Got my new and more ergonomic flute
May 18, 2012 · 2 minute read · Commentsmusicflute
Three months ago, I was having problems with my left hand primarily because of my short fingers not being able to comfortably use my inline G flute. I knew that I had to go to an offset G flute. Well, now I have one!
Azumi 3000 flute packaging
I finally got my new Azumi flute, the 3000 model with offset G and split E, as recommended on Jen Cluff’s wonderful flute blog as a good “intermediate” flute. As a “growing flutist” who has practiced seriously for only a few months in my life, I hope this new flute will serve me well for years to come, as I progress beyond my current “advanced beginner” level (see Postscript below).
Comparison with my old Yamaha YFL-381H flute
In the images below, the flute on top is my new Azumi flute, and the flute on bottom is my old Yamaha flute.
Comparing Yamaha YFL-381H with Azumi 3000 flute
Comparing Yamaha YFL-381H with Azumi 3000 flute, closeup
The new flute is very different from my old Yamaha flute. It’s clearly of higher quality (judging from my comparisons when playing both low and high notes), and it fits my left hand much better, but I’m adjusting to the different design, especially the headjoint. The longer length of the new flute does not seem to give me trouble.
Postscript
While doing some house cleaning, I found a rudimentary flute workbook called the “Flute and Piccolo Note Speller” by Fred Weber. I only worked through eight of the thirty-two pages of this book.
As I have mentioned before, before I took up flute again last winter, the last time I played the flute was age 10-13, and not at all seriously. Page eight of the workbook I found says everything there needs to be said about my level of proficiency and seriousness when I quit at age 13. I didn’t even finish part two of the worksheet!
I did this lesson a few months before turning 13:
Lesson 5 of Fred Weber's Flute and Piccolo Note Speller
I’m very happy to have started study of flute anew, with an adult’s motivation and discipline. In a few months, I have progressed far, far beyond my aimless piddling around for three years in elementary school and middle school. We’ll see how well I continue to improve after another ten or fifteen years of practice!