Best Beginner's Flute

[Ronk]

Ditto on the Somers. I've had M&E, Tony Dixon 3 piece, Sweetheart wooden and the Somers is the winner hands done. Easy to play, rich tone and for $265 (Irish Flute Store) a steal.

Ron

[dontf]

A student of mine has the Walt Sweet "Shannon", $275. from Doc, she got a nice sound right away, I wish I had one of those as my first, I struggled a bit with what I had. The Burns "Folk Flute" is a really nice option too, and it's a real wooden flute.

[monkeymonk]

Funny, what no one ever seems to comment on directly (as compared to indirectly via a recommendation) is small holed vs larger holed types of flutes for beginners and whether or not people feel that a beginner should only start on a smaller holed flute that is easier to finger or if a pratten model is ever suitable for someone just starting out. I often recall that Matt Molloy started out playing his Father’s anonymous German flute with “Small holes, sweet tone” but who’s to say that, given the resources he would not have gone right for the Pratten’s Perfected. I guess Matt Molloy could answer that particular bit but the greater question still exists (well in my head, at least).


Bob

[Casey Burns]

This is a core topic that I deal with on a regular basis and its no big guess what type of flute that I would recommend. However, I'll distill a few general principles from my practice:

1) The flute should be easy to play and get a tone out of. I've tried flutes that are difficult for me to get a decent tone out of - even some top of the line flutes by top of the line makers. Beginners commonly don't have the chops and the toned muscles to get a decent tone out of the flute. A maker who plays regularly in sessions will tune and voice a flute that works for his or her settings and works for people who have the chops and play in sessions regularly.

But for a beginner, these muscles are undeveloped. Then its best to make the flute do most of the work for you. Although I play several instruments I've long since stopped playing flute recreationally and my flute playing chops are chronically weak and I prefer to keep them that way. However, I know what kind of tone and power I want out of my flutes and thus I have iteratively forced the the flutes to do the heavy lifting for me. A flute that takes much effort in learning how to even make the sound come out of it will be discouraging. A forgiving flute that doesn't require much heavy lifting will be a joy to play for the beginner. For the seasoned player these easy to play embouchures work very well.

2) The flute should be easy to finger. Many makers follow the wide fingerhole spacings of Prattens and Rudalls and for many players including myself these are just too large. The flute should feel comfortable to finger and grip. A guitar analogy is that may prefer narrower fingerboards and lower actions, and even shorter actions which narrows the fret to fret distance (I sought these preferences on my hand made $4200 Shelley Park Model Encore Gypsy Jazz Guitar).

I've heard other makers (I heard this just the other day even) though say that one should learn to play piping style and in some cases insist that one trains the fingers with cloth or wooden wedges between the digits to stretch them (seriously!). This might work for someone still growing but it works poorly for older players who decide to get into a new type of instrument after many years. A significant portion of my clientele are in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Also, many beginning flute players approach the flute from the modern flute and other woodwinds where they are accustomed to playing with their fingertips. Since most of the shape responsible for tone is in the embouchure, smaller holes do not necessarily impede the tone. Spanish bagpipe chanters have tiny holes and are plenty loud. Flutes work the same way.

3) Material used - I see frequent recommendations for Delrin flutes as something that the beginner doesn't have to worry about caring for. Heck its probably even dishwasher safe. However, using the guitar analogy again, one doesn't see too many Delrin Guitars around or other Delrin stringed instruments for that matter. A blackwood instrument is not difficult to maintain and the beginner should be encouraged to get an instrument that they may actually want to be encouraged to care for some since its usually hand made, rather than foster a careless attitude about it. The level of personal investment in an instrument translates into wanting to play it more.

[Peter Duggan]

What's the consensus

There isn't one!

I don't think the M&E are beginners flutes just because they cost less and are easy to play.

None of the flutes listed here so far are just beginners' flutes.

However, using the guitar analogy again, one doesn't see too many Delrin Guitars around or other Delrin stringed instruments for that matter. A blackwood instrument is not difficult to maintain

Seen many blackwood guitars, Casey?

and the beginner should be encouraged to get an instrument that they may actually want to be encouraged to care for some since its usually hand made

Delrin flutes turned on lathes are every bit as handmade as wood flutes turned the same way. On which note, I have both, like both and take care of both!

[Casey Burns]

Peter, I have seen blackwood guitars, however expensive. However, flutes require much less wood fortunately and thus it is practical to use this for even a beginners flute. The wood isn't that expensive. I know that some favor Delrin for many reasons but its tone will never evolve in the way a wooden flute's tone evolves, which is one reason why I don't like it. Why deprive the beginner of that experience? Again, I just don't get on so many levels why one would want a flute or any instrument in Delrin.

