Once you have narrowed your choice down to a flute with a good headjoint cut and a good mechanism (see this blog post), you may have a few more options to consider.
Open Holes / French Style Keys
Does an open holed flute sound better than a closed hole flute? Not necessarily - its just that in North America, better flutes tend to have open holes! (Closed hole flutes are very common in the UK.)
The biggest advantage to open holes is the ability to cover half a hole in order to do alternative fingerings, multiphonics, glissandos and quarter tones. But only a very small percentage of flute players use these techniques regularly. If you love playing very contemporary classical music, they might be a priority for you.
Playing an open holed flute requires the student to cover the middle of each key precisely in order to seal the hole. For some players, this can be positive, as it can encourage them to play with a ‘better’ hand position, which usually results in improved technique.
That being said, if you have short fingers, narrow fingers or less flexibility between your fingers, open holes may cause hand pain as you reach to cover the holes. We all have different hands, and the placement of each hole isn’t ideal for every hand.
There are many professionals who play closed hole flutes or who plug certain holes on their instrument because it improves their technique and prevents hand pain. If you have played a closed hole flute for many years, relearning to hold the flute a different way for the sake of having open holes may not be worth it. (This can be particularly true for flute students over the age of 40 since we lose flexibility with age.)
Open holed flutes do come with plugs for the holes. You can remove them one at a time, over a few weeks, and you may end up leaving some in.
According to Kim Jurens (Kimberley Jurens Woodwind Repairs Inc), if you know you’ll most likely be playing your flute with all the plugs in, you are better off buying a closed hole model because the ‘scale’ used for open and closed hole flutes is actually slightly different. So your flute may not be at its optimal in terms of intonation if it was intended to be played with fully open holes.
(The scale is the spacing of the keys which determines the tuning from one note to another.)
B-Foot
Is a B-foot necessary? Absolutely not.
A B-foot gives you the ability to play one note lower (the B below low C). How often do flute players use this low B? Almost never, with the exception of a few orchestral pieces which most intermediate students will not be playing.
Some say that the added length of the B-foot gives the flute a darker sound and makes the upper register sound less shrill.
On the other hand a B-foot will make your flute heavier, which may be a disadvantage if you are prone to arm pain after practise sessions. Some players find aiming for a low C more difficult since there are two rollers on a B-foot instead of one.
Having a B-foot may improve resale of the instrument simply because players looking for an intermediate up flute expect a B-foot!
Inline or offset G key
An inline flute has the left hand keys in a straight line whereas an offset G flute has the G key offset so smaller hands don’t have to stretch so far. Most intermediate flutes now use an offset G as flute players and makers have realized that inline flutes can cause more arm/hand pain. (Many handmade flutes now also have the option of an offset G.)
According to Kim Jurens, the offset G also creates a left hand mechanism that is more mechanically stable since the G keys are on their rod, which minimizes flexing of the entire left hand section.
Split E mechanism
A split E mechanism helps the high third octave E natural to sound more easily. It used to be very beneficial but flutes have improved significantly in the last decade, making it less necessary. A split E mechanism can also be slightly more problematic when it comes to repairs. And, if you do end up having an issue with your high E3, you can add a high E facilitator to any flute (different from the split E mechanism) for a relatively low cost.
Gold Lip Plate
A gold plated lip plate is an option which can be useful for flutists who have a silver sensitivity or for those who find themselves with a black smudge on their chin after playing due to the PH of their skin (or their make-up) reacting with the silver. Gold plating on a lip plate won’t change the quality of the sound. (A more expensive solid gold lip plate with a gold riser will however change the sound.)
C# Trill Key
A C# trill key makes it easier to trill between the B and C# and the high G and Ab. It also improves the intonation of C#2 and provides the option of some other alternate fingerings. Although not necessary for intermediate players, it can be useful.
French Style Pointed Arms Vs. Y Arms
French-style pointed arms are soldered to the centre of the pad cup, while Y-arms are soldered to the edge. The advantages of French-style arms are that they are stronger than Y arms and that they allow for more even pad wear and less maintenance. That being said, there are well-made flutes with both types of arms.
If you would like more information about the options available on intermediate flutes (including some not mentioned above) you can read this article: https://www.fluteworld.com/flute-features/?srsltid=AfmBOoryZmyRq27IdHY07w4qwrInpoaVsrTb20tmz5dKBkORBPwcZhjW
See the next part of this blog article on buying an intermediate flute:
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