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Oboegirl94nm
(308 points)
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Does anyone here play the alto and/or tenor flute (or any other flute besides C and piccolo)?
For those that do, do you enjoy playing it? What do you like/dislike about it the most?
Just asking 'cause I love the sound of alto and tenor flutes.
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Alieannie
(659 points)
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I've played alto flute in flute choir a few semesters, and have tinkered around with bass flute. I much prefer the alto to the bass. I also play piccolo, so the bass embouchure is just too loose for me! I like playing alto because it helped me loosen up but refine my lip muscles and learn how to use them more effectively. Intonation can be tricky on an alto, especially if it's not the cream of the crop, so it forces the player to listen or very quickly the chord sounds crummy when playing in a group setting. I also love its sweet but haunting, almost eerie tone.
Alto requires more of a hand stretch and longer reach (unless a curved hj is used)even though it's the smaller of the two. This is because the bass is simply too big to handle on its own, so there are key levers to operate the keys, and they are placed at a manageable distance. Alto doesn't really have this, so you kinda have to stretch your fingers more. It's hard to explain, but I think if you look at pictures or the instruments themselves you can more clearly understand what I am trying to say. Just something to think about... you need longer fingers for alto lol.
The c flute feels like a toy after playing one of these bigger flutes.
<Added>
One dislike: can be a bit less responsive than a c flute, especially a higher end flute with a good headjoint, so you have to learn to work with that.
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Patrick
(1388 points)
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I love playing alto and bass flutes, they really help one develop color in your c flute playing, as does piccolo, I have used alto for shows and recordings mostly, and bass for some recording and flute ensemble work..
it is a real advantage to own a good alto flute...
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Oboegirl94nm
(308 points)
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Thanks for the info. 
More questions:
1. How did you obtain your alto/tenor/bass flute (as in eBay, music store, etc.)?
2. Was the flute hard to obtain once you had enough money?
3. About how much would a good alto flute cost?
I'm really thinking about starting to save up for one. I love the sound of the alto flutes, so beautiful.
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Lera
(1370 points)
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I had a chance to play on alto but I don't own one. Alto is an Awesome instrument.
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mbrowne1229
(411 points)
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ive played both alto (a dimedici, LOVED it!) and bass (a yamaha, the only yamaha ive ever liked).
im one of the strange ones, i prefer the bass to the alto. i can get an amazing sound out of both, but think the bass has more presence. its definitely a flute love affair.
<Added>
theyre easy to get ahold of via flute world. id recommend a dimedici if youre going for a less expensive alto. they start at around $2000 or so. ive heard some good things about the dean yang ($1500+) and some of the japanese brands
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Patrick
(1388 points)
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i have both the alto and bass from Jupiter here at home, they are good deals for the money and easy to play...
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mbrowne1229
(411 points)
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people seem to like the altus, sankyo, miyazawa, muramatsu, yamaha, etc. for alto flutes. i cant say that ive every tried any of those. ive tried a pearl and a trevor james but i wasnt too impressed with either. i think the jupiter and the dimedici are the best for the money.
of course, id really be interested in trying the dean yang. i really like their flutes for intermediate students so maybe their altos will be in the same quality category.
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ekdavies
(190 points)
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I bought a Lalo Alto flute (almost certainly made in China by the JinBao factory) on ebay for $500 last April. I was disappointed to find that regulation on arrival was so bad that it was unplayable (Bb, Lower G and F# all needed adjustment). Some additional adjustment screws would have made this relatively easy ...
The response is pretty good across the entire range but playing loudly at the very bottom of the range needs practise.
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atoriphile
(209 points)
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I also owned a Lalo flute, but mine arrived well adjusted. I agree it takes some practice to get a good tone out of it, but for the price, what can you expect? I sold mine because I upgraded to a Pearl. Now that is an alto flute I can really recommend! My only complaint is with the trill keys. They just feel awkward. Luckily, I don't need to use them often.
I also own a Jupiter bass flute that I like, but it doesn't have trill keys. I'm hoping to find a good deal on a DiMedici bass flute and then sell the Jupiter.
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ninafire
(109 points)
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I have the Jupiter alto and love it. When I was alto shopping, the local music store let me take home both the Jupiter and a Dean Yang for a week and test them side by side. I think the Dean Yang had a nicer mechanism, but the Jupiter had a richer tone and it just felt better in my hands (I'm short with small, child-sized hands). So I kept the Jupiter and returned the Dean Yang. Your mileage may vary!
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