There is much written on plastic versus wood, and much written over the last century on the materials used in a flute. I suppose this doesn't matter as much in the context of this discussion. What matters is that the beginner get a flute that will encourage playing, rather than be another thing that one has to struggle with. Getting a well playing instrument with a good reputation of easy playing is important as well - so that the player doesn't have to wonder if its the instrument's fault versus their own inexperience and lack of chops as to why they may be struggling. I suppose a certain merit for Delrin can be its ease of care and never needing oiling etc. But taking care of a decent wooden flute really isn't that hard and most makers provide easy instructions.

Casey

[monkeymonk]

I don't think the M&E are beginners flutes just because they cost less and are easy to play.

None of the flutes listed here so far are just beginners' flutes.

Yes, i guess i was saying price and ease of playability does not a beginner flute make. I only have the experience with the M&E of the flutes listed sofar but i agree that no well made flute need be considered a flute just for beginners. I have a delrin Forbes, love it, play it, would not recommend it to a beginner for many of the reasons Casey Burns mentioned. I find the Forbes squared off embouchure really easy to play but the pratten finger holes and spacing and slipperyness of delrin might make it harder for a beginner.
I like ebonite better than delrin and wood better than ebonite.

[MadmanWithaWhistle]

I have both a Folk Flute and a Walt Sweet Shannon. Both have ergonomic hole designs, with the Burns being exquisitely comfortable and the Shannon close behind. I think the tone of the Burns is undisputedly better than the Shannon, but (for me) it's on the quiet side and (again for me) has a little less "edge" or reediness to the tone unless I really push it. This speaks to the greater range of tone one can get out of the Burns. However, it's wood. And wood means you have to play it in very gradually when you first get it, keep it in reasonably climate-controlled environments and swab it. Not exactly difficult care instructions, certainly.

The delrin Shannon is more of a "powerhouse" for when I need to be heard. It's got a real booming low D, and takes practically no effort to maintain a strong, reedy tone throughout. However, you're a little limited to the "session edge" tone. Also, it's really easy to play in-tune. The Burns goes flat in the upper octave if I'm not careful, but the Shannon is on-pitch virtually no matter what I do. That said, I think delrin holds up much better for flutes than whistles. I've played a lot of whistles but I've never played a delrin one I really liked.

Keep in mind that everyone's lips, styles and experiences are different, so I strongly encourage you to play a few flutes before you decide on one. My embouchure forms slightly to the side of my mouth due to the "teardop-shaped upper lip" (meaning I have a ridge of tissue in the middle of my lip that interferes with the airstream), so this may make my "aim" a little less focused and therefore more difficult to get the most out of the smaller Burns embouchure.

Bottom line, I think the Shannon might be easier in the short run but the Burns will be more rewarding in the long run.

[jim stone]

In my opinion (my experience with both wooden and delrin flutes is now pretty considerable), the last comment tends
to generalize. Wooden flutes will be more interesting sounding in the long run than will their delrin counterparts. The care they take is minimal and surely worth the trouble. FWIW, I'm with Casey on this one.

[MadmanWithaWhistle]

In my opinion (my experience with both wooden and delrin flutes is now pretty considerable), the last comment tends
to generalize. Wooden flutes will be more interesting sounding in the long run than will their delrin counterparts. The care they take is minimal and surely worth the trouble. FWIW, I'm with Casey on this one.

Isn't that pretty much what I said? And how am I generalizing? I kept my comments very specific to these two flutes that I own.

[jim stone]

Right. You're NOT generalizing. I'M generalizing. I wasn't criticizing your post at all.
I was agreeing with you and adding that, IMO, the point extends to wooden and
delrin flutes in general, not merely to the burns and the shannon.

Apologies if I wasn't clear.

[MadmanWithaWhistle]

No worries. It was the line about "the last post tending to generalize" that made me unsure of your intent.

[ggiles]

As someone who isn't even a beginner flute player but very interested in becoming one ... Casey ... if I ever get the funds together I'll be purchasing one of your folk flutes. This thread and your comments (as well as others) has confirmed this for me.
After a year of whistle and listening to the flutes really dig in on a tune ... I so want to give a proper flute a go. I've made a PVC one and it's been fun and a great experience to understand a lot about flutes ... all the more pushing me to get a proper instrument, easier to play, and comfortable in the hands.

cheers

[psychodonald]

Thanks Casey. Excellent comments/ advice, you never disappoint.

[Jayhawk]

FWIW, I think every flute mentioned here would work fine for a beginner. As long as it's a decent, in-tune flute, I think the most important thing is sticking with one flute and not flute hunting/searching for a flute that will sound better and make you a better player...the problem is usually the player who just needs more experience. Eventually, these flute hunters "find" this great, usually more expensive flute and say it's better, but what I've noticed is that the person simply has become a better player by that point and if they went back and played some of the flutes they owned in the past, well, those flutes sound miraculously better, too.