Which Sounds Better? Wood vs Metal Flutes (Silver & Gold) 

As a flutist that owns both a silver and wooden flute, playing on a wooden flute has helped me improve on my silver flute. The wood flute exposes issues that I wasn't aware of while I was playing on the silver flute. Like if I was very tense with a stiff embouchure, you would definitely hear it on the wooden flute but not as much on the silver flute. The wood flute would sound more buzzy. So I go back and forth between both flutes as a way to make sure that I am able to produce a great sound regardless of the type of flute I have to play.

As a fellow flutist, I can confirm that he is working a little harder to make the wooden flute sound as good as his precious metal flute. Wooden keyed flutes are a different animal and require somewhat different approach to sound production. I own quite a few including the model being played in this video. But of all my wooden flutes, my Braun flute absolutely leaves the others in the dust.

Aside from showing the difference between metal and wood flutes, this video also perfectly illustrates what people mean when they say that modern instruments and baroque instruments don't go well together. Damn that harpsichord got so drowned out

Such editing enables direct comparison. Thank you so much!

I think the wooden flute sonnd better with what your playing regurding the first demo as its more authentic to the baroque perspective eara the gold flute seems more suited to the romantic eara. Both great flute makes.

Wooden flutes are VERY different from metal ones. I am a senior flutist and I play both. But I love the sound of wooden flutes especially for baroque music. Sometimes it even sounds like playing a traverso.

The piece he’s playing is the Flute Sonata in E Minor, BWV 1034 by Bach.

Mny thanks for the comparison. your skill brings both instruments identical in tone, color and expression. thanks again.

I prefer wooden flutes .i m tired the same sound the Gold,silver and another metals.

Well, it is a bit complicated to explain. Wooden flute fits more to the environment of this whole piece (metal flute is just too Modern). BUT Metal flute sounds much Brighter (and in this case, better) alone, if You leave all the other instruments of this piece. I have seen other Comparsions between the Two Flute-Types (ending in Erroneusly vote for the metallic in a non-verbal way), and I concluded that we should Choose Carefully our Music, because Wooden flute was Born to do a group of things and it is necessary to note that it is Not So Agil (in its sound). There are pieces where everybody can decide whether is better heard on Wooden Or Metallic flute, and pieces obviously better heard playing on Metallic. My personal Favourite is the Wooden one, but I am not going to ever ignore the Advantages, and "Personality" of the Metallic. 🎵💙

Beautifuly played! Love both flutes!!

I am not a flautist, but a horn player. With horns I can tell them apart in a heartbeat. But when it came to this, the differences are almost neglible - I honestly could not tell any difference and if there were, they would never be noticed by the audience ever. Both were gorgeous, let me leave it at that. I saw a comparison between a $100, a $1000 and a 10,000 flute last week and again, barely tell them apart. Maybe it was my ears or wax or head or something, but I was stunned at the similarities and good sound. NOw I know. It is the player that notices the differences, not the listener -

The wood flute needing more air could be the rougher texture of its inside. Also it makes sense for it to be heavy because its 3 times as thick

The flute you were playing in this video was probably made from Grenadilla wood / African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) which, being of the Dalbergia genus, is actually a very dark colored Rosewood. It seems like almost all wooden flutes these days are made of this wood, or of Ebony, but wooden classical transverse flutes can be made from other hardwoods as well, like Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa), Mopane and Mountain Mahogany, all of which are excellent woods. Theobald Boehm, the inventor of the modern flute, had three favorite woods that he used: Grenadilla, Cocobolo and Crocus Wood. Crocus Wood, also called Jamaican Ebony, is now an endangered species, but I have heard a recording of a flute made from this wood, and in my opinion, it has an even better tone than the Grenadilla wood used for the flute you're playing in this video.

Thanks for the video. Since most of us have silver, or heaven forbid nickel🙂, comparing a silver or nickel flute to the wood may be more relevant. Gold is on the warm side and wood is too.

i prefer the wooden flute because imo it has less of that wind whistling sound

Thank you, Sir. This was quite eye-opening for me. I own several mid-range flutes, and has been thinking to get one on a little higher level. Though even with wood there are different levels in terms of sound, I have now concluded because of your demonstration that I will get the wood flute. I am hoping the one I buy will sound as good as the one you played.

you sound wonderful on both but i prefer the golden flute, has more dynamic and depth

Wooden is the best sound !!!

I personally prefer the wooden flute to the metal / golden one, but maybe that's because my zodiac sign is Taurus, which is the consummate Nature sign of the zodiac, loving all things of the Earth, including trees and their woods. Many flutists, especially those who have both wood and metal flutes, or who alternate metal and wooden head joints, will use different flutes / head joints for different pieces - metal where clarity and brilliance are desired, and wood where a more mellow, natural, earthy feel is desired. Problem solved!

The eyes-shut test informed me I couldn’t tell any difference, always guessed wrong when opening them. I play silver.

ONLY PROBLEM IN GOOD WOODEN FLUTES : SANKYO POWELL HAYNES CRIS ABBEL TO ME THE BEST IS THE TEMPERATURE NOT MORE ELSE .

I would perfer getting a wooden flute, the metal ones hurt my ears. I also really like the appearance of wooden instruments.

The wooden flute has soul, the golden flute only a clear sound.

It also depends what metal. I play on a silver/copper alloy. It has way different acoustic properties than silver which is also very different from gold.

I like the wooden one just a bit better! Is there any special oils or care the interor of the chamber needs? Bravo, btw.. Scott in Fort Worth, Texas

I always struggle in purchasing a wooden flute. There are some different, but just have to consider and struggle is that worth to pay for that difference.

I'd like to here you play the Yamaha and a powell wood flute.

Wood nice 👍 Americans love a rough sound they don't understand the European music of the 17th-18th century))).

Im just enjoying the music ❤

I find your recent videos using the Mancke wood headjoint on gold body sound more woody than this Sanky wood😮

Prefer wooden but are very expensive. There is not too much difference in the sound.

The wood flute has a warmer sound in the lower register. The gold flute has a more even response over the whole range, and I could tell It was easier to play. If I had to choose one, it would be the gold. If it would be practical to alternate them on a gig, I would want both. The flute is not my main instrument, but when I decided to buy one, my teacher had me stand outside the shop with the door open while he played them so I could compare the strength of their sound. The loudest is the most responsive and therefore, the easiest to play, and best all around.

How about metal body and wood head joint

Yeah, E minor! Alright! Yeah!

If wood tend to ran high then maybe I should Invest on a wooden flute rather than a silver one, I use to play more folk than classic or concerts, so we have the issue of cold and warm environments always, mostly cold weather, were is hard to keep the flute in proper tune, If the wooden one have the tendency to be higher it would be a plus for me, because I tend to use small embouchure, and not very much amount of breathing for almost everything

Can we play all notes & scale in flute or is there any specific flute for specific scale? Is there c scale only in 1 flute ?

Wood sounds so much nicer to my ear. I would change to wood if I had the money. Listen to Daniel Pailthorpe

Nothing much in it even though one is gold and one is wood and taking into consideration there both top makes. But what you said more or less exsplsins it all. Love nagahara.

Come on intonation 'snaps to you'

Actually, I like the metal sound a bit more. But that might be not always the case.

Wood all day

Wood 🌟😊👍🎶🎵

One question, is that flute wider than the metal one?

Wood!

Your wood flute which brand pls?

Many flutes are made of nickel silver.