Maybe, but although I expected that from Mrs Gerald, she actually identified the Miyazawa long before I did!

Well, if after several hours total of playing two flutes you can't tell the difference, and if one is £700 less than the other, I would take Flossie's advice to me which was -- take the cheaper one. The fact is, if you can't hear even a slight difference which makes you certain which one you want, then you can play both flutes to the same level of satisfaction, so therefore in my opinion it would not matter which one you choose from the pure playing point of view. So then you use another argument for choice such as price.

Try that piece with top C, hemidemisemiquavers and 5#s - that should sort you out .

Good morning Claudia

Does this mean you're still uncertain?

Sort of.

I sent you a text

I'd better turn my 'phone on then...

Perhaps you'd better

Text received - text replied to

*is curious*

Decision not yet made, Flossie

You have mail Claudia

I know, I read it earlier

Good point too...

The overriding question for me would be more or less what I emailed you : which instrument can I live with the best. We've all got opinions and thoughts, the most important thought, by a country mile, is Claudia's thought.

But Claudia likes everyone else's thoughts more

Do you have an inkling, even a small one, of which one overall feels and sounds nicer to you?

It's a different one every time I play them!

I liked the Yamaha a lot to begin with because it just had that bit more depth - but after playing the Azumi for a bit I can get it from that one too.

The Yamaha may have a clearer upper register - but I find that it plays easier on the Azumi. The Azumi feels nice and light - but the Yamaha more solid.

Bottom C is great on the Azumi...

Ease of getting top F#/G#? Positioning of keywork?

intonation? in-tune dynamics? ease of playing with large jumps? clarity of articulation?

..and ease of getting those dynamics in the first place?

I'm almost starting to be glad that when I plumped for an intermediate level flute I only had a choice of two. And one of those was a Buffet.. with a horrible clunky mechanism that just didn't sit under my fingers well. So I ended up with a Yamaha.

Try not to be too baffled by endless advice, Claudia. At the end of the day, its your flute. You're not going to make a wrong decision, so don't worry about that.

I know I'll be looking for something a bit different to my Yamaha at some point, as I'd like to be able to choose a flute rather than go with what was on offer. On the other hand, I don't regret having my Yamaha: its been suitably indestructable despite sad lack of maintainance and I still prefer to it any other flute I've played since. I've not tried many other Japanese made flutes though.

In the meantime, enjoy playing your two lovely flutes, and hopefully you'll find yourself making a decision, without agonising too hard!

Thanks for the advice everyone....

I once had a choice of two flutes
I didn’t know which one I should choose
Was over a grand worth it?
They both sounded perfect?
It has all left me rather confused.

The Azumi felt nice and light,
The high notes not once put up a fight
It had a nice bottom C
But was it for me?
When I played it it certainly felt right

The other was a Yamaha four-one-one
Which was also lots of fun
It sounds deep and clear
But the price is more dear
Is this what I want to spend money on?

So, instead of writing this rhyme,
I just need a little bit extra time
I’ll go home tonight
I’ll see what feels right
And then I’ll decide which one’s mine….

that's really good!

You have too much free time in your lab!

Well, most of my lab time is spent by me staring at a computer screen, so I might as well use said screen for something else

Good poem, Claudia!

My two spare flutes have gone back to the shop . It makes final the decision to buy the Miyazawa, but I won't regret doing that . It was very odd paying all that money and not bringing a flute home with me (that's because it is already at home ).

So I made up for it by buying lots of books of duets....then bought some more in Foyles!

The prom was very good, but I didn't like the first piece. The flautists at times had to play their flutes without blowing into them, had to make strange noises with their voices, and a few times played jet warm-ups! I think the flute is too nice an instrument to be asked to play like this in a concert piece, but then I am rather old-fashioned. The Mozart violin concerto was gorgeous, and the Bruckner symphony quite majestic in places.

Which duet books did you get?

Do you have Voxman no.1, and the gold and platinum books out of the Music Medal series Claudia?

I'm 99% sure I have Voxman 1

OK - may save on weight in the suitcase and leave that behind then...

I like it.

Are you going to do the last three sentences...

Haydn - The Seasons; Mozart - Six duets (but as it is Volume 1 there are only 3 ); Mozart 17 duets from The Magic Flute; Flute Sessions - An Ensemble Collection (compiled by Gearhart and Wilkins) containing music for 2,3 and 4 flutes.

Those sound really good, Gerald But they sound hard

Back to the flutes for me....

All the best with that. Go with what you feel is the flute you like best

Azumi it is

Yay! A decision at last hope you are very happy with your new flute, BB!

Enjoy Claudia!

I'll try Conversation with OH this morning (we're going to see his parents)..

Him "Are you taking your flute with you"
Me "Well, I've only just got it "
Him "you could take your old one"
Me " "

oops...

By choosing the Azumi, you've saved quite a bit : which could go on an upgraded headjoint...more shopping...

I've saved money, but I need to spend it on postage to send the Yamaha back!

Spose it would be nice to phone them up aswell to let them know that I want the Azumi and the other one is coming back...

Enjoy....I'm sure you will

I thought you were headed that way.

It will be a good flute for you. Yes, you'll probably need to upgrade the flute and/or headjoint again at some point in the future, but that would have been the same with the yamaha. The flute will easily take you beyond grade 8 as it is (as would the yam) and you'll be able to get a lot more out of it than your TJ.

Thanks

I'm glad noone has yet told me I made the wrong decision

I think you've made the right decision. It's your flute and it's important that it is the one which you feel suits you best. The fact that it's the one I expected you to go for is immaterial - if you'd gone for the Yamaha that would still have been the right decision (and realistically they were close and good enough that your decision would not make any difference to your progress).

Neither flute would've been the wrong decision Claudia, and your new flute will give you many, many years of happy playing.

Great! I bet you feel quite relieved, and you know what? The more you play the Azumi the more you are going to like it . I have played my old flute once or twice, but I don't need persuading that the new one is much better . But as my granddaughter doesn't have one at the moment, she is not getting the choice .

I haven't tried out any of the bought duets yet, but I am sure there will be some in there that I can play. But I am happy for you to choose something for us to play at Chester.