New flute..??

Question

i bought a new flute, a Gemeinhardt 2SP. I've been playing for about 3 years now, and I used to have a hand-me-down Armstrong (closed-hole). I've noticed that my old flute has better tone and sound quality than my new one. Is there something wrong with my Gemeinhardt, or do new flutes just have to be used more to improve sound quality?

Answer 1

Hi CG.  Very Good Question.   The answer is,  you really have to get used to the difference in the cut of the Gemeinhardt embouchure hole.   Each flute... Yamaha, Gemeinhardt, Armstrong... have their own embouchure cut...  and you had played on the Armstrong for quite a long time...so you are used to how to blow and focus your airstream to the sweet spot of the Armstrong.  I can tell you that Gemeinhardt flutes are (the headjoints)  very resistant.... they have that characteristic... and that it takes much more supported and focused air to get a good tone.  The Gemeinhart 2SP is a beginner flute... and the resistant embouchure hole is a good thing for beginners to learn to focus the stream as well as support their air with strong fast blowing.    After a couple of years of playing on this flute, a great tone develops and then the student usually moves on to an intermediate or advanced flute.    My suggestion  for getting a better tone on your flute is to spend time on long tone "tone'' study.   It will not take long to get used to the new embouchure cut,  but you will have to be patient and give it a chance.

Answer 2

Hey!! A Gemeinhardt 2SP is the one of the lower qualities of Gemeinhardts out there. I'm not sure what kind of Armstrong you had--but if it is a really good model, it might actually be better! (Even though Gemeinhardts are usually better than Armstrongs) There is probably nothing wrong w/ your Gemeinhardt at all. It might also be that the 2SP is not the best model for you in particular. You might try out all different kinds of flutes to see which kind you get the best tone out of. Good luck!!!