The Better the Metal, the Sweeter the Sound
The more expensive the materials, the better the sound.
The cheapest metal from which to make a flute is cupro-nickel, which is an alloy of copper and nickel. This is what many coins are made from. The cupro-nickel alloy is then coated with silver, nickel, or paint.
The next best substance is silver, which delivers a pure sweet tone, that can be light, fluid, and expressive.
The best substance to make a flute from is gold. The reason for this is that a gold flute, in the hands of a skilled player, can produce a tone that is more warm, mellow, sweet and rich than any other substance.
So to have a flute that will sound the best, we would all like a solid gold flute. Sadly, the price of a gold flute is about the same as that of a new family car, so it is usually necessary to compromise.
In my opinion, the following list grades the quality of sound from fine to magnificent:
1. colored flute, made of cupro-nickel, and painted in the color of your choice;
2. silver-plated head, middle and footjoints;
3. solid silver headjoint, silver-plated middle and footjoints;
4. solid silver head, middle and footjoints;
5. gold headjoint, solid silver middle and footjoints;
6. gold head, middle and footjoints:.
There are many variations of the above combinations, but I have listed the most common ones.
Engraving
If a flute has pieces that are made of solid silver, the manufacturer usually marks each piece with an engraving that specifies the compostion of the materials used.
Sterling Silver Headjoint
The headjoint in the photo above is inscribed with the words “SILVER925.” This means that it is made of 92.5% pure silver, sometimes known as sterling silver, or solid silver.
Can You Hear the Difference?
I have recorded an F Major scale and the song Danny Boy on four different flutes. Click here to listen to the comparison, or visit andrewscottmusic.com/flutes/samples.html
Avoid Nickel
Sometimes flutes are nickel-plated, as a substitute for silver-plating. These instruments sound OK, in my opinion, but I don’t recommend them because nickel plating feels slippery to hold. As well as that, I’ve never seen a well-made nickelplated flute. They usually require frequent adjustment. You can recognise a Yamaha nickel-plated flute by the model number. There will be an “N” after the number, eg, YFL 221N.
My recommendation: A silver plated flute is a great instrument to start with, but
colored flutes sound almost as good.
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