Best Beginner Flute

Have you ever dreamed of playing the flute but been intimidated by the prospect of choosing which one to buy? Learning a new skill and discipline might seem like a commitment, but it is much easier once you know which type of flute to buy.

A beginner flute is specifically designed for individuals who are just starting out in their musical journey and can be a real help for beginners. With an array of instruments on the market, choosing a beginner flute can be daunting.

So how can you know which is the best flute for beginners? Relax, we’ve researched it for you.

We’ve produced a list of the top five best flutes for beginners. Alongside this we’ve written a handy buyer’s guide of tips for beginners to look for and answered some frequently asked questions to aid you in your research.

Say hello to a new skill and to beautiful music with your new flute! 

Check out our top pick below!

Best Beginner Flutes Buying Guide

There are a few things to consider when buying a flute for a beginner, but it mainly comes down to the fact that it should be designed specifically for beginners, lightweight and easy to play but not cheap in quality. 

Don’t be convinced into buying an instrument that seems too cheap or one that is advanced beyond your capabilities. Cheaper quality flutes often need more maintenance than a premium quality flute.

Also, if you buy a flute that is more advanced it could discourage you from playing the instrument before you reach intermediate levels and could risk wasting your time and money as a result.

Do your research and make sure that you are buying a beginner flute to save yourself time and money down the line!

Check out the features to look for when purchasing a beginner flute below.

Designed for Beginners

Something important to consider when looking for a flute is to make sure that you buy one that is specifically designed for a beginner.

As someone just starting out, you should avoid buying a flute that is not designed for beginners.

To buy a step-up flute or professional flute would make learning the instrument significantly harder, as they are not designed to be easy to play and are aimed at more sophisticated pieces of music. 

As a result, they tend to be heavier, offer the fuller sound and increased projection that an advanced player needs.

You could risk discouraging yourself as a professional flute will be next to impossible to play for a beginner. To avoid disappointment only buy a beginner flute and work your way up as you learn and improve! 

Maintenance

It is normal for flutes to need maintenance over the years, however, something you should consider before buying a flute is whether it looks cheap or not.

Cheaper quality flutes are less expensive in the beginning but could end up costing you a fortune in the long term if you have to keep getting it maintenanced. Cheaper flutes can develop issues more quickly, such as their keys sticking or problems with tone. 

As a result, it is recommended that you invest in a high quality flute that can stand the test of time and won’t cost you more money than it’s worth in maintenance fees.

Size

Something important to consider when buying a beginner flute is its size. Flutes don’t differ in size too much, but their headjoints do tend to range depending on the size that you require. 

Smaller flute players may require a curved headjoint to prevent them from overstretching themselves when playing.

You can imagine if a child is consistently stretching themselves, the health benefits of playing the flute can be outweighed by the pain that they will experience in their neck and they could end up with a more severe issue after regular use. 

As a result, you need to do your research and make sure that you’re buying the right kind of headjoint.

Brand

Although you might not be bothered by the brand of flute that you buy, it may be more significant than you think and should be something that you look into, especially if you hope to resell your beginner flute as you advance further. 

If you can afford to buy one, renowned brands hold their value better than smaller, lesser known brands. However, these brands generally come with more expensive price tags, but for good reason. You are less likely to have problems with a flute that comes from a well known brand that you can trust.

Look to the future. Beginner flutes will only last so long in that they’re designed for just that, beginners! Therefore, it is likely that you’ll want to upgrade the headjoint or resell the beginner flute that you choose. 

Brands like Yamaha have beginner flutes that you can grow and develop with, as you can switch out the headjoints at your convenience.

This is an excellent feature as it means you don’t have to go to the trouble of selling your flute and having to buy another. 

However, if you do want to sell your beginner flute and upgrade as you get better the brand is something to consider. Generally speaking, a flute from a reputable brand will hold its value over time better.

Someone looking for a second-hand flute is more likely to trust a Yamaha or a Gemeinhardt flute as these brands have years of experience in making high-quality flutes and are both brands that are widely accepted to be premium quality.

Traditional Specifications

When it comes to choosing a flute, there are many options to choose from that can be overwhelming. As a beginner, we recommend that you stick to silver-plated flutes that feature closed holes and a C footjoint.

This is because they are generally easier for beginners to play and generally hold their value well if maintained properly.

Warranty

An important factor to consider when buying a flute is whether or not it comes with a warranty. A warranty will cover you should anything happen to your flute over time or if you should feel dissatisfied with the quality of your flute. 

Generally speaking, a 1 year warranty is fairly standard for a flute but it can vary significantly depending on the brand that you decide to go for.

Make sure that you check the warranty details and make sure that you are happy with them before purchasing your new beginner flute, to ensure that all bases are covered should any problems arise.

Check with a Teacher

It is likely that if you are buying an instrument for yourself or your child to learn, you are likely to already have a flute teacher lined up. 

Flute teachers are professionals and are likely to be very helpful in recommending you the right kind of beginner flute. Typically speaking, they will have years of personal experience in using flutes and will know which ones are best for beginners too.

If in doubt, always check with your teacher on the brands and flutes that they would recommend, as they are likely to know the best fit for you personally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the easiest flute to play?

For beginners, the easiest flutes to play are the ones that are designed for people just starting out. They should be lightweight and able to withstand knocks and bumps whilst you get used to your new instrument. 

How easy a flute is to play will also depend on the type of headjoint that you choose. Small flute players may struggle to play a flute sufficiently without a curved headjoint, as they may have to overreach in order to play the notes properly.

As a result, you should always ensure that you are buying a flute that is appropriate for your individual needs. Playing and learning a new instrument is challenging enough without the added stress of it not being the right fit!

Does playing the flute have any health benefits?

In short - yes! The flute is one of the oldest instruments you can learn to play and can have multiple health benefits for you too.

Playing the flute notably can promote good posture, proper breathing, finger dexterity and core strengthening, so it is an excellent choice of instrument to learn how to play.

Learning the flute can also help improve your body coordination as it requires your eyes, hands, and mouth to be coordinated in order to play properly.

How long does it take to learn the flute?

The question to this answer is largely subjective, as it entirely depends on the individual in question that is learning to play the flute.  

It could take you a few months up to a few years to learn to play the flute. However, the most important thing to know about learning the flute, or any new skill for that matter, is that hard work and dedication will get you the results that you desire.

Despite it not being a particularly difficult instrument to learn, there are physical and technical aspects of playing the flute that you will have to master such as breath control, mouth shape, and finger placement.

How quickly you learn will also depend on whether you have a professional teacher with experience teaching you or if you plan to teach yourself at home.

Weekly music lessons are a great way to ensure that you are getting enough practice in, as it is a weekly event that holds you accountable for your learning.

Therefore, you are far less likely to put off practicing if you have something to play for and will arguably learn more quickly with consistent work.

Teaching yourself an instrument typically takes longer as you don’t have the experience or qualifications that a professional teacher will have. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it and get a similar result, it might just take you longer!

There are no shortcuts in learning a new instrument, as talent will only take you so far. You should always have patience when learning a new instrument to give yourself time to adapt and consistency is key!

After all, practice makes perfect.