Choosing a Flute: Is More Silver Better?

As flute players, we are consistently told that "the more silver, the better". Is this true? Two of our flute consultants, Adam Clifford and Hugh Roberts, discuss.
🔗 Flutes featured in this video:
Azumi AZ-Z3: justflut.es/dw6
Altus 807: justflut.es/w41
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[@zvonimirtosic6171]

When listening to both, the difference was something like the taste of the fresh fig, and the dry fig. Nickel silver flute has a "drier" sound, that is, it lacks "juice". It can't produce richer harmonics in the sound that the silver body flute produces in larger quantities. If we wanted to expand on the sound of silver, then adding heavier, noble metals on top of silver (gold-, platinum-, iridium-plating?), would further refine and enhance the taste of the fresh fig. Say, if the silver flute is nice, fresh black Adriatic fig, then the gold-plated silver flute would be ripe yellow Alma fig, which melts like honey caramel.

[@piedpeter1]

I'm getting hungry after reading this!

[@willistaylor4077]

I loved the AZ-3, and was going to buy it. But....! Ended up with the Altus 807, and a Miguel Arista solid silver headjoint. It is ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🎵🎵🎵🎵😃

[@justflutes]

Thanks for sharing! That shows how a handmade flute with less silver can sometimes be the better option depending on the player.

[@AndieArbeit]

I know both are quite fine instruments, but i feel that the sound of the first one is so rich, and refreshing even in the lower register... Maybe i should invest in some silver concert flute in the future if that sound please me

[@dcallan812]

It took me ages to find a step-up flute, I wanted silver but with a bit of a diffrent tone. I ended up with a used Pearl that is made from 900 (coin) silver. great video 2x👍

[@justflutes]

Interesting!

[@trainkeenpilates5227]

Yes

[@ab-zg8pt]

Is the azumi really solid silver, minus mechanism? As in are the barrel and tenon receiver on the footjoint silver as well?

[@justflutes]

It is!

[@ab-zg8pt]

@@justflutes nice!

[@samueloluyinkaojomu6548]

Im a saxophonist based in south africa. Im looking to get a student flute to start learning. But i keep finding YFL24S flute in the used market and not YFL222. Do you know anything about the YFL24S flute as i can't find any video about them on KZbin

[@justflutes]

The YFL24S is an old version of the YFL222 with the same spec - closed holes, no split E, C footjoint. This dates from the 1970s, give or take a couple of years either side. Hope this helps!

[@carolramsey6287]

I have a Rudall Carte American series flute in cocus wood made on 5th february 1911 and with a custom headjoint by Robert Bigio. I don't think I could really improve on that. Only problem. I play lute, not flute. Oh well..

[@justflutes]

We love Rudall Cartes, beautiful flutes. You're 80% of the way there if you play lute 😉

[@kenmcdougall6106]

That's a very balanced assessment of the differences, and nice flute playing from Hugh. It's not all about the materials, I have played on old silver flutes that were dull and unresponsive, and some quite nice TJ flutes that were silver plated. I have an Altus 1407 which I bought when they were new to the market (from you, a long time ago!) and part of the reason I liked it was the consistency of sound, and the fact that it could be 'pushed' a bit. I've always been a bit skeptical about the materials debate but I do think that more care is taken over a professional flute with the way tone holes are made, the quality of the mechanism is better with less play in it, so the pads are likely to seal more consistently, and the headjoints are more carefully finished, so I'm glad you reflected that in your discussion. I've also experimented with wooden flutes, currently playing on a Trevor James wooden flute which was surprisingly good for the money. But I listened to a lot of flute videos demonstrating the difference in tone between different instruments and materials and if I'm honest I'd have to say I can't hear a huge difference between different metals (I was a professional flautist so I don't think it's anything wrong with my ears), and I suspect there's a degree of confirmation bias creeping in sometimes. I can, at last, say that I can hear a difference between me playing a silver flute and me playing a wooden flute, having played it in, but there's something different about the way you approach playing a wooden flute, and I think they develop more as they're played in than metal instruments, they open out so what they sound like in a shop is only an indication of where they might end up. But then, I've only got mine to go on!

[@arieswaters]

I think it's much better if you don't tell us what flute you are playing . And let people decide which one sounded better after they hear them

[@gene1star]

Yamaha yfl 272 or yfl 272 sl for a 10 year old.

[@justflutes]

In the short term, both flutes are an excellent choice. The 272SL will give a bit more longevity - the silver lip has more depth to the sound, giving more tonal possibilities as their playing develops.

[@erwin3674]

so the yfl272 model would not be the most suitable for an adult?

[@fingerhorn4]

The woodwind industry creates a false market into three parts: "Beginners, Step up and professional". None of the materials used are anything whatever to do with sound production, though I concede that the cut of the head joint is significant and quality pads/springs etc are also significant. But the core material of a flute (silver plate, solid silver etc etc) make not the SLIGHTEST DIFFERENCE to the sound. But even if they did the differences are so tiny that any difference is overwhelmingly trumped by the proficiency of the player. These three categories are nothing more than a MARKETING PLOY to get people to spend ever more cash to "upgrade". Don't fall for it. Chances are your current flute is perfectly adequate.

[@justflutes]

Manufacturers have experimented with different materials for decades and found that they do make a substantial difference. The best way to demonstrate how different materials change the sound and response is to compare two wooden insruments by the same maker at the same price. For example, Mopane and Grenadilla are usually the same price, but they - consistently - respond very differently due to the hardness and density of the material. So to say that "material does not make the slightest difference" is demonstrably untrue. Student flutes are designed to be easy and rewarding to play, to encourage students; but this ease of play comes at the cost of depth of sound. Professional flutes on the other hand do not need to be easy to play, as they expect that a player already can control the instrument; they are indeed harder to control but are instead designed to produce a fuller sound and to cope with the demands that a professional player has. It wouldn't be advisable to learn to drive in a Formula 1 car, and it's the same principle here. However: the most important factor is absolutely the design and skills of the maker. A 24k gold flute made by a novice flutemaker will clearly not be as good as a silver-plated flute made by a brilliant flutemaker.

[@justflutes]

It's not where an instrument is made, it's who has made it. There are many low-quality instruments coming from China and Taiwan, but also some excellent product too. Pearl and Azumi, for instance, are producing some fantastic-value instruments in Taiwan. We have been selling these for many years and players are very happy with them. We have even been selling our budget model JFL-201E for many years; this week a customer came in having purchased one over 10 years ago and it is still going strong!

[@kaikawamura8361]

@@justflutesEXACTLY! The difference of material makes such a big difference. Silver plated is so easy to play but hard to get good tone and gold at least for me is just is really smooth and warm. Even just the riser makes a ton of difference. Although, the headjoint is what mainly makes the difference. The mechanism on the other hand doesnt make too much of a difference.

[@1Flyingfist]

I have a yamaha 212. I had a go on a yamaha 312 a few days ago. Yes, it absolutely makes a difference and I've only had flute for 3 years or so. Whether that extra £600 - £700 is worth that difference in sound, is up for debate.

[@379val]

If you play a yamaha 200 series and you have a developed tone and you switch over to say a yamaha 500 or 600 series you are going to notice two things right away; the responsiveness is noticeable and, tone throughout the 1st three registers is easier to achieve. In turn, you will hear a different in sound quality. You can argue the headjoint cut, but the body thickness and material adds resonance. The body mechanism are better on an intermediate flute. Look, play one and you see they are less clunky, noisy than a student flute.

[@terrylaylo5687]

yall talk too much... im trying to break down different flute loops to transform them to hip hop cultured instrumentals