yah, be shure to get a flute with no brakes on it, unless you plan on playing tooooo fast

open hole flutes are harder to play but shows you know how to play i dont know how it sound yet because im a begginer and have pluges for it but ill get back to you when i play it like that

remnant, when you try a new flute, play really low and high notes and see how they speak, also, try parts of pieces that seemed difficult on your old flute and see how they work on the one you are trying...

Drainfamily, French (open hole) flutes are not harder to play, they just require that you seal the holes with your fingertips. They also don't show that you know how to play. Plenty of professionals have the holes in their flutes plugged or have Plateau keyed flutes.

As for what will help tone, that's all in the design and craftsmanship. No spec (French keys, pointed arms, low B, etc.) will offer you a better sound, so don't worry about what options the flute has....Worry about how it sounds/feels for you. Patrick's given some good suggestions for how to try out a flute (optimally you want to do the same thing on each flute to get a valid comparison). To get a little more complex, test the dynamic possibilities (can you play pp in the 3rd octave and ff in the bottom of the range and vice versa?), check the intonation with a tuner, play with the tonal possibilities to be sure it offers you a range of colors instead of just one default tone, etc.

lonelyflutist, French keys are not the reason for that change in tone. The design and craftsmanship (and likely repair) of the instruments was different, and this resulted in a different sound. French keys (and maybe a B foot) were the only visible change, so you mistakenly attributed the change to the holes, but they have nothing to do with tone, as we've discussed many times before. As for long tones, they only do something as long as you're paying attention. Simply holding a note for 4 counts, 8 counts, or as long as you possibly can will yield absolutely no benefit if your brain is elsewhere. And if you're going to do longtones, they shouild cover the full range of the instrument going both upwards and downwards in thirds, fourths, fifths and any other permutation you can think of. Sticking to F1 down to C1 will not do much. Try turning them into a dynamic exercise by decrescendoing as you go upwards and crescendoing as you go downwards, or add some other layer of complexity. As for rolling in and out, this should be done only as a last resort when altering pitch with the airstream will not give you quite enough. This is because rolling, while it can impact pitch, will also negatively affect tone. If you need to change pitch, raise the air slightly to bring pitch up, and lower it slightly to flatten pitch.

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Also, it's impossible to peg one brand as the best flute to get. Everyone is different and needs different things from their instruments. If Yamaha really was the best, no other makers would exist. Yammies are certainly good quality flutes and work with some people, but there's no way to characterize it as the best flute to get. I played one for years (most recently as a back up flute) and just recently sold it in favor of a Muramatsu. Just as with any other brand, Yamahas won't suit everyone well.

I would suggest that you try any good quality flute that you can, from a Yamaha 300 series (likely not what you'll end up with, but great for comparison's sake and easy to find) to your teacher's pro flute. You will hopefully learn what different headjoint/embouchure cuts can do for articulation, tone, and dynamics. Some will be really great in the low range, others might make the high end really easy, one might make a lovely tone easy for you. By the time you get to seriously looking at flutes to buy, you will have an idea of what different flutes can sound like, and maybe already have something in mind.

If at all possible, have a try-out flute for a whole practice session, and maybe a lesson, too, if you like it. It takes time to find the 'sweet spot' on any instrument. If you just pick it up and play it briefly, you may find that you favor an instrument that is really similar to the one you already have.

The most common advice is to try out several flutes, sometimes 'blind' , or without knowing which is which. Doing this will help you choose the available flute with the best headjoint and finish/padding work. Hand-carved headjoints can, and do, differ from one to another- I adore my principal flutist's piccolo HJ and it is the same embouchure cut, handmade, as mine but hers is much easier for me (and her, too!) to get the high notes on. Flutes also tend to come, brand new, with less-than-perfect adjustment and some possible padding issues or leaks. You will either have to have them fixed before you buy, or chose a flute that plays better in the first place.

Gemeinhardts are not the best option as upgrade flutes (IMO), but if they suit you best after plenty of playtesting amongst different brands and models, then you should not feel reluctant about purchasing one. They certainly can do the job. As for gold plating, it will have no affect on sound whatsoever. Plating is only a cosmetic touch that some manufacturers use to make an instrument look more valuable than it really is. Opinions vary on the subject, but SOLID gold lip plates or risers may have an impact, but PLATED lip plates will not.

Personally, I feel no need for a Split E or donut, as I can produce an E3 without any difficulty. However, some people swear by them, so it's worth playtesting instruments both with and without a Split E and making your own decision. Keep in mind that without an on/off clutch, the Split E can negatively impact some trills, alternate fingerings and the like, so a donut/cat's eye/High E Facilitator/etc. might be a better way to go. It can also be placed and removed after production, and is significantly cheaper than a Split E, though some people complain of slight changes in intonation because of it. It serves the same purpose as the Split E (to reduce venting, allowing E3 to speak more easily and reliably), but does not affect the mechanism at all (it's just a disc or crescent set into one of the toneholes), so there's no risk of binding or losing the ability to perform trills as there is with a Split E.

Now, the Yamaha Allegro offers a gold plated lip and Split E from what I was able to turn up. Otherwise it's a pretty standard Yamaha flute.

I know so many pros that don't use a split e, if one learns to play a high e properly, i dont see the need for the extra expense

I have never had a problem no having a split E myself. I don't care for the extra mechanism as I have seen it far too many times not work properly on even new flutes. They are nice to have as a cruch, but not needed. There are some times though in certain peices where I wish I did have one, but that is very rare. I have a donut in both of my flutes, but to be honest, I don't notice much if any difference when it is not in.

What is so special about Yamaha Allegro flutes is that their gold lip plate and split E allows music stores to sell them for more money. I also heard that the Allegro models are only available in-store, to differentiate from online and catalog sales.
The gold plating, which on a cheap flute will wear off almost immediately, can prevent skin irritation from silver. Some people are sensitive to the silver. A solid gold lip plate will not wear off, and might maaayyybe have an effect on the tone. If you don't have a silver allergy/sensitivity, you don't need a gold lip plate.
If you are used to a split E, playing without one can cause some difficutly for a while, but it can be overcome with diligent practice. I wouldn't be too concerned with a split E either way.
Many of us have recommended the combination of a Yamaha 200 series flute with a pro headjoint, several times. The Yamaha body is dependable and repairable, and inexpensive when bought refurbished/overhauled form a reliable source. Add a pro headjoint, and the flute will probably outplay almost ANY 'upgrade' flute on the market. Most upgrade flutes are usually a student flute, with B-foot and open holes, with a solid silver version of the student-flute headjoint. For example, the Yamaha 200 series is silver plated and has a machine-cut CY headjoint, while the Yamaha 400 series is solid silver (with plated keys) and a sterling silver machine cut CY headjoint. The Yamaha pro headjoint comes with the 500-and-up models, the standard pro Yamaha headjoint is an EC. The EC fits right into a Yamaha 200, and usually plays better than even a silver CY head.

Unless you are a very well practiced player, and most of us finish up NOT being that, once life's responsibilies kick in, It is pretty difficult to slur cleanly from second octave A to third octave E without it.

I've never had a flute with a split E, and I don't recall, even as a beginner, having a problem with this slur. My teachers taught embouchure focus, air support, and being able to "feel" the notes with your muscle memory before attempting any slur. Maybe outside the U.S. you're taught to rely on gadgetry in lieu of discipline (kidding, of course).

Funny Tim... I have never had a problem with it either.

Very thought provoking comments Micron. I know that I am definitely among the "majority" that practices those fewer hours. Interesting.