I have no experience playing a flute, I play the low whistle in D and would like to move onto the flute after Christmas. I need some help/advice choosing a flute. Eamonn Cotter will make a keyless flute for €730. My music teacher seems to think I should get a few keys but I do not want to spend any more than €730 as I am a beginner!
I'm looking for some advice on the pro's and cons of buying a keyless flute and would like to hear from anyone who had a good experience with an Irish flute maker
If you do a subject search, you will find many threads covering this subject. Actually, there are some very recent ones that you can just scroll down to.
My advice for you here is, get a Casey Burns keyless flute. You'll have a fine instrument to take you as very far, indeed, and you absolutely do not need keys. I have a fine 8-key flute from the 1800's that once belonged to a member of Fairport Convention, and a Casey Burns keyless. I like each for different reasons, but play both with about the same degree of frequency.
I have a keyless Casey Burns standard flute in Mopane wood. I love it. One of the reasons I liked his keyless flute was that I could always have keys, tuning-slide, and rings added later if I wanted.
I've got an eamonn Cotter keyless flute and it's a very responsive instrument. In the hands of a better player than me I've heard it generate a very powerful growl(!)
I've wished I had a few keys less often than I've wished it would go a few notes lower so I could play The Green Fields of Glentown
But they do indeed have the potential to roll off tables!
I spent a year with a pvc flute made by Tony Dixon. It was serviceable...but lost its tone with time...and just didn't project in a "pure" way. I just bought a Copeland keyless flute (he's better known as a whistle maker, I know!)...used, for $550, and it is so lovely in comparison. I don't know if you really NEED keys as a beginner. I suppose it can't hurt, but seems to complicate the early learning.
I would say that looking into a used flute could be the answer. Try irishflutestore.com or the Chiff and Fipple board for decent used flutes.
730 Euro is quite a bit to spend on your first Flute. I suggest getting something a bit cheaper to begin with and upgrading later. What if you decide you don't want to play Flute? I suggest starting with the Burns Folk Flute which is about $300 US that way you don't need to worry about something really expensive, but you have a nice instrument to play. If you have to buy a more expensive Flute, I suggest one of Casey's better models, I play one of his Prattens in Boxwood and love it. I also suggest Dave Copley's Flutes, I have an Eb by him and it is great.
I spent my first 9 months on the flute with a Hammie Hamilton aluminum practice flute (about EUR 70 then), and then switched to a "real" flute immediately (in my case one from Gil Lehart). Others start with an "entry level" flute like the Casey Burns folk flute and then work their way up to the more expensive makers and models. I didn't regret my choice, but as I started playing the flute only once I can't tell if I would have been happier if I had done otherwise.
Any flute of the well-known makers (and Cotter is one of them) will resell for its original price, or not much less, if you decide after a few months that the flute is not for you, or that this particular instrument doesn't suit you. So I would say, don't think too long, get as good a flute as you can afford it, and then concentrate on practise and not on more flute buying
Regarding keys: I bought a fully keyed flute because I feared I might not be able to switch from keyless to keyed later. In hindsight that would not have been necessary: I didn't use a single key for about two years.
The more I think about it, the more I'm in the "get a good one from the start" camp. I'd definitely avoid anything cylindrical, for one thing. This is a seller's market for used flutes, and a good one will sell for the original price or more.
The problem with getting a "name brand" from the outset is the waiting period, unless used.
Keys are nice (looking), but not critical unless you play more than ITM. There are always maybe 2-3 tunes per session where I wish I had f natural keys, but that's a good opportunity to sit back and listen. Or grab a beer, or learn how to half-hole.
The good thing about a Burns folk flute or a polymer flute is that it will serve as a great outdoor/backup/camping/loaner flute if/when you upgrade.
If you ask me, I'd recommend a Cochran flute... Jon C is an up and coming American flute maker (already becoming well established in the US and conquering Europe)... this man makes superb, suberb flutes for an astonishingly reasonable price.... you can get an exceptional flute for 580 Euros plus 25 shipping.... this flute is the real thing... a quality session instrument with tuning slide which speaks of great craftmanship and is capable of a fabulous tone even in the hands of a relative beginner like me... you can choose between a variety of woods and models and the guy, Jon C, is extremely helpful and pleasure to deal with... I'm in the process of buying one of his Rudall & Rose flutes because it sits easy in my hands (I have hand trouble) and it suits my embouchure... for the past three weeks I'm trying and playing Jon C's mighty touring flute and I just love it...what a tone!... beautiful complexity!... very responsive!... this is the flute of my dreams... I'm glad to have found that jewel... Jon C is based in LA, USA and although I live in Ireland distance is no issue and purchase is uncomplicated...
