Germeinhardt or Altus flute?

Question

I am considering picking up the flute and is currently looking for one. However, I heard that you must test play in order to find one that is suitable. Will it be fine since I can't?

Also, I'm looking at the Altus 907RB and the Germeinhardt 3H/3HB. I need professional advice on which will be better.

Also, does the offset G makes you pitch the G note better? I have heard of many extremely negative or extremely positive comments on the offset G. I don't think me hands are really small so I might not need them.

Does the Split E mech affects the trill? This is what i heard and a lot of peeps been telling me not toget one with the Split E.

Answer 1

I'd highly recommend the Altus way over the Gemmy. Gemmy's are massed produced without any type of hand craftsman ship. The one good thing about Gemmy's is that they're generally really sturdy (from my experience), so they are an okay choice for beginners.

Altus flutes are least partially handcrafted (depending which model you get), so there's alot more attention given to the quality and design of the instrument. I have tried several altus flutes in the past and REALLY liked them. Altus will get you better bang for your buck and will not be as likely to be "outgrown" for the years to come. Plus, if you do decide to sell the flute in the future, it will retain more resale value.

You really should try out flutes before making a purchase. I know that www.fluteworld.com will ship flutes to you for a trial basis, which is usually a few days. That way, you can best determine which of the instruments is right for you through your teacher's guidance or guidance of a trusted musical ear (band/orchestra director, flutist friend, etc).

The split E debate and G key debate. Again, try the flutes and see/hear for yourself. What type of G key you use has NO influence on the sound or if it makes the flute a "professional" model. It all comes down to comfort in your own hands and arms. If you have long fingers, you might do best with an in-line, if you have short fingers, then you might do better with an off-set. The split E also shouldn't have any negative affect on your trills...you just have to try it yourself.

Hope this helps and good luck on your search!

Answer 2

I highly recommend an offset G because it allows your hands to sit in a more natural position. I don't think it really affects the pitch.

The split E mechanism isn't designed to affect any trills. It makes the high E on the flute sound better and makes it easier to play and more in tune. This note is one of the hardest if not the most difficult notes to play and make sound good on the flute. I highly recommend it if you can afford a flute with one.

I would also note that I believe you can only get a split E mechanism if your flute has an offset G key.