423421957/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499091080&sr=1-12&keywords=flute)

Heres a [pop/rock one] (https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Pop-Rock-Instrumental-Solos/dp/0739094882/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0739094882&pd_rd_r=P9CPWB201NRPJFQYNH5C&pd_rd_w=34pT9&pd_rd_wg=3IFk7&psc=1&refRID=P9CPWB201NRPJFQYNH5C)

Stick to the major brands to buy a flute (Yamaha, armstrong, etc), whether new or use. The good old Armstrong 104 is what I played on for years, have had maintained (since 1982 ish) and now my niece plays. Another really viable option is that your local music store usually has a rental program. In my area you can rent almost any student model instrument for pretty cheap, around $15-$20 a month. That way you can try it out without a huge investment.

IF you're not up for taking a few lessons, the Louke/George books are very good at helping fresh flute players learn. Again, my 7 year old niece is working through FLute 101 with occasional input from myself. http://www.amazon.com/Flute-101-Phyllis-Avidan-Louke/dp/1598062735/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452439614&sr=8-1&keywords=louke+avidan+flute+101

I'm in a similar boat to you right now (waiting for my first private lesson next week).

I'd suggest Flute 101 as a good jumping off point. The Rubank book is also good, but seems like it works more in conjunction with a dedicated teacher who can give you particular assignments.

I'd LIKE to be able to keep it under $250.
This Mendini seems like it has some kinda sketchy reviews, so I don't know how I feel about it.
I've seen the name Nuvo before though, maybe it is a better investment?

I should also note that we live in a fairly remote location, so I really want to find an option online that I can have shipped up to me.

There’s a great teaching tool called the Pneumo Pro that you could use for this. It’s a plastic headjoint with an array of little fans at different angles. It gives a great visual cue for where your air is going and, to some degree, how fast it’s moving. Perfect for this sort of problem.

The Alexander Technique is really awesome - highly recommend reading up on it. Here's the book I read on it.

https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Solos-Flute-Dona-Gilliam/dp/0786687509

https://www.amazon.com/Mel-Sacred-Solos-Flute-Book/dp/0786665335

Great Baroque pieces, my favorite being Bach's "Sleeper's Wake"

Robert Dick has a series on YouTube on how to create multiphonics! He's my go-to guy for this!

Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB6_iPUaTWs

He's also got an excellent book out, Tone Development Through Extended Techniques, which is a really neat source:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0939407000

Edit: it's early and I can't word right

https://www.amazon.com/Young-Flutists-Recital-Book-Collection/dp/079355103X/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502217309&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=Pieces+for+young+flutist

I really liked this book.

Also:

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Pieces-Progressive-Order-Collection/dp/0793525527/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0793525527&pd_rd_r=JHT28M4FH26YC1CBT2VZ&pd_rd_w=U2Pa5&pd_rd_wg=2rPLG&psc=1&refRID=JHT28M4FH26YC1CBT2VZ

Though the last song in this book appears in the other one.

You can actually get a book of his flute solos, so if there are specific licks from his songs that you like, you may be able to find them there.

Edit: link. This is the one I have. There's another on amazon that's yellow, I haven't seen that one before.

Well in India we call the first one a bansuri and the second one a bean.

I found an amazon link

https://www.amazon.com/Type-C-Indian-Bean-Flute/dp/B07PFDF3MC

> are there any flute books aimed at a player who is excellent at the theory (so sight reading is a non issue) but wants to build finger dexterity? or is it just scales, scales, scales ?

See Trevor Wye's Practice Books For The Flute.

https://www.amazon.com/Pneumo-Pro-Wind-Director-Practice/dp/B0058VGO24

maybe you could use something like this with a highspeed cam? then infer air speed from rotation speed

Check out the Trevor Wye Practice Book for Piccolo. I'm not sure of your level but you might start wanting to look at the Vivaldi Piccolo (Flautino) concertos as well.

Non-mobile link: http://www.amazon.com/BG-A32HP-Flute-Head-Joint/dp/B000RVZ3QS/

How does amazon still not include this link on their mobile pages?

Flute Music by French Composers but she may already have that

https://www.amazon.com/Flute-Music-French-Composers-Piano/0793525764

Flute 101 by Phyllis Avidan and Pat George. Also Rubank still ranks way up high.

https://www.amazon.com/Flute-101-Phyllis-Avidan-Louke/dp/1598062735