Here's his email address if you want to find out more:
cochranflutes@gmail.com
And just to tell you, I also own a Hamilton flute.... a more expensive flute when purchased new... it's a brilliant flute too but with me it's a case that I can't do it justice:(
I also recommend to look out for second hand flutes on the chiff and fipple flute board and try Doc Jones preowned flute website... both places where you can find fantastic bargains.
Just make sure to come back to the mustard board... there is no place like the session.org... no place with such comprehensive information and a vast tunes' archive... and let's not forget the 'craic', the slagging and the bar fights amongst the locals here;)
Re keys - I recommend a keyless flute and when you reach the point when you decide you want to get keys, you can sell your keyless to raise funds for a keyed - only thing to remember is that waiting times are increasingly longer for keyed flutes but good quality second hand keyed flutes do come up at regular times
If you can spring for the Cotter right away, do it. It'll cost more in the long run to first buy a beginner flute and then upgrade.
Also, go keyless--reduces the cost and wait, and you can play thousands of tunes on it. If you're worried about it rolling off a pub table, have a few key blocks added...later, if you like, you can add the keys.
Glenn Watson of Galway is apparently making lovely flutes, too.
I sell in nearly time my old flute from about 1920-30 in blackwood with 9 keys ,440 Hz from firm Lidl, that flute is very good condition after repair and second flute with 11 keys with bone head after repair too
gregor101@tlen.pl
Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I have no experience playing a flute, I play the low whistle in D and would like to move onto the flute after Christmas. I need some help/advice choosing a flute. Eamonn Cotter will make a keyless flute for €730. My music teacher seems to think I should get a few keys but I do not want to spend any more than €730 as I am a beginner!
I'm looking for some advice on the pro's and cons of buying a keyless flute and would like to hear from anyone who had a good experience with an Irish flute maker
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by JennyLmk
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
If you do a subject search, you will find many threads covering this subject. Actually, there are some very recent ones that you can just scroll down to.
My advice for you here is, get a Casey Burns keyless flute. You'll have a fine instrument to take you as very far, indeed, and you absolutely do not need keys. I have a fine 8-key flute from the 1800's that once belonged to a member of Fairport Convention, and a Casey Burns keyless. I like each for different reasons, but play both with about the same degree of frequency.
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by Ailin
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I don't play flute. However I have observed several keyless flutes coming to grief (or nearly so) at sessions over the years.
Keyless flutes easily roll off pub table tops.
I would think an odd key or two - even if never used - might prevent rolling and be worth the investment.
Good luck
MYBC
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by millionyears_bc
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I have a keyless Casey Burns standard flute in Mopane wood. I love it. One of the reasons I liked his keyless flute was that I could always have keys, tuning-slide, and rings added later if I wanted.
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by jasonlburnfield
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I've got an eamonn Cotter keyless flute and it's a very responsive instrument. In the hands of a better player than me I've heard it generate a very powerful growl(!)
I've wished I had a few keys less often than I've wished it would go a few notes lower so I could play The Green Fields of Glentown
But they do indeed have the potential to roll off tables!
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by Ottery
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
If yer worried about rolling, get a plastic one. Then you can pretend to freak out and add a bit of 'craic" to your session the next time it happens.
If I had to get a flute from scratch/from the beginning, I'd scan Chiff and Fipple for a used well-regarded flute.
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by wormdiet
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
Keys or no keys, I second the Eamonn Cotter notion. Am very happy with mine.
# Posted on October 19th 2006 by ChineseFightingMuffin
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I spent a year with a pvc flute made by Tony Dixon. It was serviceable...but lost its tone with time...and just didn't project in a "pure" way. I just bought a Copeland keyless flute (he's better known as a whistle maker, I know!)...used, for $550, and it is so lovely in comparison. I don't know if you really NEED keys as a beginner. I suppose it can't hurt, but seems to complicate the early learning.
I would say that looking into a used flute could be the answer. Try irishflutestore.com or the Chiff and Fipple board for decent used flutes.
Cotter flutes are great...by the way!
# Posted on October 20th 2006 by yekdeli
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
730 Euro is quite a bit to spend on your first Flute. I suggest getting something a bit cheaper to begin with and upgrading later. What if you decide you don't want to play Flute? I suggest starting with the Burns Folk Flute which is about $300 US that way you don't need to worry about something really expensive, but you have a nice instrument to play. If you have to buy a more expensive Flute, I suggest one of Casey's better models, I play one of his Prattens in Boxwood and love it. I also suggest Dave Copley's Flutes, I have an Eb by him and it is great.
