There are three categories of flutes: beginner, intermediate (sometimes called step-up) and handmade.
Beginner flutes are often played by young students so they are made to be as robust as possible. Because beginners tend to grasp their keys tightly, a beginner flute’s mechanism is heavier and therefore less precise. The embouchure hole is primarily designed so that students can make a sound easily, with less emphasis on wide dynamic range and nuanced sound. To keep costs low, beginner flutes are usually made of silver plated nickel and mass produced in factories, rather than being made by hand. Most beginner flutes have closed holes and an offset G key to make them easier to play.
As a flute player progresses and improves their technique, they require a lighter and more precise mechanism in order to be able to play faster and more evenly. As a flute player’s sound (tone) develops, they need a more precise headjoint cut, enabling them to play with more tone colours and dynamics. A good intermediate flute should provide a flute player these two upgrades.
Intermediate flutes are still commercially (machine) made as opposed to handmade but they can be sold by a flute company that also makes high level handmade flutes. Most good intermediate flutes will, however, have a hand cut embouchure hole. Intermediate flutes should have a lighter more precise mechanism than a beginner flute and they may have open holes, a solid silver headjoint and/or a B foot. The price range for an intermediate flute in 2024 in Canada is $1900-$4200 CAD pre-tax.
Eventually a player may move on to a fully hand made flute (sometimes misleadingly called a ‘professional’ flute). Each key is handmade and then fitted for a precise fit and the mechanism is smoother and quieter and will retain adjustments longer than a machine made flute. Handmade flutes also use professional quality pads, installed by a technician, so that the holes seal perfectly with a lighter touch. The embouchure hole has been hand cut and finessed by a professional headjoint cutter. Often players can choose between several different headjoint cuts. Handmade flutes are usually solid silver (or gold or platinum). They are fully repairable, can have their pads replaced over and over and are designed to last a lifetime. A fully handmade flute is priced from $5,000 CAD and up, depending on the metal that is used and the options that are selected.
Who needs an Intermediate flute?
A student who is already playing on a good quality student flute will need an intermediate flute once they start working on faster passages requiring more precision and when they begin adding more nuances and colours to their sound.
If a student isn’t quite at this level but they have been renting (or need to replace) a beginner flute after a few years of playing, going directly to an intermediate flute may make more financial sense.
An adult beginner student who knows they will be continuing to play for many years may also choose to invest in an intermediate flute right away.
It should be noted that the mechanism on intermediate flutes is often more delicate than that of a beginner flute, so players need to be mature enough to treat their instrument with care.
Higher cost of maintenance
Flutes with better mechanism require a more regular maintenance schedule as the oil has to be changed more often (a yearly Clean-Oil-and-Adjust). Their open holes and precise mechanism will also take longer to repair, which means repairs will cost more. So this should be a consideration.
Should You Skip an Intermediate Flute and Buy a Handmade Flute?
Sometimes it makes sense to skip the intermediate category and to move straight into getting an entry level handmade (sometimes called pre-professional) flute. This may be the case for a serious young musician who knows they will go on to study music in university or for an adult who has played long enough to know they will continue playing for years to come and is looking for their ‘forever flute’.
As mentioned above, the mechanism and hand cut embouchure hole on a handmade flute will be superior. The instrument will also have a better resale value. Some examples of a good entry level handmade flute include the Muramatsu EX, Miyazawa 102 or 202, or the Sankyo 201. These flutes start at $4995 CAD (2024).
See the next parts of this blog article on buying an intermediate flute:
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