The Wand Chooses the Wizard – Why Invest in a New Flute

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to represent Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company at the Sacramento Flute Festival. One of my duties during the festival, besides exhibiting a gorgeous selection of flutes and piccolos, was to give a 5-10 minute presentation about the inventory at my table and discuss the greater “whys” of trying out new flutes. I spent a lot of time reflecting on those whys. What were my whys when I upgraded? What did I learn about the purchasing process? Today I am sharing my stories, my lessons, and my soul-searching advice for flutists dreaming of a perfect, shiny new flute to call their own. It can be yours, often easier than you think!

In the beginning, there was…a Bundy.

I did not come from a rich family. I grew up on a tree farm in the Northern Idaho sticks without a lot of financial resources. When I decided I wanted to learn to play the flute in 6th grade, my mother compared the cost to rent a new flute for the school year from the local music store to buying a used flute in decent playing condition from a pawn shop. She did not know if I would stick with the flute (kids are fickle) and buying the instrument meant that it would stay in the family for another sibling to play down the road. She picked up an old Bundy model with tarnish marks and an old bulky grey case for $100 at the pawn shop. I actually didn’t care that it was an ugly duckling – it was mine, it was super cool, and I was pumped to learn to play with no expectation that I become a great musician.

What I learned from my Bundy (and my mother) was that renting a shiny new student flute is not always as financially strategic as purchasing a sturdy used flute in good playing condition, especially in the first year or so of study.

Gemeinhardt introduced me to open holes and new possibilities.

In middle school I started taking flute lessons with a very gifted local teacher. Seeing the state of my Bundy and the drive I had to learn, she suggested an upgrade to an intermediate flute. Of course, my parents did not love the price tags on brand new flutes, but we worked out a plan for me to work off every single dollar they spent on my instrument by doing chores around the farm. Each chore represented a different dollar amount. That, my friends, is how to build a work ethic!

Selecting a flute model, however, came down to a choice between one or two specific models my flute teacher recommended. If it wasn’t the Yamaha, it would have to be the Gemeinhardt. I had clearly outgrown my student instrument and needed to upgrade to an open hole instrument. The new model took my sound to a brand new level and introduced me to both the Gizmo key and the low B key. Although the Yamaha was a beautiful instrument (gotta love that gold lip plate!), it did not give me the clarity of sound and the powerful projection in my low notes that the Gemeinhardt offered. These were two important priorities that I was focusing on at that time in my budding young flute career.

What I learned through this process? Work ethic! Purchasing the Gemeinhardt represented the hard work I was putting into my flute playing as well as the hard work I put into my chores to work off the cost of the instrument. What I would have changed: I felt a bit limited to the two model recommendations from my teacher. I would have loved to take a few more instruments out on a trial or even tested more inventory at various flute conventions. If you are looking to upgrade your student flute to an intermediate model, I recommend trying a number of options.

Upgraded to a professional model, but downgraded my hand position.

My cherished Gemeinhardt took me far! The promise of majoring in music in college was in the air as my dreams narrowed onto a career as a professional flutist. My family and I worked with a music store to find the right professional model flute that gave me a great new tone, delicate, easy to use keys, and a sticker price that did not make my chore list unattainable. My parents also discovered that they could sell my old flute to knock the price down further. Bingo!

This time, I tried a larger handful of models at the music shop and landed on a brand new professional model Gemeinhardt with an in-line G. This professional Gemeinhardt offered a new, clearer sound and lighter, more springy keys. The high register was far more powerful than any of the other models, which fit my Leo rising/flute diva personality. It also gave me the gold lip plate that I loved so much on the Yamaha I tried years ago. I did not think the in-line G would cause me any problems (plus, it looked super cool to have all of the keys in line!). Unfortunately, the more I practiced, the more pain I experienced in my left wrist. After over-preparing for a concerto competition in my freshmen year, I developed tendonitis and was benched from playing my flute for most of the spring semester. My condition was caused by chronic practicing with bad hand position as I strained my left hand ring finger to reach the in-line G key. Doh!

What I learned from this upgrade? Make sure you get a flute that does not cause any discomfort. Know your hands. Spend a few days getting to know your instruments. If any cause pain, consider a different model. Muscular health is more important than having a pretty instrument.

Upgrading in my professional life and finding that forever flute.

The last flute that my parents helped me purchase was a Miyazawa professional model in my final years as an undergrad. Here, I finally learned all of the best practices for purchasing a flute. I was careful, thoughtful, and ordered trials from a number of companies including Powell, Haynes, Muramatsu. I wanted a flute with a powerful low register that gave my lips a break from trying to squeeze the best sound I could get from those foot-joint notes. I was also tired of playing in the shadows and wanted a flute that could project for miles.

Miyazawa offered both of these things much clearer than the other models. The Miyazawa Classic model came equipped with a super nifty C# trill key and a gold riser in the headjoint that gave me that magnificent sound I was searching for. I played on my Miyazawa for nearly 20 years! It wasn’t until recently that I finally purchased my forever Burkart. The price tag on this instrument stopped me in my tracks every time I sampled it at various conventions. How on Earth would I ever be able to afford that beautiful, gorgeous instrument. Impossible! It wasn’t until much later that I considered financing options. I could purchase the instrument and pay no interest for 12 months! Breaking up the cost into 12 payments suddenly made purchasing my forever Burkart a reality! My Burkhart corrects my overly sharp high register through some sort of Harry Potter magic, makes my articulation crisper and cleaner, and sends my lower register into projection overdrive.

What I learned through these purchases: Take a number of flutes out on trials and try out different headjoint combinations. Swapping out a headjoint on a good model can convert a decent sound into a great one. Be open to super cool new bells and whistles such as rollers, trill keys, and split-E mechanisms. You might be surprised at how these small upgrades can make your flute playing much easier! And finally, if the sticker shock is real, seriously consider financing options. You may be able to take home a new instrument sooner than you think.

How did you decide to purchase your last instrument? What did you learn about your “why” for upgrading? Happy fluting!

About the Author, Rachel Taylor Geier:

Rachel Taylor Geier holds a DMA in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, an MM in Flute Performance from San Francisco State University, and a BM in Music Performance from DePauw University. Former applied instructors include Immanuel Davis, Linda Lukas, Anne Reynolds, and Rhonda Bradetich. Dr. Geier currently teaches and freelances in Davis, California and hosts a popular Flute Friday Blog Series.