Metal Xiao Flute Classical Vertical Musical Instrument Aluminum Two Section XIAO with Mouth Piece Professional Flute for Beginner (Key G)

Very well built, the two joints fit perfectly together. Volume is a bit low, but the sound is warm and pleasant and the flute is well intonated. Considering the price, an accellent choice, especially as a practice flute.

Great quality insturment. Fairly good intonation for a Xiao. Good tight fit of the head joint and very comfortable to play. Fantastic sound, different from your typical wood or bamboo Xiao.

First off I want to say this does play fine, I have no problem with that. Assembly was pretty simple and straight forward but there was no instructions included with mine. Not sure where the tassel is supposed to go, not that it matters much to me. One question I did have is the video in the listing appears to show it being played without the mouthpiece, I wonder if that is the traditional way they play it and the mouthpiece is just included to make more normalized to an American buyer? I don’t know.My only real complaint about this (aside from the lack of instructions or information included about the flute) is that to me it just comes off as an extra long recorder, so it’s a bit disappointing. Probably my fault, I should have spent more time studying it before ordering, but still disappointing.

The media could not be loaded. I don’t see how you use this without the mouthpiece. Mine is just open at both ends and the C does not sound good and should have gotten a G . I sprayed the mouthpiece with alcohol because I would do that anyways. But after trying the flute, I noticed it seemed worn and the metal Scratched from top to bottom where it sticks in as if it been done quite a few times. It came in a bag and not a box and without instructions and without the red tassel. Making me think it might have been used and this is all they got sent back so they sent it to me. Not good practices, Not at all. But I will start over and hopefully they will send the right thing because I waited a long time for this thing and when it got sent, it was put in my mailbox, but nothing was said as to how it was sent So I did not know it jammed the lock in the mailbox so it took a while to get it open. It was an incomplete order and it looks like a used order, but Amazon is working with me and they do a good job straightening things out. I like the way it came wrapped in the bag, which made it look very traditional. I think it’s a good product, but this is just not a good way to send it.

Based on my initial research, I think this is a "Qin Xiao", but I could be completely wrong... What matters is that it is a beautiful instrument! I play several instruments but (other than harmonica) I haven't touched a wind instrument in 25 years, and this is my first flute. My first impression is - wow, this is such a pleasure to play. The tone is surprisingly warm and soft - it is very pleasant and quiet enough that I can play alone in a room and not disturb anyone else in my home. It is chromatic and you can cover ~2 1/2 octaves, making it a very versatile instrument. Being metal means it's easy to clean, and if you forget to swab it dry when done playing it won't potentially ruin it (a danger with bamboo/wood flutes and recorders) - it should last a lifetime with minimal care. The included mouthpiece makes it very easy to get started making beautiful, consistent tones, as playing this flute without the mouth piece is both difficult and a bit uncomfortable - while they did chamfer the inside edge of the mouthpiece to protect your lips and chin, the outside edge has a square shoulder and becomes quite uncomfortable after a while. Shortening the mouth piece a few MM and adding a plastic/resin rim (like that found on the bottom of the flute) to make up the difference would provide a smooth comfortable surface for your lips and chin, providing a huge improvement in comfort and playability when not using the "beginner mouthpiece".Overall, this is a beautiful instrument, relatively easy to play with the included mouthpiece, and an absolute joy to spend countless hours playing. I am so pleased with this flute that it has reignited my passion for making and playing music - if you're interested in the Xiao, or maybe just something a little different than your typical flute or recorder, I would highly recommend you give this flute a try.

This flute is an interesting addition to my collection of instruments. It is a traditional style vertical Xiao flute. I believe they are traditionally made of bamboo, but this one is made of aluminum.The metal is solid and the 2 parts fit together easily. The flute comes with a plastic mouthpiece that can be fitted on the end, allowing the instrument to be blown like you would a recorder. I was able to look up some videos on the internet using the key words "Xiao flute" to learn how to blow into it to create sound (without the mouthpiece). I am glad that the mouthpiece is included because it will help me to learn the fingering without having to figure out the mouth position at the same time.The flute comes with a nice cloth storage bag that is long enough to fit the fully assembled flute. The flute also comes with a basic fingering chart. I do wish that this came with a bit more additional information: I would love some tips on mouth positioning and playing as well as some traditionally played melodies or simple beginner music. Overall, I am pleased with the quality of the flute.