Transverse flutes for beginners

Several years ago, it was believed that learning to play a wind instrument could only be started around the age of 10. These conclusions were drawn based on arguments such as the development of the teeth of a young instrumentalist, his posture and the availability of instruments on the market, which were not suited to people who wanted to start learning earlier than the age of ten. Currently, however, younger and younger people are starting to learn to play the flute.

Appropriate instruments are needed for young children, for a very trivial reason – most often their handles are simply too short to cope with playing a standard flute. With them in mind, instrument manufacturers began to produce recorders with a curved headstock. As a result, the flute is much shorter and more “within” reach of small hands. The flaps in these instruments are designed to make playing more comfortable for children. Trill flaps are also not placed in them, thanks to which the flutes become a bit lighter. Here are the proposals of companies producing musical instruments for children and slightly older students who start learning to play the transverse flute.

New

The Nuvo company offers an instrument designed for the youngest. This model is called jFlute and is made of plastic. It is a perfect solution for children, as they can easily hold the instrument by focusing on the proper positioning of their hands on it. The curved head reduces the length of the instrument so that the child does not have to stretch his arms in an unnatural way to reach individual flaps. This application is perfect for other models of transverse flutes. An additional advantage of this instrument is the lack of trill flaps, which makes the flute lighter.

Jupiter

Jupiter has been proud of handcrafted instruments for over 30 years. Basic models, intended for students starting to learn to play an instrument, have recently become very popular.

Here are a few of them:

JFL 313S – it is an instrument with a silver-plated body, it has a curved head that makes it easier for small children to play, additionally it is equipped with closed lapels. (On the hole flute, the player covers the holes with his fingertips. This facilitates the correct positioning of the hand, and also allows you to play quarter tones and glissandos. On the flute with the flaps covered, you do not have to be careful that the flaps are completely covered, which makes learning much more convenient. for people with non-standard finger length it is easier to play the flute with closed flaps.) It does not have a foot and trill flaps, which makes its weight lower. The scale of this instrument reaches the sound of D.

JFL 509S – This instrument has the same features as the model 313S, but the head is angled in the form of an “omega” mark.

JFL 510ES – it is a silver-plated instrument with a curved “omega” headstock, in this model the flaps are also closed, but its scale reaches the sound of C. This flute uses the so-called E-mechanics. This is a solution that facilitates the game of the E threefold, which helps to stabilize it.

Trevor J. James

It is a company that has been operating on the global market of musical instruments for 30 years and is perceived as one of the most respected brands specializing in the production of woodwinds and brass. Its offer includes transverse flutes at various prices and intended for various levels of advancement of the instrumentalist.

Here are two of them intended for learning for the youngest:

3041 EW – it is the simplest model, it has a silver-plated body, E-mechanics and closed flaps. It is not equipped with a bent head, so it should be purchased for this model if necessary.

3041 CDEW – Silver-plated instrument with a curved head, also comes with a straight head attached to the set. It is equipped with E-mechanics and an extended G flap (the extended G flap makes the positioning of the left hand easier at first. For some people, however, it is more comfortable to play flutes with the G lined up, the hand position is then more natural. is G in a straight line).

Roy Benson

The Roy Benson brand has been a symbol of innovative instruments at very low prices for over 15 years. The Roy Benson company, together with professional musicians and famous instrument makers, using creative ideas and solutions, continue to strive to achieve perfect sound that will allow each player to make their musical plans a reality.

Here are some of the most popular models of this brand:

FL 102 – model designed for learning young children. The head and body are silver-plated and the head is curved for easier positioning of the hands on the instrument. It has simplified mechanics (without E-mechanics and trill flaps). The construction of the instrument, specially adapted for children, has a separate foot, which is 7 cm shorter than the standard foot. It is equipped with Pisoni pillows.

FL 402R – has a silver-plated head, body and mechanics, flaps made of natural Inline cork, i.e. the G flap is in line with the other flaps. It is equipped with Pisoni pillows.

FL 402E2 – comes complete with two heads – straight and curved. The entire instrument is silver plated, which gives it a professional look. It is equipped with natural cork flaps and E-mechanics. Pisoni pillows.

Yamaha

School flute models by YAMAHA are an example of the fact that even inexpensive instruments can meet the requirements of students and teachers. They sound very nice, chant cleanly, have comfortable and precise mechanics which allows for the proper shaping of the playing technique, developing technical and repertoire possibilities and sensitizing the young instrumentalist to the timbre and intonation of the sound.

Here are some models proposed by the Yamaha brand:

YRF-21 – it is a transverse flute made of plastic. It has no flaps, only openings. It is intended for learning by the youngest children due to its extraordinary lightness.

The 200 series offers two school models designed for young flutists.

These are:

YFL 211 – an instrument equipped with E-mechanics, has closed flaps for easier sound plugging, has a foot C, (on flutes with foot H we can play small h. H foot also makes upper sounds easier, but flutes with H foot are longer, thanks to which it has more power to project sound, it is also heavier and, at the beginning of learning for children, rather not recommended).

YFL 271 – this model has open flaps, is intended for students who already have their first contact with the instrument, it is also equipped with E-mechanics and a C-foot.

YFL 211 SL – This instrument has all the features of its predecessors, but is equipped with a silver mouthpiece.

Summation

You need to think carefully about buying a new instrument. As is generally known, the instruments are not cheap (the prices of the cheapest new flutes are around PLN 2000), although sometimes you can find used transverse flutes at attractive prices. Most often, however, these instruments are worn out. It is better to invest in a flute of a proven company that we will be able to play for at least a few years. Once you decide that you want to buy an instrument, look around the market and compare different brands and their prices. It is good if you can try the instrument and compare different flutes with each other. It is better not to follow the company and models that other flute players have, because everyone will play the same flute differently. The instrument must be checked personally. We must play it as comfortably as possible.