# Posted on October 20th 2006 by Unseen122
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I spent my first 9 months on the flute with a Hammie Hamilton aluminum practice flute (about EUR 70 then), and then switched to a "real" flute immediately (in my case one from Gil Lehart). Others start with an "entry level" flute like the Casey Burns folk flute and then work their way up to the more expensive makers and models. I didn't regret my choice, but as I started playing the flute only once I can't tell if I would have been happier if I had done otherwise.
Any flute of the well-known makers (and Cotter is one of them) will resell for its original price, or not much less, if you decide after a few months that the flute is not for you, or that this particular instrument doesn't suit you. So I would say, don't think too long, get as good a flute as you can afford it, and then concentrate on practise and not on more flute buying
Regarding keys: I bought a fully keyed flute because I feared I might not be able to switch from keyless to keyed later. In hindsight that would not have been necessary: I didn't use a single key for about two years.
# Posted on October 20th 2006 by skh
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
The more I think about it, the more I'm in the "get a good one from the start" camp. I'd definitely avoid anything cylindrical, for one thing. This is a seller's market for used flutes, and a good one will sell for the original price or more.
The problem with getting a "name brand" from the outset is the waiting period, unless used.
Keys are nice (looking), but not critical unless you play more than ITM. There are always maybe 2-3 tunes per session where I wish I had f natural keys, but that's a good opportunity to sit back and listen. Or grab a beer, or learn how to half-hole.
The good thing about a Burns folk flute or a polymer flute is that it will serve as a great outdoor/backup/camping/loaner flute if/when you upgrade.
# Posted on October 20th 2006 by wormdiet
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
This thread might be of interest to you:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/11366
If you ask me, I'd recommend a Cochran flute
... Jon C is an up and coming American flute maker (already becoming well established in the US and conquering Europe)... this man makes superb, suberb flutes for an astonishingly reasonable price.... you can get an exceptional flute for 580 Euros plus 25 shipping.... this flute is the real thing... a quality session instrument with tuning slide which speaks of great craftmanship and is capable of a fabulous tone even in the hands of a relative beginner like me... you can choose between a variety of woods and models and the guy, Jon C, is extremely helpful and pleasure to deal with... I'm in the process of buying one of his Rudall & Rose flutes because it sits easy in my hands (I have hand trouble) and it suits my embouchure... for the past three weeks I'm trying and playing Jon C's mighty touring flute and I just love it
...what a tone!... beautiful complexity!... very responsive!... this is the flute of my dreams
... I'm glad to have found that jewel
... Jon C is based in LA, USA and although I live in Ireland distance is no issue and purchase is uncomplicated...
Here's his email address if you want to find out more:
cochranflutes@gmail.com
And just to tell you, I also own a Hamilton flute
.... a more expensive flute when purchased new... it's a brilliant flute too but with me it's a case that I can't do it justice:(
I also recommend to look out for second hand flutes on the chiff and fipple flute board and try Doc Jones preowned flute website... both places where you can find fantastic bargains.
Here's the Doc Jones link:
http://www.irishflutestore.com/POFlutes.html
Chiff and fipple:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=7d4111fe293c8239acb4cc9297b482eb
Just make sure to come back to the mustard board
... there is no place like the session.org
... no place with such comprehensive information and a vast tunes' archive... and let's not forget the 'craic', the slagging and the bar fights amongst the locals here;)
Re keys - I recommend a keyless flute and when you reach the point when you decide you want to get keys, you can sell your keyless to raise funds for a keyed - only thing to remember is that waiting times are increasingly longer for keyed flutes but good quality second hand keyed flutes do come up at regular times
# Posted on October 20th 2006 by vanessa
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
If you can spring for the Cotter right away, do it. It'll cost more in the long run to first buy a beginner flute and then upgrade.
Also, go keyless--reduces the cost and wait, and you can play thousands of tunes on it. If you're worried about it rolling off a pub table, have a few key blocks added...later, if you like, you can add the keys.
Glenn Watson of Galway is apparently making lovely flutes, too.
# Posted on October 20th 2006 by Tintin
Re: Beginner looking to buy a wooden flute
I sell in nearly time my old flute from about 1920-30 in blackwood with 9 keys ,440 Hz from firm Lidl, that flute is very good condition after repair and second flute with 11 keys with bone head after repair too
gregor101@tlen.pl
# Posted on September 7th 2007 by gregor101