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School me on flutes

DimensionsTomorrow

DimensionsTomorrow

Active Member
The only real instruments I play are guitar and bass, but I’ve recently had the crazy idea to learn to play the flute for home recording.

My questions are:

1) Is there a relatively cheap, but decent option out there? I would prefer Japanese brands since I’m in Japan. Is buying used recommended?

2) Has anyone had any success with learning on their own? I wouldn’t be looking to play classical stuff, more old-school funk/rock/jazz “groove” kind of lines.

3) How loud are we talking? I live in a condo in Tokyo with pretty thick concrete walls, and can play a low-wattage guitar tube amp if I keep it at low volumes (old Fender Vibrochamp). Do you think it would be possible to practice at home or would I need to look for a practice space.

This might just be a crazy idea that I abandon, but I figured I’d ask to satisfy my curiosity.

Thanks!
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1) Ebay, I got a decent flute for £20 a few years ago.

2) Yes.

3) The flute has a wide dynamic range, it also changes depending on which note range you're playing, I don't think the volume will be an issue for you.

I found this video helpful:
 
Cool idea! It can really help expand your sonic possibilities (great sample source!) as well as your way of thinking. Last year I bought a clarinet and boy is it hard (fun though!).
 
doctoremmet said:
Cool idea! It can really help expand your sonic possibilities (great sample source!) as well as your way of thinking. Last year I bought a clarinet and boy is it hard (fun though!).
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I love real instruments, but limited space and urban living make it difficult. That’s what sort of drove me to virtual instruments.

A flute ticks the boxes of compact and lower volume and I just love the sound on so many old recordings.
 
I'm a self-taught intermediate flute player. Yes student level/second hand Yamaha or other reputable brand fine. Lots of useful YT tutorials of course. Developing a good reliable embouchure is the most challenging bit (a regimen of long notes is usually recommended). Mellow, pretty quiet in lower octave, tends to be quite loud in higher register. To get a good, jazzy expression and phrasing will take work. Most sampled/modelled flute I've found pretty disappointing, so good to play the real thing. It's a beautiful instrument- Bach is great on it. I love playing Brazilian choro tunes- and jazz flute is one of the most delicious sounds in music, for me.
 
applegrovebard said:
jazz flute is one of the most delicious sounds in music, for me.
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I’m totally with you on that! I absolutely adore it.

I see some used YFL211s and 311s. The 311s advertise having an E-mechanism. How important is that? The prices aren’t that different between the used models. Maybe $100 or so.
 
DimensionsTomorrow said:
I love real instruments, but limited space and urban living make it difficult. That’s what sort of drove me to virtual instruments.

A flute ticks the boxes of compact and lower volume and I just love the sound on so many old recordings.
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Real instruments are great. I live in a way smaller city (Groningen) but still one has to seriously consider the neighbours and appropriate noise levels ;) so I now play mainly in the box, and my real instruments are a Rhodes and a pair of acoustic guitar and bass. And the clarinet, which has taken me quite some time to even get noise out of it, let alone true notes hehe. So I doubt my neighbours love the latest addition ;)
 
Split E mechanism is for helping the emission of the E third octave, not really necessary... I graduated and played in orchestra without it
 
Rob said:
Split E mechanism is for helping the emission of the E third octave, not really necessary... I graduated and played in orchestra without it
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Great. So would you say the cheaper YFL211 would be the better choice for a beginner?
 
doctoremmet said:
I now play mainly in the box, and my real instruments are a Rhodes and a pair of acoustic guitar and bass.
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Rhodes is the other instrument that I’m absolutely in love with. There are always pretty reasonably priced ones floating around Tokyo, but I don’t think I could convince my wife to give up the space, so Keyscape it is.
 
DimensionsTomorrow said:
Great. So would you say the cheaper YFL211 would be the better choice for a beginner?
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It depends, yes the 211 is good enough for a beginner... but the 311 has a solid silver headjoint, and that adds to the tone and value of the instrument. Should you decide to eventually sell it, that could be a factor. But you can surely learn flute (up to a certain level) with the 211. A good price for a used 311 could be around 450€... 200€ less for the 211
 
Rob said:
It depends, yes the 211 is good enough for a beginner... but the 311 has a solid silver headjoint, and that adds to the tone and value of the instrument. Should you decide to eventually sell it, that could be a factor. But you can surely learn flute (up to a certain level) with the 211. A good price for a used 311 could be around 450€... 200€ less for the 211
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Thanks for all the info! Maybe the 311 is the way to go.
 
Also, if it is a used instrument, ask about condition if you can. Woodwinds have key pads that wear and mechanisms that can be adjusted to prevent leaks. A seller may indicate whether the instrument has been checked and serviced recently.
 
RonV said:
Also, if it is a used instrument, ask about condition if you can. Woodwinds have key pads that wear and mechanisms that can be adjusted to prevent leaks. A seller may indicate whether the instrument has been checked and serviced recently.
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Thanks. I’m looking at the used ones from music shops here in Japan as the ones advertised have all been fully serviced and come with a warranty. They are available cheaper from some of the auction sites, but almost all of them say that they would need to be serviced.
 
Does anyone know if there is a major difference between the Yamaha 311 and 311 II? There are two used ones (at different shops) that are around the same price, both have had professional maintenance and are in good shape and both have the split E mechanism.

The 311 is advertised by the shop as being an older model (produced somewhere between 1979-1990), but was apparently produced at factory in Japan known for its quality. I’m tempted to go with that one if there is no big difference between the 311 and 311 II.
 
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