What is a good flute brand?
The truth is there in every brand and model of flute each flute differs, mainly in ease of sound production. On Yamaha brand flute will usually play quite differently to another Yamaha of the same model. as is the case with other brands. Two main factors influencing this are the cut ( shape ) of the flute headjoints and the setup process done in the local workshop your dealer had them setup in ( if at all ).
Headjoints amongst brands differ. A "student flute" is designed to play easier in the first few years, and one brand like Yamaha for instance might produce a very slightly fuller sound than another brand but differences are very slight in student brands, excepting where some poorly cut very cheap flutes (below R2000 usually ) typically have less bottom ( harder to produce a fuller sound in the lower register 12 notes)
If one has any brand of "good " student headjoint, after a few months or so no matter what the brand the student who practised harder and correctly ( especially doing long notes like a vocalist in warmups for 10 to 15 minutes minimum a day ) will sound far better not matter whether playing a Yamaha, Jupiter or a lesser known but still good brand. So if a teacher recommends one brand of flute as far as a better sound above all others be wary. In most cases it usually means the flute teachers has only tried one two or three brands out of so many brands now available or some kind of commission kickback is involved. Look how in depth their recommendation is or does it genralise and just say "this flute is durable and Ive seen few problems? ". Any flute well looked after wont give problems! And the comment of soft metals as opposed ot hard . What metals? Flutes cant be made from very soft metals. .All are made from nickle silver or silver ! Flutes of every kind are susceptible to small knocks against a table side which will bend a rod, and can be repaired quite simply, but usually its best to ask repairers about fixing these problems rather than Teachers,
The knock is usually almost imperceptable though a repairer will pickup what a teacher cannot. . Rather ask your flute teacher to play you a couple of brands and enable you to choose the sound you like from you hearing it or go to a shop that can play you several brands if they have a qualified flute player. You really wont have to be a musician to hear the difference from one flute to another immediately
2 Articles on long notes practice
Its only when buying an intermediate or professional flute headjoint that more refinements can come from the flute alone, but even then you need to be an advanced player. Student flute headjoints typically all play easily but might make very soft notes a little breathy as compared to intermediate headjoints or wont respond as quickly jumping between very high and low as an intermediate . pro headjoint
FLUTE SETUPS
A setup can cost as much as R2000 This is when on a professinal flute every pad and spring is removed and replaced but to professional specifications. Entriely flat un grooved pads adjusted by metal flaggers for perfect alignment. Other cheaper setups will compensate for the groove pads method by flagging within what is possible on grooved pads, but there is alot morte involved ot etups to. A Student flute with the best setup will respond extremely well, A more expensive brand may not sound as good as less expensive brand if the less expensive brand was setup by someone with experience. ALways ask the setup technician when they qualified in flute restoraration .That would be a good guide. Just as a jeweller with 2 years ecxperience has limited skill compared ot one with ten times that expereince, so do woodwind restorers.
Most new flutes in shops are not setup, but should have been. A basic setup should at least involve the following
The North Indian flute - bansuri in South Africa
While the bansuri is a simple bamboo flute , flute Artists such as South Africas Deepak Rama who won the award for Best Instrumental Album, South African Music Awards 2000, have inspired more interest in again in the Indian musical traditions in South Africa. Deepak Ram is one of the few Masters of the Raga indian music melodic structure which intrinsically also requires , to improvise, an intrinisic knowledge of the Tala, the rhythmic improvisational patterns with their origin in India. See more about Deepak here
Beginnings of the modern metal flute
So what genius first made a flute out of metal with all these keys? His name was Theobald Boehm 1794-1881. Thats Theobald ne the left. He created many new feautures fo rthe flute, He broke the mould of 8 holes like the reocrder buy adding shafts and axles rods so one key could activate others and make the notes in between more accurate , each of the 12 chromatic notes having it own hole.
Flute key cups closing every hole enabled the holes to be larger resulting in a larger sound. He also created a new type of flute body bore , a cylindrical bore to increase projection of sound as well as the parabolic head embouchure hole, both of which, though modified sligtlty since then are the basis of the modern flute today
Manufacture of the flute
Ever wondered how the flute is made ? There are so many processes and parts. It pretty mind boggling . Why not go on a flute factory tour Click here to see how Gemeindhardt flutes are made
Types of flutes
Concert flutes - silver / nickle silver/ gold - platinum vs the player
Flutes made from silver or german nickle silver were said to vary in sound . But since 2001 its been more accpted that the embouchure hole is by far the largest factor in in the kind of sound aside fomr the player ?
This is relatively new discovery strangely enough. Before 2001 it was thought that the kind of metal . Sterling silver, Gold , Platimum or nickle german silver was one fo the single biggest factors and noone really new for sure until a thesis was undertaken in conjunction with the Vienna philharmonic orchestra in 2001 with sound measuring devices and over 100 advanced players listening.
It showed that still its the player who makes the real difference rather than the metal. James Galway and some other famous players had told people this before but it could never be proved before.
Concert flutes - The embouchure hole
The single biggest other factor influencing the sound , besides the player, is the shape of what is called the embouchure hole where the player blows
The shape of the hole in general when larger, is easier to make the flute
sound more powerful. Smaller and different shaped holes make just as powerful
sounds but more so in the hands of an advanced player if smaller.
So larger holes in general suit students but have the disadvantage over time of leaving less control of the various shades of colours one can produce
Yamaha is the manufacturer who perhaps perfected easy to play larger embouchure holes but now many other manufacturers have followed suit very successfully, some of them though preferring to offer their own shapes with a balance of power and more colour control . Even to a non musician, hearing these differences is very obvious. This is very personal thing for the player, much like the colour of your car is and its good to see flutes evolving with so many choices these days.
Are flutes manufactured in South Africa and does it matter where flutesa are made ?
Unforunately not silver metal flutes, though a Courante flute has been designed by South African flute players especially for import to South Africa at more affordable cost, who wanted a good entry flute sounding similar to the Yamaha student flutes but there are many other flute brands to try as well
it doesnt matter where flutes are made. What matters is the quality control. And the quallity control is a human factor so will differ from factory to factory. Remember springs and flute pads are set up by humans at factories. Never for student flutes to their maximum potential as this would take hours for every flute but at least the job should be good enough so the setup technician in the contry where they sell, doesnt have to spend up to 6 hours rectifying poor workmanship. In Italy there are better shoes made and worse. As in all other countries too the same applies to flutes. If one wanted to generalise one could say Chinese people take extreme care in their work and Americans are sloppy but this would be an extremely unwise generalisation.
Pan flutes 
are
made in south africa following the tradition of the Nyungwe people form
Mozambique but now made in South africa too.
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