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_TonyT-PiccoloBO
Y_
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When testing a flute out what do you play?? Not only scales, but what is a good piece to see all aspects of its playability sound articulation, etc. ??
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vampav8trix
(219 points)
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To Bad Kera is occupied with the flute fair. She would really be the one to ask. There are some others that I would ask too.
I have been play testing flutes for about a week to try and find THE flute. The one that I will be happy with.
If you have read some of the forums you know that I have a problem with my right hand.
I have been looking at footjoints and playing a lot on the footjoint when I play.
I then start at A above the staff and slowly play down and up the flute. Then I do it again with a tuner and practice moving my embrachure.
I try going from high A two above the staff to High E one above the staff. (I don't know the technical term. Please excuse my ignorance.)
Double tongueing, flutter tongueing and singing into the flute.
I close my eyes and play long notes and listen to the sound quality of the flute.
Then I just play something that I like. Some scales and that's about it.
I bring a notebook and I write down what I like about the particular flute. What I think of the construction and how it worked out with ease of play. After I am finished I ask the price and I write it down. I also write down the options available and the cost. eg. split E,C# trill, etc.
Try that. Maybe someone else will have some input.
After all, I have only started playing again after 25 years. I am probably not the best person to ask.
Good luck! 
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Alieannie
(719 points)
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Part of it depends on what your level is, as far as the pieces you test on it. But with all flutes, test all scales and arpeggios the full range that you can play, listening for eveness/intonation. Long tones are good to check for tone, and throw some diminuendos on to see how the headjoint responds to that, which is a very important part of phrasing (and one that seems to be ingored... don't get me started). Pick a piece or even an exercise to check articulation, though a lot of that lies more in the headjoint than the flute itself. Etudes can be good for all of this, as many of them were written to help overcome typical playing difficulties of the flute, and would be good test fodder to see what the flute can really do.
Even something as simple as The Swan from Carnival of the Animals can help you check how the flute works and responds for you. I don't think there's really a prescribed set of pieces to use to check the flute, but I think playing pieces you know well is best.
Just as important as how it sounds is how it feels in your hands, so don't ignore that either. It needs to feel sturdy in the mechanism yet have a responsive and sensitive action.
This is probably just me, but I've come across flutes that feel and look more masculine and some that look and feel more feminine. I tend to go for the more masculine ones lol.
<Added>
What flutes are you looking at and what are you looking for?
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arabians207
(187 points)
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When I was looking to buy my flute, my teacher had me play a few lines of the all-state etudes i was preparing, as well as a bit of my solo i was learning, and that i am now preparing for solo/ensemble. Also scales, double tonging, long tones.. play stuff you can play well.
What REALLY helped me decide on which to buy was to have me, well first narrow it down to just a few.. then I played them for someone else (they did not know what flute it was, I did) and had them and myself write down what I thought about the flute i played (how easy it was to play, what it felt like, what i thought of the sound.. just anything about that flute) She also played them while I listened and i wrote down what I noticed when she played them as well.
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