There are three basic levels of flutes. There’s the Student, Intermediate, and Pro. I’ve noticed a lot of confusion over this recently, so I thought I’d lay this information out for you.
All the levels of flutes have their own purpose. It’s not advisable to skip a level because each level helps you become a better musician. It’s important to upgrade when you’re starting to be held back by your instrument. It’s also important to not jump the gun. You need to put in the work before you upgrade.
Student Flute
The student level flute is what you should start with. It’s usually made out of nickel silver, sometimes it’ll be silver plated, occasionally plastic. It’s sturdy because the flute makers know that this is going into the hands of a Tween. The plastic ones are designed for even younger students. That being said, it’s still a delicate piece of machinery that should be handled carefully.
It has closed holes, sometimes called plateau keys. Sometimes you can get a Split E option. I personally think the Split E is clunky, but that’s just me.
The head joint is designed to help you make a consistent sound because it’s the most forgiving. The biggest challenge of the first year or two is getting a sound, and this head joint will help. This is why it’s important to start on a student flute.
Usually you’ll stay on the student flute for 3-5 years, then you’ll outgrow it. You’ll know it’s time to upgrade when your sound has been stable for awhile and your tone has deepened and begun to mature.
Intermediate/Step-Up Flute
The intermediate level of flute is usually your second flute. Sometimes it’s also called a step-up. They’re the same thing. Some manufacturers call their bottom-of-the-line intermediate a step-up, but in normal conversation, the terms are interchangeable.
You probably kept your student flute as a back-up, or you traded it in to help off-set the cost. It’s nice to have a back-up for when your flute is in the shop for its yearly COA, or if you have to play outside in bad weather.
This is the first flute that you go to a music store or a flute festival, try everything, and let the wand choose you. You’re shopping for your ideal embouchure. What makes you sound the best?
The most important part of the upgrade is the head joint. It’s designed for a developing embouchure that’s not quite mature, but far enough along that you need an embouchure hole that works with your anatomy. You’ll notice you don’t sound quite as good on the pro flutes as you do on the intermediates. That’s because the intermediate embouchure hole is a little more forgiving for the developing embouchure.
There are a ton of bells an whistles starting to come up at this stage of the game. The most important part is to make sure you get the best brand for you and the best flute you can afford.
Many people stay in this kind of flute for the rest of their lives. They don’t need to do anything beyond what their intermediate flute will do, and that’s great. You’ve found your lifelong friend.
When I got a little over half-way through college, I realized I needed to upgrade to a pro level flute. My fingers were going faster than my mechanisms, which leads us to the next level.
Professional Levels of Flutes
These are the levels of flutes where the sky is the limit. You can get your flute in any precious metal your heart desires. Engraving. Diamonds in the crown. These flutes are beautiful.
There is a little confusion, though. Some sellers try to claim that their top-of-the-line intermediate flutes are pro level. Double check with the manufacturer’s website. In my opinion, those sellers aren’t to be trusted because they don’t know what they have.
Another source of confusion is that there’s a semi-pro level that has recently emerged. They usually don’t have solid silver keys. That’s the difference. I have been led to believe they still have the more precise tolerances that the other pro level flutes have.
The embouchure holes are even more specialized at this stage. They’re all hand-cut. By this time your embouchure is fully mature, so these head joints free you to soar through your entire range with all the volume and tone control your heart desires.
The mechanisms are hand made to much more precise tolerances, so you can fly through those runs and arpeggios so quickly that you didn’t realize you got to the end.
Don’t Hold Yourself Back
When I was in college, I decided to just make things work with my intermediate flute. I was a poor college kid. There was no way I could afford a new pro flute. I wish I would have known about other options, but those were the days when the internet was just starting to flower. The options that are available today weren’t available at that time.
When my music studio really took off, I started saving a certain percentage for business expenses. I was able to keep my expenses under that number, and I decided to use the excess to buy a new flute.
It took a few years, but I saved enough to buy a 1960 Haynes Commercial. I’m not stopping with this old Haynes. I’m going to get a brand-new pro flute eventually, this is just allowing me to grow in the meantime. It has already taken its depreciation, so I can sell it when it’s time to get the new flute. When it comes time, I might keep it as my back-up, who knows. I’m just happy that I found this path.
