Although the flute has been around for thousands of years, the instrument, as we know it today was developed in 1848. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world and is played in school bands, orchestras, jazz ensembles and also as a solo instrument. The flute family consists of the Piccolo, E-flat, Concert, Alto and Bass flutes. The most common beginner instrument is. For the purpose of our Buyers Guide we will focus on the Concert flute.

There are 3 categories of flutes:

	These flutes are designed for the beginner and are meant to provide an excellent start for the first years of playing. Most student flutes are made from Nickel-silver (Nickel silver is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel). Student flutes are plated with a layer of either nickel or silver to help prevent corrosion. Silver is preferred, as it lasts longer and produces a smoother, less metallic tone without adding much to the overall cost.
	Recommended Student Flutes

	Once a student is established and is learning the fundamentals of good playing, it is important to provide them with an instrument that will allow them to continue with their musical growth. On an intermediate flute, silver replaces the other metals on more parts of the flute. The more silver involved in the construction of the instrument, the better the tone (With the price increasing proportionately). Most Teachers encourage the student looking to step-up to purchase a flute with a solid silver head, French open keys and a B foot.
	Recommended Intermediate Flutes

	Designed and constructed with the professional musician in mind, pro flutes are high-end instruments made with the finest materials and craftsmanship. They usually have an all-silver body and an all silver mechanism as well. These are often feature a solid silver body or may be made of other precious metals such as gold or platinum. A professional flute is worth the investment for a long-term player of any age.
	Recommended Professional Flutes

Custom Select – Hand crafted and true artist quality.

There are certain accessories you will need to clean and maintain your flute. Cleaning and maintenance kits, carrying case and stands are a few of the items that will need to keep your instrument in good working order.

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Different Models of Flutes

French Model – Also known as the “Open-hole Model”, the French Model is slightly more expensive in initial cost and maintenance costs. Its defining feature is the open-holes in the centers of five of the keys. This is said to have several advantages:

• The holes give a slightly clearer, louder sound, due to the less obstructed airflow.
• Extra effects are possible by “half-holing”(covering only half the hole of a depressed key, to bend the note sharp). This can be particularly expressive for jazz and other improvisational styles.

Another difference is the G-key is usually inline with the rest of the keys, requiring a more awkward fingering position.

Plateau Model – The common flute for students, the Plateau model doesn’t require the more involved fingering technique of the French model. It also has an “offset” G-key, which is a more comfortable and natural position for students.

B Foot – A foot joint with another extra key which enables the player to play one note lower in the first octave.

The material from which the head and body of the flute is composed will have a huge impact on the tone and projection of the instrument.

• Nickel Plated – Nickel platen is found on student flutes and proves an extremely durable finish that is easily cared for. Being a very light material, the sound can be a bit bright.

• Silver Plated – Silver plating adds not only a beautiful finish to the flute but the added weight darkens and centers the sound.

• Solid Silver – Increasing the weight of the flute body by moving to solid (sterling) saver will further darken and focus the sound as well as making it richer in overtones.

The flute consists of 3 main parts:

• Head Joint – This is the part of the flute the player blows into and it has no keys. Many intermediate instruments feature a head joint made of solid silver. The material used to make the head joint has a major influence on the overall sound of the flute so this basically gives the instrument the characteristics of a silver flute.This is also where you’ll find the tuning cork which you can move to adjust the intonation of the flute

• Body – This is the largest part of the flute and contains most of the key work. It is the center section and connects to the head and the foot joint.

• Foot – This is the shortest part of the flute and it contains a few keys.

Mouth hole - There are two basic shapes used for the mouth hole: the oval and the rounded rectangle. They both are fine, but the size of the mouth hole should not vary too much from the average. A large mouth hole will favor low notes while the quality of the high notes will suffer. The reverse is true for a smaller than average mouth hole.

Rib-and-post Construction - On this type of construction, the posts that hold the key mechanism are not soldered to the body of the flute, but to strips of metal (also known as ribs) that are soldered to the flutes body. This is a more reliable key mechanism.

Our site has a complete and varied selection of flutes for any playing level, all backed by our 45/45/100 Guarantee. Call and speak with one of our Product Specialists to help you find the instrument that’s perfect for you.