HI i'm a 16 year male junior and normally i play soprano/alto/tenor sax but i have come to a point where i like to try and compose and transpose but i never quite had the coordination for guitar or piano. would it be worth me (as a guy) to try and learn flute so i can play a c instrument and if so how do i get started and what brands are good.I know there are guy flute players but still, any advice?

I do not understand why you had to state Ur a guy as thought it really matters, I am a guy flute/piccolo player, and I am very proud of it, although u have some ppl with the ignorance who seem to think an instrument is assigned to one gender? but lets not go there, I am only a freshman, but one of the best in my h.s, I have been playing for 6 years, piccolo 4, I started off my getting a student model, which was a silver plated, closed whole, c foot gemeinhardt nice flute, nothing ever happened to it for 4 years it was great, until i got My gemeinhardt with a special cut solid silver headjoint, open hole, and b foot, but dont worry about that for now. But yes get a flute thats described like this(silver plated or even solid silver for a richer sound, plateau, or closed keys, and a c foot), and good brands are Gemeinhardt, Yamaha, Jupiter, Pearl etc, people might say gemeinhardts arent the greatest that they used to be, but thats not exactly true, all flutes have their issues mine are great and never gave me an issue, Going to a music store and trying out a few is ur best option, and thats about it i guess but I am only a student, not a professional, so ask for my opinions.

*more opinions...sorry

well i stated that i'm a guy because where i live there's only one guy flute in the entire region, and he's !*****! so that doesn't help the cause. and i can't go try out flutes, because i can't play one or i don't know how that's y i posted that topic

well first of all,for beginners get a closed hole flute.
On some flutes they have a rounded head joint(no clue why) but it would be way easier for you to buy a vertical one.I have an Armstrong but my first flute was a Selmer which is an ok brand.
well I guess it depends on how much you are willing to spend on a flute.

and who cares if the dude is G-a-y?that's a stupid reason for any guy not to play flute cause the first flute players were actually guys!(how neanderthal people have come these days!)

anywho...it's all up to you.

see people call me g-a-y because i play the flute but its fricking ingnorance, and stupidity and I do not waste my time, listening to them when famous flute makers are guys like Verne Q Powell, Kurt Gemeinhart, William S Haynes, and professionals like Gary Sugurdson, Gary Schocker, WIlliam Bennet, James Galway, and many more, but with all do respect that comment you said...the only guy flute player is g-a-y , and it does not make anything better kind of offended me, because why care what ppl think when its all arrogent, and yea thats true you can not test them but still when you can play u can, and Flutes-4Ever some student flutes have a curved head, so they can reach the keys and put less of a strain on the hands, hence why the some alto flutes and bass flutes have them

*and doesnt help the cause sorry,

Dear Gengar:

Don't worry about remarks about being a guy flutist. Some of the best flutists in the world have been guys. We ARE talking about playing an instrument, here --- not "orientation".

In the "old" days --- almost all flutists were guys. It was RARE for a woman to acceede to becoming a "world-renowned" artist. Doriot Anthony Dwyer was the first to break the "gender barrier".

Since then, we have Jeanne Baxtresser, Susan Milan, Paula Robison, Marina Piccini, etc. BUT -- we still have James Pellerite, Maurice Sharpe, Jeff Khaner, James Galway === and many other male flutists whom have left "their mark". So, don't worry about it.

As far as the best flute to buy, I'll leave that up to those in this post who know more than I about makes and models.
I, personally, have an aging Powell. But the price-ticket to buy one will give you "sticker shock".

You might consider a Yamaha 200 series. Very reasonable and very good, for the money.

I think that you'll find the flute a wonderful instrument to play (personally I hate the "bleeting" sound of a sax) --- the flute is very sweet, very impressive and has a lovely voice --- the best, as far as I'm concerned of all of the wind instruments.

As far as makes and models go, I'm sure all of the other members of the forum will agree that you have to try different makes and models of flutes, side-by-side --- to find just THAT flute which sounds best to YOU, is comfortable to play, has a great response and tone. In the end, it will be YOUR call.

Regards, and happy fluting! Jim Millen

First of all, if you're going to start playing, get yourself a teacher. Quite aside from helping you learn, they can catch bad habits which have the potential to cause serious injury.

As for good student instruments, check out these brands:

Yamaha
Emerson
Jupiter
Pearl
Armstrong
Gemeinhardt
Trevor James

Look for something with a C foot, Plateau (closed hole) keys, and an offset G. Curved heads are meant for very young/very small players, so I wouldn't expect you to need one, and vertical flutes are really intended for those with hand/shoulder problems, and can cost quite a lot, so I would not suggest those to you either. Stick with a standard student model instrument to get you started. Steer away from the colorful flutes on eBay, as well as those from companies without a professional looking website.

And to fluteandpiccolos, silver will not offer any difference to sound at the student level, if it does at any level. Far more important than material is player, and the design and craftsmanship of the instrument (particularly the headjoint), so suggesting that a beginner buy a silver flute/headjoint "for a richer sound" doesn't make much sense.

"I'm a flute player, and !*****!
So what?
Are you afraid that some idiot may assume you to be "****!
Would you find that demeaning, insulting, whatever? If so, I find that mighty insulting, and you could carefully consider the reverse."


no you got me wrong. i don't have anything against !*****! people. it's the way he's treated that bothers me people throw stuff at him and he not respected at all among his peers and he almost tried to commit suicide it got so bad one time. and it was all because he was !*****!. i don't care if some idiot thinks i'm !*****! cuz i'm not and i have a beautiful girlfriend, but i don't want to feel the same way he did and be treated that same, that's all

I am frankly astonished. What "region" is that one, if you can tell?

"
HI i'm a 16 year male junior and normally i play soprano/alto/tenor sax but i have come to a point where i like to try and compose and transpose but i never quite had the coordination for guitar or piano. would it be worth me (as a guy) to try and learn flute so i can play a c instrument and if so how do i get started and what brands are good.I know there are guy flute players but still, any advice?"

I don't know how this became a g-a-y issue. I guess I'm more confused about your original question. Am I reading this correctly? Why cant' you "compose and transpose" using your original instrument?
Don't get me wrong, learning the flute is a great idea, I just don't know why you'd go that route to learn to "compose and transpose". Are you just wanting to learn a C instrument?

I am a guy and I play the flute in a band and I am the only guy but I like the flute. I would recommend Armstrong thats what flute I have. among others of course

That still doesn't answer our question. What other brands have you tried and recommend? It sounds as if you are recommending Armstrong only because you play on one.

I've played a wide range of flutes, and if someone were looking for a student level instrument, and didn't have much to spend, I wouldn't have any problem including Armstrong on my list of recommendations. They certainly aren't the flute for every situation, but they do what they need to do and are better than some flutes they could pick up.